This Valentines Day, why not give the gift of education?
Our Unite team has been searching far and wide across all of Tanzania to find the top-performing Form 4 (lower secondary school) graduates from extremely impoverished and marginalized backgrounds who achieved the extremely difficult Division 1.7 - Division 1.10 on their Form 4 National Leaving Exams. Each candidate must submit essays, transcripts, videos, photos, and recommendations. Those who qualify are then interviewed extensively by our Unite selection committee.
Below please find 10 of our top candidates. We are seeking sponsors for each of these students. Our Unite sponsorship includes academic, social, health, and professional support (e.g. school fees; all school-related supplies; all personal items; access to a cell phone and laptop; transportation; health insurance; one-to-one mentor support; extensive trainings in critical life skills, the soft skills of professionalism, entrepreneurship, organic gardening, and environmental conservation); paid internships with Unite Food Program; career guidance; networking support; and more).
The comprehensive cost to sponsor a Unite Scholar for one year: $2,000
1/2 and 1/4 sponsorships are invited as well.
Sponsors receive regular updates about their scholars and are invited to send and receive letters — if desired. Please click here to sponsor or to make a general contribution to Unite’s education fund. The more money we raise, the more young people in need will be educated.
As a reminder, Unite the World With Africa Foundation’s board of directors covers our modest operating budget, so 100% of your donation will go directly to the program in Tanzania. Please call me at 314-239-3997 with any questions or to discuss any of these candidates.
GAUDENCIA DAUDI SIMON
Gaudencia, 20, is from Nyamwilolelwa village in Mwanza district, Tanzania. She is the fifth of nine children born to a father who works as motorcycle driver and a mother, who Gaudencia tells us is an alcoholic housewife.
When Gaudencia was eight years old a man in her village saw her and her mother singing and dancing at an event and decided to sponsor Gaudencia through primary school. The man sent Gaudencia to live with his sister in Morogoro; this woman later became Gaudencia’s guardian. Gaudencia completed primary school earning all As and was selected by the Tanzanian government to attend the prestigious government secondary school Tabora Girls for her O-levels (lower secondary school). Gaudencia’s parents were unable to help pay for any of her basic needs while at Tabora. Gaudencia was never able to travel home for any school holiday for the entire four years due to her parents inability to pay bus fare.
At Tabora Girls, Gaudencia served as cleanliness prefect and assistant to the school nurse. She graduated Form 4 in December 2021 and scored Division 1.7 on her national exam — making her one of the top 10 performing girls in all of Tanzania. Gaudencia’s teachers report that she has excellent leadership and communication skills and that she is humble, takes excellent care of others, and is very talented across many disciplines. Gaudencia also received a certificate of excellence for being the top student in English.
Gaudencia dreams of becoming a pediatrician.
ONESMO AMOS SHEDRACK
Onesmo, 19, is from the Kasangezi village in the Kisulu district of Kigoma Tanzania. Onesmo lives with his mother, a small-scale farmer; his father, who lost his sight and one of his legs to Type 2 Diabetes; and his eight siblings. The entire family is dependent upon Onesmo’s mother who grows maize, fruits, and ground nuts on their small family plot and raises piglets to sell.
Onesmo completed his primary education at Kakungure school and performed so well that he was was assigned in 2018 by the Tanzanian government to attend Mzumbe secondary school for boys in Morogoro for his O-levels (lower secondary school). Throughout his four years at Mzumbe, Onesmo never went home once as his family couldn’t afford bus fare. He also regularly went without necessary school supplies. Against all odds, Onesmo scored Divion 1.7 on his Form 4 national exams—making him one of the top 10 performing boys in all of Tanzania. Onesmo’s teachers report that he is a very hard worker, participates fully in all academic and extracurricular activities, and that he is a team player with excellent communication skills. Outside the classroom Onesmo loves to play football.
Onesmo dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon. “My dream is to become a neurosurgeon so as to change my family’s history and life in general. I wish one day to wipe away my father and my mother’s tears.”
VERONICA MOSES MNONJE
Veronica, 18, grew up in the Temeke District of Dar es Salaam with her father (a mechanic earning 2,000 TSH/day or ~$.80), her mother (a housewife), and her two siblings. When Veronica was 10 years old her family was evicted from their rented room due to failure to pay. Her father then abandoned the family and Veronica hasn’t seen him since. Still, Veronica managed to earn all As in primary school and was assigned to Tabora Girls secondary school for her O-levels (lower secondary school).
