The people, the terrain, the beautiful views and the wildlife are some of the many things we love about Tanzania. Home to over 59.73 million people (World Bank, 2020), it’s also home to the highest peak in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro, and Serengeti National Park.

Despite its huge tourist industry, 26.4% of people in Tanzania live below the national poverty line (World Bank, 2017). Tanzania has struggled to provide adequate access to education for youth and has been unable to provide sufficient health care, food security and income for all of its people, particularly those in the most rural regions.

WE Charity began partnering with communities in Tanzania’s Arusha region in 2002, supporting the government in a plan to improve primary education, particularly for those in rural areas. Together with communities, WE Charity has implemented community-led, holistic and sustainable programming across our five-pillar development model. This holistic model starts with education, usually building or renovating schools or school rooms (including classrooms, libraries, kitchens, teachers’ accommodations, and school offices), that are then supported by other infrastructure needs key to breaking the cycle of poverty, from clean water to improved health care.

In 2001, Tanzania eliminated fees for primary school, which led to a rapid increase in enrollment. One of the unfortunate side effects of this policy was a shortage of teachers, which reduced the quality of education the system could provide. While this new policy meant education was free in theory, many families were left struggling to afford additional costs such as uniforms, school supplies and examination fees. Many children in Tanzania are also involved in child labor, a further barrier keeping them out of school.

Since 2002, we have worked with the Tanzanian government to build and rehabilitate school infrastructure such as school rooms, a library, a laboratory, teachers’ accommodations, office and libraries. School programming includes working closely with students to ensure they are well-prepared for their National Examinations, supporting them with study tools and preparation. By setting students up for success in exams, it helps open doors to future academic opportunities. Students also have the chance to take part in extracurricular activities—for example, environment, health and agriculture clubs—helping facilitate important conversations on local issues and helping students learn positive, healthy habits.

We have also worked to ensure there are trained educators in all schools, supporting them with regular training workshops that give them the skills and knowledge to bring out their students’ full potential, both in their everyday studies and during exam periods.

We also work with local families and community leaders to promote the value of education for their children.