USAFE troops lend helping hands to mothers and children in Tunisia Published July 13, 2007 By Capt. Erin Macri USAFE Public Affairs RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany -- Mothers and children in Tunisia will soon have hope for a better future thanks to the construction of a new care center that will provide both space for infants and their mothers and have a vocational training area. "We are trying to build a facility that helps single mothers and promotes integration rather than stigmatization," said Toni Metcalfe-El Abed, the Humanitarian Assistance Officer for the US Embassy in Tunisia. Maj. John Corbett, USAFE contracting officer, and Capt. David Vanderburg, USAFE civil engineer, took on this project as part of USAFE's ongoing mission to improve the quality of life in and build stronger relationships with many African nations. The project to build the new orphanage is a teaming arrangement with the government of Tunisia, the U.S. Department of Defense, the Japanese Embassy, and Le Voix de L'Enfant, a non-governmental organization that will operate and manage the Mother/Child Center. "This new orphanage will enable us to take the 400 dinar a month we are spending on rent and spend it on care of the orphans," said Ammar Khemidi, the president of Le Voix de L'Enfant. The land for the new site was donated by the Government of Tunisia and the Japanese Embassy is providing about 25 percent of the funds to build the orphanage. "Single mothers in Tunisia are often ostracized by both society and their families," said Major Corbett. "The new center we are building will have room for infants, their mothers, and a training area for the mothers to learn job skills so they can support themselves. This will enable the mothers to become productive members of society while ensuring they have adequate care for their children." Construction on the project is set to begin in September and the new care center is scheduled to open in June of 2008.