Throughout her four years at Tabora, Veronica’s mother begged extended family members for help to pay for Veronica’s school needs; however, Veronica often went without and stayed at school over the holidays due to lack of funds for transport home. Against all odds, Veronica scored Division 1.7 on her national exam — making her one of the top 10 performing girls in all of Tanzania. At Tabora, Veronica was selected to be Academic Prefect and she also worked on the school magazine. Additionally, Veronica received certificates of excellence in Chemistry, Biology, Kiswahili, and Civics.
In 2020, Veronica’s older brother passed away leaving his three young children in the care of Veronica’s mother, who survives by selling vegetables in the streets. The children’s mother abandoned the children after their father died and hasn’t been heard from since, so Veronica is now helping to raise her nieces and nephew when she is home.
Veronica dreams of becoming a nephrologist.
NICHOLAUS FAIDA MAKENZA
Nicholaus, 19, is from the Nyantolotolo village of Geita, Tanzania. Nicholaus’ father abandoned his mother and younger brother and sister in 2008 and took Nicholaus to live with him. His father soon remarried and the stepmother abused Nicholaus, eventually kicking him out of the house. At nine years old, Nicholaus found himself homeless, wandering the streets to survive. Eventually, he was taken in by the village chairman who, while poor himself and responsible for a large family, did what he could to help Nicholaus finish primary school.
Nicholaus was assigned in 2018 by the Tanzanian government to attend the prestigious government secondary school Tabora Boys for his O-levels (lower secondary school). Throughout his four years at Tabora, Nicholaus searched for jobs in town (masonry, digging wells and toilets, etc.) to earn money to meet his most basic needs. He received no support at all from his father or mother (his sister and brother never went to school at all due to his mother’s inability to pay), and he stayed at school over all school holidays. Against all odds, Nicholaus scored Divion 1.7 on his Form 4 national exams. Nicholaus’ teachers report that he has excellent leadership and communication skills and that he is very respectful and cooperative. Nicholaus also received special recognition for Outstanding Performance in Academics, Kiswahili, Biology, and Geography as well as for serving as Health Prefect.
Nicholaus dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon.
FAIDHA KHALID CHARLES
Faidha, 18, is from the Mvomero District in the Morogoro region of Tanzania. Faidha has one half sister, 21, who never finished school and has no job so she stays at home, one younger sister, 15, and a three year old younger brother. In 2020, Faidha’s father was diagnosed with a mental illness. Believing he was cursed as a result of witchcraft, his relatives took him away. Since then Faidha’s mother has been left alone to care and provide for the family. Unable to pay rent or meet the children’s most basic needs, Faidha’s mother took the children to live with an uncle in a small rented room without water or electricity.
Faidha completed her primary education at Kichangani “B” Primary school earning As in all of her classes. She was then chosen to attend one of the strongest government schools in the country, Kilakala Secondary School for Girls, for her lower secondary school (O levels). Throughout her four years at Kilakala, Faidha’s family was never able to provide sufficient funds for such things as stationary, personal hygeine items, or transport money to return home over school holidays. She graduated in December 2021 and scored Division 1.7 on her national exam — making her one of the top 10 performing girls in all of Tanzania. At Kilakala, Faidha was an active member of the Maadili (“Values”) Club. Outside of class, she loves to cook and read.
Faidha dreams of becoming a food scientist.
ELISHA GEORGE JOHN
Elisha, 19, is from the Nyalugusu village of Kigoma, Tanzania. Elisha is one of nine children born to his father, a village pastor and peasant farmer, and mother, also a peasant. Elisha is blind. When he was just seven years old, Elisha was diagnosed with retinoblastoma (eye cancer) and underwent surgery to have both eyes removed. His parents didn’t have the money to pay for the surgery so they collected donations from fellow church members and the doctors at Muhimbili Hospital in Dar es Salaam paid the balance of fees due.
Everyone told Elisha’s parents that blind children are not meant to go to school, but his parents perservered and sent him to Kigoma to a primary school for children living with disabilities. It was the first time Elisha had ever been away from his parents, and he relied on the kindness of his peers to get around, assist with his studies, and wash his clothes. Elisha finished primary school in 2017 and was chosen to attend the prestigious government secondary school Tabora Boys for his O-levels (lower secondary school). Classmates held his hand to guide him around the school for the first three months, after which time he could move on his own as he had memorized the campus. Elisha was awarded a certificate of recognition for his “high performance in academics despite his disability.”
Elisha dreams of becoming a journalist for such news outlets as BBC, CNN and Voice of America, and execute a mass education campaign about the “rights and talents of disabled people in Africa.”
