Sponsorship Details

Barriers to Education

Primary schooling is universal, compulsory, and free in Tanzania, but there are a number of reasons why many students attend sporadically or dropout altogether.

Some of these reasons include:

Cost of required uniforms, textbooks, and school supplies are a burden on the family
Desire for a child’s labor at home or on the farm
Long distances / time required to travel to schools
Belief that school will not benefit the child
Belief that even if they complete primary school that secondary schooling is financially out of reach

Sponsorship Program

Project Zawadi's Sponsorship program seeks to address these obstacles by partnering with students' families, communities, and schools to:

provide the neediest students with the uniforms and school supplies they need to attend school. Students are chosen by their communities through a rigorous sponsorship selection process.
ensure that there is time and space at home to study. Families agree to ensure that their children attend school regularly, allow Counselors to visit their child at home and at school to track their progress and trouble-shoot any issues that may impact the student's ability to attend school and learn, and to make school a priority.
provide mentoring and support such as academic and career counseling to demonstrate how their school efforts can help them in attaining their goals.
empower students with the knowledge that as long as they are working hard and succeeding, their higher level schooling costs will be covered.

Visit our donate now page to become a sponsor! Give at the $240 level!

Apprenticeship Program

The Apprenticeship Program was developed as an option for sponsored students who for various reasons may not continue in traditional school settings. The program offers viable and diverse opportunities for learning and development where students gain hands-on experience in a trade that provides future income-earning potential.

Students who enter into the program first explore their interests and skills (with the support of our Apprenticeship Coordinator). They choose the trade they would like to learn and are matched with a Master CraftsPerson (or ‘fundi’). The Apprenticeship Program runs for two years. The first year is an immersive experience where they learn the trade through shadowing and hands-on assisting. In their second year, they practice their trade under supervision of their fundi and get to keep 10% of what they make.

Once students have finished their program, Project Zawadi will work with them to ensure they have the supplies and tools they need to be successful.

Individual Sponsorship

Project Zawadi donors can support an individual student as they pursue their education. The cost of supporting an individual student is $240 per student per year. Project Zawadi makes a long-term commitment to our students, thus we also ask individual sponsors to commit to supporting their student for multiple years as well. In shared photos, and letters you will be able to learn a bit about each other and see the difference sponsorship makes as the student progresses from year to year.

Sponsored students at the primary level receive the following standard resources to support their education:

2 sets of school uniforms
2 pairs of shoes
textbooks for their grade level
10 notebooks, pens, and pencils
a book bag
a solar-powered lantern (Standard 6 and above)
reuseable menstruation kits (girls, Standard 6 and above)
all school and exam fees

As students advance through secondary, tertiary, or vocational levels, the resource needs for these programs are properly fulfilled. Often this will include room, board, living and travel expenses for schools outside the village area, and specialized items or equipment as required by individual programs of study.

Visit our donate now page to become a sponsor! Give at the $240 level!

Communications

Letters

Sponsored students write a letter to their sponsors at least once a year. This yearly letter will consist of an age-appropriate note directly from the student, translation of the note (for younger students), and/or a drawing from the student. A current photograph and an update on the student’s progress and other Project Zawadi activities in the community will also be included.

Sponsors are welcome to write to sponsored students and indeed they are probably very curious about you and your life! The children most often like to hear about family members, work, and normal daily activities. Photos of sponsors and their families are especially appreciated.

Communication does require some level of patience. Nyamuswa is a rural community and at most schools the main means of transportation are by foot and bicycle with mail being delivered sporadically.

If you wish, you may communicate with your students by sending mail overseas (ensure that the student’s first and last name and the school are indicated prominently on the envelope)

Project Zawadi
Attn: Student first and last name (school)
PO Box 10955
Arusha, Tanzania
EAST AFRICA

Electronic Communication:

Because mail to Tanzania can be slow and unreliable you also have the option of sending communications electronically. If you’d like to reach out to your students electronically, e-mail notes and pictures to sponsorship@projectzawadi.org. They will be printed at our office in Nyamuswa, translated, and distributed to your student the next time a staff member visits their school.

Project Zawadi does not allow direct communication via phone, email, text messaging, or social media between students and their sponsors due to privacy and safety considerations.

Gifts:

Project Zawadi discourages gift-giving to sponsored students as it can create discord and hurt feelings among sponsored students when some of them receive gifts from their sponsors and others do not. Writing notes of encouragement and sending photos is the best way to maintain contact and show support.

If you wish to contribute more monitarily, consider donating to our general fund so that students can be supported through our other programs.