Living, Learning, and Growing Together

Faraja Primary School in Tanzania offers students comfortable dormitories, modern classrooms, state-of-the-art therapy rooms and other amenities to ensure that these young children not only have the chance to live and learn, but the opportunity to explore, play, and grow.

Providing a lifetime of opportunity for all of God’s children.

Faraja Primary School was founded with the belief that all children deserve an opportunity for a life of self-sufficiency in mind, body, and spirit. Far too often, the poorest families in Tanzania see disabled children as cursed, a bad omen, or a hardship they are unable to bear; but at Faraja, we see our students as inspirational ambassadors of change and a testament to faith, love, and perseverance through “comfort and consolation” (in Swahili, faraja). Here they grow not only physically, but mentally and spiritually.

Our mission is to provide our students with a lifetime of opportunity through education, medical care, and meaningful employment so that Faraja graduates can contribute to their families and their communities for years to come.

Upgraded Computer Lab

The computer lab at Faraja was unveiled in 2018, thanks to the dedicated work of the Faraja Youth Group. These young volunteers raised over $17,000 to upgrade the computer lab with 21 laptops, a projector and screen, and special handicap-accessible tables and chairs. Now, a world of knowledge and exploration is at students’ fingertips.

A New Playground

In 2019, a new playground was donated to Faraja. It contains equipment specially engineered for physically disabled children. Besides offering a recreational area, this equipment serves a vital role in physical therapy. The smiles on the faces of the kids pictured here let you know how they feel about their new playground!

Increased Classroom Sizes

Faraja Primary School’s has increased our classroom total from from four to six!

With the two new classrooms, Faraja’s pupil-teacher ratio of 25:1 (which already compares favorably with the national average of 50:1) will further decrease. This means more opportunities for student interaction and participation and one-on-one assistance for students who need extra help.

Small class size is one of many advantages that Faraja offers students with physical disabilities. By offering students a high-quality primary education, Faraja gives these special children the chance to reach their full potential.

On-Campus Therapy Rooms

Some children who arrive on campus for the first time must be carried into the school by their loved ones. However, by the time they graduate, many of them walk away from the campus on their own or with the aid of wheelchairs, crutches, and walking frames provided by generous donors. In our on-campus therapy room, with the assistance of our occupational therapist, students quickly discover their own strength and resilience. Thanks to a partnership with the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center, students receive remedial surgeries and then return to campus where they learn to walk, run, and play…many of them for the first time.

About Tanzania

With its vast forests, tropical blue beaches, and the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania is often regarded as the most beautiful nation in East Africa. Faraja Primary School is located in northern Tanzania, at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro, just outside the town of Sanya Juu. Within a few hundred miles is the “Cradle of Civilization,” the Olduvai Gorge; the vast plains of the Serengeti; and the popular safari destination of Ngorongoro Crater.

However, despite this beauty, rich history, and increase in international tourism, the nation’s citizens are among the poorest in the world, with over 60% of the population living in hunger and poverty. Meanwhile, there are 4.2 million Tanzanians living with a disability, many of them children. Over half of these children do not attend any form of school due to their limitations.  This forces these young children into a life without literacy and without career opportunities. That is why Faraja was founded: to provide opportunity and hope to Tanzania’s impoverished children with physical disabilities, encouraging them to reach as high as Mount Kilimanjaro itself.

Support Our Students

Donations like yours help our students live, learn, and grow on campus. Your generosity has helped build playgrounds, computer labs, and dorms. Please donate to continue providing opportunities to our students.

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