Blog Post 3: Sending kids to school

In Tanzania, the school year starts in January, and attending school is mandatory for boys and girls alike until the age of 16. Attending public school is free, and there are many schools around the country. However, students are required to provide their own supplies, ranging from notebooks to uniforms. The cost of these supplies can be prohibitive, leading to poorer students not being able to attend their classes.

Our director Leticia with students who received funding.

Our team met with students and families individually, to discuss their current situation and their specific needs.

The statistics of schooling in Tanzania reflect this: while around 70% of kids complete primary school, only around 30% end up completing secondary school (the gender balance is very close to 50/50, with a slightly more girls than boys attending).

For our first project of 2025, we teamed up with three schools in Dar es Salaam, to identify students who could not afford required materials. Teachers either immediately identified them, or let us know which students had not shown up for classes in the first week. We contacted their families, and bought them the required materials to attend classes. In total, we helped 25 students go to school, providing huge relief for families and a positive learning environment for kids!

Disclaimer: All pictures are taken and used with the explicit permission of our recipients.