We fund and support Mvumi Secondary School in central Tanzania
How to make a donation
Virgin Money Giving is a fundraising service for charities provided by Virgin Money, a not-for-profit organisation. The charge is a 2% payment processing fee, and a 2.5% card fee charged to the charity. If you choose you can tick a box to pay for these charges instead of the charity.
If you are a UK tax payer then Virgin MoneyGiving will claim the gift aid on our behalf. There is no charge for gift aid, nor a monthly fee for the charity.
A single donation or a regular donation can be made using the link below. Please accept our thanks in advance.
»» Visit Mvumi School Trust Virgin Money Giving page
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Larger donations
For donations greater than £250 or repeat donations (i.e. standing orders) please contact info@mvumischooltrust.org.uk for advice on the most economical way of donating.
Allocating money
The administrative costs of the Charity are very low and a little generosity can go a long way in rural Tanzania. All monies raised are carefully allocated for best effect, under the Trustees’ guidance, and are used for:
- scholarships and bursaries for those from poor families
- development of buildings and facilities
- basic educational resources for students
- support for the Visually Impaired Unit
- support for staff development
Sponsoring a named student
There are opportunities to sponsor a named student and, if so desired, maintain a correspondence with that student. Please see the Sponsor a student page for more information.
The aims of the Trust
The original aims of the trust were:
- to improve the School facilities in general
- to provide student living accommodation
- improve the study conditions of day students
Now the principal focus is providing sponsorship to needy students whether sighted or visually impaired.
Rose Scholarships are awarded to bright, needy children from the local Mvumi primary schools. The sponsorship scheme awards bursaries that cover the full 100% of school fees to relieve cases of hardship. Currenlty a fifth of the school receive sponsorship.
Why make a donation?
The School offers an excellent education to 13–20 year olds in a region of subsistence agriculture and little development. While government secondary schools are free there are a number of hiddent costs. All private secondary schools in Tanzania have school fees.
Such is the popularity of this School that it attracts students from villages some distance away. Some students travel long distances or find lodgings in Mvumi Village. Some live with adults, some with guardians, others with a housekeeper.
Many students live in small rooms in mud-brick huts. Frequently these huts have no electricity, no running water and practically no furniture. They may live with family or relatives who see no practical benefit in their studying because they have to focus on making a meagre living.
Many keen young people hope to get places at Mvumi Secondary School, if their families or kind sponsors can fund them.
Three local village girls wrote a letter hoping to get a place at the school ...
"We beg to live in dormitories because at our homes we have a lot of problems. When it's time to study, we can't do it because we live with parents and many relatives. And the candle smoke affects our eyes, so sometimes they water or we get a headache when we read and so we can't continue to study. Kerosene is used too. It is toxic. And our houses have low thatched roofs and no chimneys."
Agnes ...
"I live with my aunt but if I want to study she tells me to do some other work."
Neema ...
"I live with my grandparents. When I begin to study they tell me to go and cut grass for the cow and fetch water for them. At night they don't want to see any light. I study with either candle-light or with light from a fire. They say that when it's day it's for work and when it is night we must sleep. So I can't get an hour to study."
Esther ...
"For me I live far from my school, so I must wake early at 5.00 a.m. and start to prepare for school. After school I walk a long way and when I arrive home I am very tired and can't study well."