PROJECT-SUPPORT TANZANIA

Country / Location

Tanzania, Lesoit

Tanzania is a country in East Africa. It lies on the Indian Ocean and borders Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi and DR Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. With nearly 70 million inhabitants, it is the fifth most populous country in Africa. The capital city is Dodoma; however, the largest city is Dar es Salaam on the coast.

Water Projects:
Lengatei is a village in the Manyara region in the Kiteto District. The inhabitants mainly belong to two ethnic groups: the Ngus, who live in the village itself, and the Maasai, who live in bomas (huts) in the surrounding forests.

Education Projects:
The neighbouring village of Lesoit is located in a rural area in northern Tanzania, in the heart of Maasai territory.

General Information

The Association Elewa-Africa, based in Ollon (VD), has been working since its founding in 2013 to improve living conditions for disadvantaged rural communities in the Kiteto District. Its mission is to meet the basic needs of these communities through projects focused on two key areas: access to water and access to education.

The year 2024 marked a significant turning point in the organisation’s history. Following the successful completion of four projects that provided several communities with access to clean drinking water, the association decided to expand its activities into the education sector.

Beneficiaries

The village of Lesoit has around 1’400 inhabitants, including nearly 500 children of primary school age. There is currently only one public school in the area. It is located several kilometres from the village centre, making access difficult, especially for the youngest children. The school is also overcrowded: 450 pupils are taught by only six teachers, and there is a lack of proper infrastructure and sufficient teaching materials. Under these conditions, many children either do not attend school or drop out at a very early age. 

Project-Support

Project: a school for Lesoit

At the request of the village elders of Lesoit, and with the active support of the local government, the Association Elewa-Africa has committed itself to building a private, inclusive, and sustainable primary school that reflects the realities of the local community. The authorities have provided a well-situated and easily accessible plot of land.    

The school will accommodate around 250 children – from kindergarten to grade six. It will include: eight classrooms, a kitchen with a canteen, sanitary facilities and water points, accommodation for teachers, a staff room, and an administrative building.

Thanks to substantial support, construction has already begun. The foundations have been laid, several buildings are under construction, and there is strong momentum within the community. The plan is for the school to officially open in January 2027, at the start of the Tanzanian school year.

To facilitate management of the future school and its administrative tasks, Elewa-Africa has decided to establish a local branch in the form of a Community Based Organisation. This group is composed of Maasai men and women from Ilkandururo, who have extensive knowledge of local conditions, authorities, and Tanzanian law.