The Toa Nafasi Project

Medical Support

The failing students, as they are often called, always appear on the bottom of the list. Toa Nafasi program is changing that narrative. We’re prioritizing these students having learned they have learning disabilities. One thing we have been doing lately is taking them to hospital for medical support. Eight students with different health challenges have been screened. So far some have been diagnosed with intestinal, chest and other infections and 1 has been scheduled for nasal polyps’ surgery. She will undertake the surgery later this month.

Food and School Supplies Support

A cup of porridge makes all the difference. The food program is going into its second year. Many of our students come from low income families where parents are unable to afford 3 meals a day. For some of these children, parents or guardians are busy trying to make ends meet and its difficult to a balanced meal. All of our students get the nutritional food support in school. This initiative has helped us in a myriad of ways. Children are not sleeping in classes due to hunger anymore, they are getting healthy and are learning.

Additionally, our partners are continuing to support all our 292 children with school materials. We have recently received exercise books of four different kinds, erasers and pencils. Partners have also contributed financially which enables us to stay afloat and cater for the children’s in our program needs. It's through your donations that we are able to do all this.

In and Out of Class

Our team of tutors is working tirelessly to support the students in classes. They are making tools, tutor the students, attending workshops and learn subjects like Mental Health and are empowered with communication and leadership skills from training like one conducted this July by Dr. Steve Mortenson from University of Delaware. On fridays, tutors introduce students to different sports cultivating their interest to learn with games and sports.

Moreover, out of class, Toa Nafasi’s board promoted Novatus Marandu as its executive director. He has recently returned from the U.S attending Mandela Washington Fellowship program. While in U.S, he visited current and potential partners like Segal Family Foundation (SFF) and Issroff Family Foundation. At Segal he met the founders Barry and Dolly Segal, Executive Director Andy Bryant and other staff both at SFF and Focus for Health. He also visited Friends of Tanzania and met board member Rita Kamazima and Clayton Batko, Project Committee Chair where he discussed all things partnerships.

Our executive director was also interviewed twice with the Voice of America where he introduced the Toa Nafasi program to international swahili speakers. He is now travelling to Dodoma attending Annual NGOs Forum and meeting and connecting with partners.

Novatus is also working with the Toa Nafasi board on transitioning Toa Nafasi into a local African led organization.

Have you been wondering what you can do to support the last on the list. Reach out to us to learn how or donate. Karibu sana!

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First Round of Assessment: The first round of assessment that includes Observation, Test 1 and Interviews is complete. We finally have 292 students with learning difficulties that we are enrolling in our robust tutoring program. This will also go hand in hand with scheduled appointments to doctors for health challenges we’ve observed and later treatment. And don’t forget, the cup of porridge for every child in the program is going into its second year.

Learning Visit: Toa Nafasi had the opportunity to host SOS Children’s Villages, Arusha – an international NGO providing family-like care to children and young people in Tanzania – and Her Journey To School – a local NGO promoting gender equality through education. These partners visited our offices and partner school where our children, tutors and staff demonstrated what is it like on a typical day of children with learning disability. We were all excited to learn from each other, experience and have fun.

We invite you and your network to our offices and project site to learn, volunteer or donate. Karibu sana!

Events:  We’re excited to share Toa Nafasi’s Chief of Operation, Novatus Marandu, is a recipient of Mandela Washington Fellowship Program – a U.S flagship program for Young African Leaders. He’ll be travelling to U.S for six weeks this summer at the University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware. In recognition of their accomplishment in their communities, Novatus and fellow young leaders, Dr. Tulia Ackson, speaker of the Tanzania parliament invited them to the parliament. Afterwards they also met Dodoma Regional Commissioner, Anthony Mtaka and Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Ambassador Swahiba Mndeme.

Partners: The Toa Nafasi Project are grateful for the support we receive from our partner, A Childhood For Children. We recently received school supplies donation for all students in the 11 partner schools in Moshi from A Childhood for Children. Thank you A Childhood For Children for supporting the education of children with cognitive disabilities.

News:Toa Nafasi also appeared in two newspapers articles and two photo features in Tanzania’s widely circulated newspapers, The Guardian and Nipashe. We’re honored children with learning difficulties are getting into the spotlight. The first article in the Guardian newspaper highlighted the need to review curriculum to incorporate the needs of children with learning difficulties. The second article shined light on the trainings provided to children with disabilities tutors. Awareness that children with learning difficulties can and are learning like performing students is very important for both the policy makers and the wider community.

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