Mvumi School Trust

The central region of Tanzania is an arid area of mainly subsistence farming where many people are deperately poor. All state and private secondary schools charge fees. Money for school fees will typically come from the sale of any surplus made in the good years. Education is disrupted when the rains fail and there is no surplus.

The people value education as a path out of poverty but it is just not possible for many to find even the state school fees. We aim to provide free places for one third of our students. Our sponsorship scheme provides funding for 100 bursaries provided by individuals and schools.

How to sponsor a student

To sponsor a student in Forms I to Form IV at Mvumi Secondary School costs:

• £240 for a day student
• £440 for a boarder.

To sponsor a student in Forms V and VI at the school costs:

• £276 for a day student
• £492 for a boarder.

This sum will cover:

• school fees
• uniform
• certain articles of clothing
• exam fees
• one nourishing meal each day
• various extras.

We ask sponsors to commit for four years so that a sponsored student taken on in Form I of the Junior School (typically age 13-14) is, subject to a satisfactory record, guaranteed to be funded until he or she reaches Form IV (age 16-17).

After the first four years

A student’s entry to the Senior School depends on passing a national examination and the student's desire to continue. If the student has reached a satisfactory standard and wishes to continue into Forms V and VI, the sponsorship co-ordinator may enquire whether the sponsor wishes to continue with the sponsorship. There is no obligation to do so and we can make other arrangements to make sure a good student is not lost to education at senior level.

Communication between sponsor and student

We encourage sponsors to be in some contact with their students and this might amount to two letters per year. We also provide a photograph of the student that you are sponsoring. All correspondence between sponsor and student goes through the Co-ordinator in order to preserve address confidentiality; although encouraged, communication with students is not essential.

If you would like to sponsor a student or would like more information, please send us your details.

Payment options

We prefer sponsors to complete a Standing Order and Gift Aid form. Some sponsors prefer to pay a lump sum up front. Either arrangement is very acceptable. If you do not wish to make such a commitment, we shall be very happy to accept a smaller donation which can be credited to the Hardship Fund to meet emergencies that can arise in a student’s academic career.