|
1 in 5 children worldwide are not in school.It is estimated that 263 million school-age children around the world — one in five — are not in school. This hinders their mental and physical development. It robs them of a promising future and affects communities in deep and lasting ways. The scale of the problem is immense. But so is the impact we can have.
Access to schooling and poverty are closely linked, and while the problem is complex, funding education scholarships is a relatively simple and immediate tool to combat it. Since 2011, we've supported our 15 students by nurturing their educational growth and personal well-being. Being in school has changed their lives profoundly for the better and seeing them grow up and thrive has been such a huge privilege. In Tanzania, only around 30% of students complete high school. In the Waka Waka Project, 13 of our 15 students are now high school graduates and the remaining two will finish in a couple of years. The rate for university graduates in Tanzania is even lower, with only 1% of citizens holding a university degree. As of 2025, six of our students have enrolled in university or college programs and the oldest will graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Transportation Management next year. |
Finding schools that fit our kids.
We don't work with just one school. A benefit to keeping our project small is that we can tailor our work to the needs of each student. Some of them attend school near their village to be closer to home, while others are in boarding schools a few hours away. Children don't all learn in the same way, or have the same academic interests, and it's important to us not to generalize how we treat their individual education journeys. Our older students, for example, started school at a later age (some as old as 9 years old) and their schooling has required a different set of considerations. Because we are as small as we are, we've been able to cater to their personal circumstance and that's something we're proud of. As more of them finish high school, and as we look to their University years, we've continued to use that approach to find programs that fit their individual needs.
The private elementary and secondary schools our kids have attended have offer reduced class sizes, an English language curriculum, and three healthy meals per day. This is a luxury many children do not get in Tanzania, and one that has come with the private schooling we have fundraised for all these years. |
|
|
A learning journey.Running an education project in a foreign country has been quite the journey; and it has not always been easy. We came into this knowing we were outsiders and have fostered close relationships with the community in order to navigate the cultural and educational landscape with sensitivity and responsiveness. It has required constant reflection, adjustment and asking for advice from experts on the ground. Above all, we are deeply committed to our students, to doing what is best for them while amplifying the role that education plays in their lives, and to being good listeners and advocates for access to quality schooling.
|
Help us spread the word about what we do!
Spreading the word about what we do is a great way to support us beyond donations. We've made easy information sheets you can download and/or print to send to family, friends, or co-workers. Especially during the holiday season, telling others about our work can lead to surprising and valued donations, as people are often looking for personal projects to support or for unique contributions to gift exchanges. Below are PDF files you can circulate easily with a project overview (left) and a general breakdown of where your donation dollars go (right).
|
|
|
