In northern Tanzania, the new school year starts in January but adolescent girls in Longido District live in a precarious balance between marriage and education.
Many live in poverty and are at great risk of early marriage as soon as they finish primary school. Without education and employable skills these young women face a grueling future of hardship and poverty.
Imagine the difference you could make in a girl’s life by giving her the gift of education.
A $30 gift can provide HER with toiletries for a year (soap, pads, bucket for washing, etc.)
A $135 gift can provide HER with a new school uniform including two skirts, white shirts, sweaters, a tie and a pair of shoes and socks.
A $60 gift can provide HER with textbooks and school supplies for the year.
A $410 gift can provide HER with all that she needs to start secondary school including toiletries, books, a new school uniform, bedding and a new trunk.
Thirteen-year-old Njumali proudly stands beneath this sign at her school in a small Maasai village outside Longido. These words are her declaration that education is her only hope to avoid childhood marriage.
Would you give Njumali that choice today?
Njumali is one of six children. Her late father, a respected community leader, believed in the power of education. After his passing last year, her mother struggles to provide even the basics, leaving Njumali with both grief and dreams standing side by side.
Njumali was thrilled when she was accepted into TEMBO’s PASS program, a chance to continue her education despite her family’s struggles. “I am learning so much. I am gaining confidence, living independently, and making friends. I even love playing football,” she says.
But worry has become her constant companion. “What if I need medicine when I am sick? What if I cannot afford school supplies? Who will help me?”
She is determined to continue her studies. “I like school. When I complete my education, I can get a job. When I get a job, I can help my mother and make my own choices,” Njumali shares, with hope in her eyes.
Right now, Njumali is at risk of dropping out because her family cannot support her school needs. Many girls like her are eager to continue their education, and build brighter futures for themselves and their families.
With your help, girls like Njumali can choose education over early marriage.
Your gift today can make this choice possible.
When her husband passed away, Nalamala’s world became smaller, but her dreams for her daughter, Njumali, grew even bigger.
“I never went to school,” she says quietly. “My parents are among those who hid their children in the forest or took us far away to herd goats.”
Nalamala’s wish is to give her children what she never had access to. That is the power of a mother’s love.
“Because I have no education, it is like I am blind. I do not know how to read and write. I cannot talk to people at the hospital. I do not want this for my children.”
Her biggest constraint right now is financial support. She has been trying her best to raise money for the family’s daily needs. She sells firewood but cannot make enough.
For Nalamala, education is not just about learning. It is about light, hope, and the future her husband never lived to see.
“The love of God is on my side and I thank TEMBO for supporting my daughter.”
With your help, daughters like Njumali can stay in school, chase their dreams, and build the future their mothers have always prayed for.
Are you looking for a special gift for someone you care about this holiday season? Making a donation on behalf of your friend, family member or colleague supports a girl’s dream to go to school. The recipient will receive an e-card that lets them know that this gift is making a difference in a girl’s life.
Select “I would like to dedicate this gift” at checkout.
