OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE NGORONGORO PRE-SCHOOL IN NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA – TANZANIA

The founder of the Zara Charity and Zainab Ansel, the director of Zara Tours, are pleased to announce the official opening of the Ngorongoro pre-school in Enduleni Village in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

 

As a developing country, Tanzania struggles to provide a high quality of infrastructure and education, and the Maasai community has one of the highest illiteracy and lowest school enrolment rates in East Africa. This is primarily due to a lack of schools and their pastoral way of life. Maasai children have been known to walk barefoot for up to 20km to a primary school within parks where there is a danger of an animal attack.

The cost of education remains a large obstacle. Most families live on less than US$0.80 per day and it’s not rare for a family to have around eight children, while some Maasai warriors have up to 60 wives. Research shows that nearly 60% of Maasai children under five years old are physically stunted, which is an indicator of chronic malnutrition. Studies also show that only 5% of elementary school students continue to high school, and that girls are the most disadvantaged as they are expected to stay at home to help their mother take care of the house and family.

With an average ratio of 72 students to one teacher, four million new primary school teachers were needed in East Africa to reach the goal of offering primary education to all children by 2015. Crowded and dilapidated classrooms, coupled with insufficient teaching resources and instruction time, reflect a far below average standard of educational institutions.

As part of Zara Tours’ sustainable tourism plan, Zara Charity strongly believes that education is the key to a better future that will break the cycle of impoverished communities. That is why we decided to promote education in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area by building a pre-school at which 43 children are currently registered. We focus on building a support system for children by constructing better facilities in which to learn, ensuring access to safe and healthy learning environments, strengthening teaching quality, and providing scholarships.

Student sponsorship covers the cost of enrolment fees, school materials and uniforms, as well as regular monitoring and support from the Zara Charity. It also provides students with access to medical services.

One of the most rewarding aspects of sponsorship is getting to know a student personally and seeing the positive effect on their life. We provide various ways for sponsors to form this personal bond, including sending regular updates of the student’s report cards and living situation, and giving the option to send letters directly. Sponsors can also meet the student and their family in Tanzania, and they can combine their trip with an affordable safari package or trek up Mt. Kilimanjaro.

To sponsor a student through pre-school, the cost of one full year is US$850, which works out at just US$2.30 per day. Co-sponsorship and paying in monthly instalments are also options. For more information on our Student Sponsorship Programme, please contact: zara@zaracharitytanzania.org and/or zainab@zaratours.com or Donate to our fund rising page here