Tumaini Primary School - Arusha
About the School
Tumaini Primary School serves children from underprivileged families in slums around Arusha.
The children are between the ages of three and fifteen. They study in pathetic conditions. Their classrooms are dilapidated and partly roofless. They lack proper desks and classroom furniture. The school toilets are door-less and in a sorry state.
Most families the children come from live on under $1 a day and can only afford a single meal per day.
The school suffers irregular class attendance. The children have to engage in child labour to supplement their family income and provide the next meal for their families.
Tumaini School curbs absenteeism problem by having a feeding program. The program has greatly reduced the number of children who miss school. It however runs into difficulty occasionally due to insufficient funds.
A majority of the 560 children who rely on the school for knowledge have to walk long distances to reach the school. Other schools near their home may not be as affordable and lack feeding programs. The children have ragged school uniform and bags. They often lack pens, pencils, exercise books and have to do without text books.
Learning basics at Tumaini School are scarce. The school has no computers. Text books, writing materials and other teaching aids are in short supply.
Volunteering at Tumaini School
Like other schools under our volunteer programs, one does not need to be a teacher to volunteer at Tumaini School. All volunteers are appreciated and have an immediate and long lasting positive impact on the children at this school.
Volunteer work includes teaching, helping with the feeding program, painting and school maintenance. Tumaini School welcomes volunteers from all backgrounds and of any age. Volunteers can come as individuals or groups of students or professionals who would like to help out while on holiday.
This placement is good those who would want to assist deprived children who grow up in very disadvantaged communities. The head teacher works a suitable volunteer teaching program with the volunteers according to their academic levels and skills. Tumaini school is flexible. Volunteers can help in anyway that they find suitable.
Volunteers are hosted by families near the school. The host families are very friendly. They speak good English and regularly host international volunteers.