About Us

• Background • Mission Statement • Board of Directors • Tembo Trust • Advisory Council • Partnerships

Background
Longido (pop. 7,630) and Kimokouwa (pop. 3,600) are villages in rural northern Tanzania located in the heart of Maasailand, about one hour north of Arusha by car. A majority of the people are traditional Maasai engaged in herding cattle. Other inhabitants of this rural area grow small family gardens of maize (corn) and beans. With a per capita income of about $1.00 a day, the primary focus of families is on providing for the basic needs of food and shelter. For many, providing an education for their children is a ‘luxury’ they simply cannot afford.

The government of Tanzania funds primary school education. School uniforms are mandatory and families must pay for these in order for a child to attend. The Longido Primary School has 912 students in attendance and there are 250 students at the Kimokouwa Primary School. UNICEF estimates that only 47% of children in Tanzania are in primary school, a majority of whom are boys. One third of these children leave school before the fifth grade. The Longido Secondary School has 436 students enrolled—about five percent of eligible students—with families required to pay the entire cost of tuition.

Often referred to as the “backbone” of Africa, women have had little or no opportunity to receive formal education or training. Their responsibilities include bearing and raising children and performing household tasks including fetching water and collecting firewood, cooking, cleaning and laundry. Maasai women have limited ownership rights and few options for earning money.

Jo Marchant with Anna, one of the Longido village children	Marian Roks with some members of the Women's Small Business groups

In 1998 TEMBO founders travelled to northern Tanzania to visit a young girl they were sponsoring. Return visits were made in 1999 and 2003 to include visiting projects carried out by other non-governmental organizations (NGOs.) After meeting with community leaders, teachers and local residents, the decision was made to formalize a commitment to the people in Longido and Kimokouwa by establishing the Tanzania Education and Micro-Business Opportunity (TEMBO). A mission statement was formulated and in the spring of 2004, a Board of Directors was appointed and an application for Charitable Status submitted to Revenue Canada. In January 2005, TEMBO became a registered Canadian charity (#856825872RR0001).
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Board of Directors
Christine Van Slyke is a Business Development Manager with the Public Sector Team of TELUS Communications Company. Her work focuses on helping to improve and redefine communication through the use of innovative technology in Education and Healthcare.  Christine is passionate and committed to contributing to initiatives working towards the eradication of world poverty.  Christine is also a member of the family selection committee of Habitat for Humanity.

Marilyn Minaker is an Itinerant Teacher of the Hearing Impaired with the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board. As a life-long educator, Marilyn has instilled confidence in her students by giving them the tools they need to communicate. Marilyn looks forward to making her first trip to Tanzania as a member of TEMBO's Board of Directors.

Cathy Allison made trips to Tanzania in 2001 and 2003. Cathy, a technology Management Consultant, is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Ottawa International Jazz Festival. With a degree in Anthropology and a degree in Music, Cathy is now pursuing a PhD in Mass Communication at Carleton University.

Natalie St Lawrence is a Manager at the Bureau of Women's Health and Gender Analysis at Health Canada. She has extensive experience in international women's rights and equality issues, negotiating at the UN and the Commonwealth for Canada. She lived and worked in Malawi, Africa from 1992-1994 as a UNICEF representative in maternal and child health, and HIV/AIDS. She helped establish a national NGO in Malawi to help women living with HIV/AIDS.

Arlene McKechnie is a “retired” attorney who lends her considerable expertise to NGOs (non-governmental organizations) working in Africa. Arlene participated in a Habitat for Humanity building project in Ghana, West Africa, in June 2005. In October and November 2006, Arlene made a four week visit to the TEMBO project areas.

Marian Roks, one of TEMBO's founders and a member of the Executive Committee, is a “retired” Teacher of the Hearing Impaired. During her winter 2005 site visit for Project TEMBO, Marian also coordinated a project to supply hearing aids and support to 45 deaf students at St. Francis School in Moshi, Tanzania. Marian also made trips to Tanzania in 1998 and 2003.

Jo Marchant, co-founder of TEMBO and Executive Committee member, first visited Tanzania in 1998 and has since made numerous visits. Using her skills in photography and writing, Jo hopes to introduce people in the Developed World to ways they can help people in Tanzania realize their dreams for education and a better life.
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Tembo Trust
TEMBO Trust is a registered Tanzania NGO (non-governmental organization) founded by Project TEMBO in June 2007. Establishing TEMBO Trust is the first step we are taking to provide a sustainable organization in northern Tanzania. Our goal is to work closely with TEMBO Trust members in Tanzania to develop leadership and income-generating mechanisms in Longido and Kimokouwa.

Christina Mwiru, on the left, has worked with Tanzanian NGO’s in various parts of the country.

Nai Engaresa is considered an “Opinion Leader” in Longido. An Opinion Leader does not have elected authority, but is an unoffical leader and is respected by the villagers.

TEMBO Trust is composed of five trustees. Initially, three will be members of Project TEMBO in Canada – Marian Roks, Arlene McKechnie, and Jo Marchant – and two will be women from Longido – Christina Mwiru (the current TEMBO Tanzania Co-ordinator), and Nai Engaresa, a highly respected resident of Longido and longtime friend of Project TEMBO. When TEMBO Trust is solidly on its feet, the balance of trustees will shift to a majority of Tanzanians. Christina’s background is primarily in social work and includes work with Poverty Africa and Compassion, local NGO’s, as well as training to be a teacher. Nai’s background includes serving on the Longido Land and Water Boards, Chairperson of the Pride Micro-finance Loan Group, member of the Longido HIV Advisory Board, and member of Human Rights for Women and Children with Amnesty International.
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Advisory Council
To assist TEMBO Trust and Project TEMBO in Canada in making good decisions and policies, an Advisory Council composed of seven women from Longido and Kimokouwa has been set up.  The backgrounds and experiences of the women are varied and include women with secondary and post-secondary education, and women with traditional tribal knowledge. These wise women were recommended to us after consultation with Dr. Steven Kiruswa, and other women and men in the villages.
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Project TEMBO welcomes partnerships with organizations in Canada and Tanzania that promote our vision and goal of improving the quality of life in northern Tanzania by education and empowering girls and women.

LOCIP (Longido Community Organization)
The vision of LOCIP is to work with and through partner agencies and motivated individuals toward creating and strengthening sustainable, community-based development projects that bring about positive social change and empowerment to the entire population. LOCIP is guided by Dr. Steven Kiruswa, also founder of the Lilian Foundation in Tanzania.
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