The Problem

There are widespread socio economic issues in Tanzania, many children end up not receiving the best start. Although in most circumstances communities and families come together to support each other, most children special needsdo not receive social welfare care that supports them in crisis.

●Malnutrition, environmental and genetic factors play a part in a large number of children born with developmental delays

●Families needing to work and unable to pay for specialists to help their children when neuro-cognitive or developmental difficulties

●Children with learning difficulties and their families not receiving proper help

●Children are not given enough stimulation, assistance and nutrition to reach developmental milestones

●Children with special needs are often shunned by their community, ostracized or not included in their wider community

●The school is in a very underdeveloped community. The classroom is in bad condition with very basic chairs and desks, a simple chalk board and donated toys, games and learning materials,

●The outside “play area” is desolate, dusty and sparse with no soft play ground or grass, no play sets, swings or play gym. This makes it difficult for the teacher to supervise play time

The Children

●Most of the children fall within the Autism spectrum, attention deficit disorder or non-specified learning difficulties

●The class currently consists of 29 children of mixed age and gender (at the time of publishing)

●The age varies hugely between 6 and 19 years old. The children are inappropriately mixed as there is nowhere else for them to go and receive support.

●There is only 1 teacher between 29 children with no assistance

●This is government school with no further funding for assistance or facilities being given

●Many of the children have to walk home unaccompanied leaving them in extremely vulnerable situations in the community and some issues of neglect

●Many struggle with nutrition as there is not enough assistance to meet their nutritional requirements

What they do:

• They provide a special needs classes for low income children in the surrounding area
• They provide extra support, modified curriculum and disability support
• They provide information and awareness for families who cannot get assistance from social welfare or hospitals
• They provide educational support and home visits to children who have been referred to their services by our partnering NGO

The Mission

The school and their supporters reached out for help and support as they have no other options but to ask for outside and foreign intervention. They are based in an extremely poor and rural community which cannot afford to donate, help or support their work.