VAILETH KOMBA
Vaileth, 17, is from the Pwani region of coastal Tanzania. Her father is a watchman at a petroleum company by night and a manual laborer by day. Vaileth’s her mother sells vegetables in the streets. Vaileth has two sisters, one who is 27 years old and one who is six.
Despite never having the basic school supplies necessary due to her family’s poverty, Vaileth excelled all throughout primary school . Due to her extraordinary results, Vaileth was assigned by the Tanzanian government to attend the prestigious Kilakala secondary school for girls. At Kilakala, Vaileth consistently earned the highest marks possible in her classes. She graduated Form 4 in December 2021 and scored Division 1.7 on her national exam — making her one of the top 10 performing girls in all of Tanzania. Vaileth’s teachers report that she has excellent leadership and communication skills and that she is extremely hard working and a great team player.
Vaileth dreams of becoming a chemical engineer.
SAJO MATHIAS NASIBU
Sajo, 18, lives in the Kinzudi village in Dar es Salaam with his mother and older sister. Sajo’s father was murdered in 2006, shot twice in chest. Sajo and his family still do not know why he was killed and no one was ever arrested for the crime. Sajo’s life has since been extremely challenging. His mother never finished school and survives by frying chicken legs and selling them in the streets. Sajo and his sister often go hungry.
Throughout primary school, Sajo was often bullied by classmates for being poor. Sajo received his primary school uniform as a donation from Save the Children and worked to earn money for himself and his family by acting in plays organized to educate people about human rights. Despite never having his basic needs met or proper school supplies, Sajo graduated with As in all his subjects and was assigned by the Tanzanian government in 2018 to attend Mzumbe Boys Secondary School in Morogoro, Tanzania, for his O-levels (lower secondary school). Sajo graduated Form 4 in December 2021 and scored Division 1.9 on the national exam. Sajo’s teachers report that he is cooperative, respectful, and a great team player with excellent leadership and communication skills. While at Tabora, Sajo was also an active member of our Unite Club Program at Mzumbe. While he is home, Sajo works to earn money for his family by tutoring local kids in his neighborhood.
Sajo dreams of becoming an engineer.
HAWA HAMIMU AMRI
Hawa, 18, is the oldest of two children living with her mother (who was abandoned by their father and earns money by making food to sell in the streets), grandparents, and aunt and uncle in a single tiny rented room of the extremely crowded Kariakoo marketplace district of Dar es Salaam. Kariakoo attracts people from all over the continent looking to do small-scale business and trading. Women and girls are especially at risk in this environment, and Hawa has faced relentless abuse and taunting from male strangers.
Despite her harrowing home life, Hawa completed her primary school at the government Uhuru school in Dar. She was bullied by her peers for never having her basic school necessities or uniforms. Against all odds, Hawa finished each year as one of the top 10 students in her classes.
As a result of her at-risk home life and outstanding academic performance, Hawa was chosen to attend the Sega Girls School in Morogoro, Tanzania, for her four years of O-levels (lower secondary school). She graduated Sega in December 2021 and scored Division 1.9 on her Form 4 national exam. Her teachers report that she is extremely respectful and a great team player. She also received certificates of excellence for outstanding performance in Civics and Chemistry.
Haya dreams of becoming a cardiologist.
LUCAS PETER HENRY
Lucas, 20, is from the Majango ward of Tanzania’s Rukwa region. He is the second of three children born to his mother. Each of his siblings has a different father. When Lucas was seven years old his mother died. At that time his step-father left with Lucas’ older brother and hasn’t been heard from since. His sister was taken by her paternal grandparents, and Lucas went to live alone with his elderly grandmother. When Lucas was 15, his grandmother also passed away. From there Lucas went to work as a houseboy for a family with nine children, working and doing chores in exchange for room and board and the ability to complete primary school.
Lucas completed primary school performing exceptionally well despite never having his basic needs met. He was assigned by the Tanzanian government in 2018 to attend Mzumbe Boys Secondary School in Morogoro, Tanzania, for his O-levels (lower secondary school). Lucas graduated Form 4 in December 2021 and scored Division 1.9 on the national exam. Lucas’ teachers report that Lucas is cooperative, respectful, and a great team player with excellent leadership and communication skills. While at Mzumbe, Lucas was also an active member of our Unite Club Program, rising as a leader in all activities, particularly enjoying our Unite Hummingbird Environmental Program.
Lucas dreams of becoming an engineer.