Education is the key to helping people lift themselves out of poverty. Your sponsorship of a student is the most direct, the most-needed, and the most life-changing assistance you can provide. While primary schools in Tanzania don’t charge tuition, the families must still provide uniforms, supplies and cover lunch costs. For families with little to no income, that is an impossible task.
Students in Form 7 take their exams in October to determine which secondary schools they are eligible to attend. The highest performers have the option of attending a boarding school focused on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). These schools offer the best education for students and are correspondingly more expensive.
The next option for secondary school is a non-STEM boarding school. These schools offer the advantage that students can focus on their studies without being required to spend multiple hours walking back and forth from home each day. This also means that they are less likely to be required to miss classes due to the need to help out at home.
The final option is for students to attend a “local” secondary school. These are often several miles away and obviously take the students many hours each week walking from home to school and back each day.
Here are four options to support Tloma Primary School students or outstanding graduating students who want to continue their education at the secondary level:
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Typical Annual Sponsorship Costs (in US Dollars)
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| Support Level | Annual Needs | Primary School | Secondary Day School (with 2-3 mile walk each way) | Secondary Boarding School | STEM Boarding School for High Achievers |
| Basic | Uniform plus shoes and socks |
$45
|
$55
|
$55
|
—
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| Meal | Daily lunch |
$75
|
$120
|
$120
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| Full Support | Includes above plus tuition, school supplies, annual medical tests, etc. |
$135
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$160
|
$450
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$1,500 – $1,700
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| Four-Year Pledge | All-inclusive education |
$540
|
$640
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$1,800
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$6,000 – $6,800
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We encourage a multi-year commitment to ensure your student completes his or her education, typically 4 years for secondary school. (Paid annually or in one lump sum.)
When you sponsor a student, you will receive periodic updates on them and correspondence from them.
Sponsor A Student
The school year runs from January through December with breaks in between. For students in the last year of primary school, secondary school selection, entry testing, and student registration begins in October. Students need to know if they have sponsorships before they can apply. The available spots are limited and therefore applying early is important to getting a spot. Please let us know as soon as you can if you’d like to sponsor a student!
If you’d like to sponsor one of our featured students (see our current candidates), we will try to accommodate that. If you’d like to sponsor the “next candidate in line” we’ll let you know who that is. If you met a student you wish to sponsor, we will try to accommodate that also.
Some safari companies contribute to Tloma Primary School and may have options for sponsorships. We will be happy to provide any assistance we can if you choose that avenue of support.
If you have any questions, please email TlomaGivingInfo@gmail.com or call Winona Perry at +1 435.754.6878 Mountain Time in the US. You can message us through our Tloma Primary School Facebook page or WhatsApp.