The mission of CORE Tanzania ("Creating Opportunity though Rural Education") is to increase access to quality education in rural Tanzania. We believe that improved education will help lift communities out of poverty. We are working to provide a high-quality educational alternative in rural communities where existing government schools are severely overcrowded and under-resourced. Our vision is that every child, no matter how poor, will be educated to reach his or her maximum potential, creating rural communities that are thriving both economically and socially and that are contributing to a positive and sustainable future for the country.
Description
CORE Tanzania originated as a response to the observations of our founder, Michael Banobi, of the declining vitality of the community in his native village, Bushasha. He became convinced that improved education was the most important factor needed to move the community forward. During a 2015 visit to Bushasha, Michael approached village elders to discuss the educational needs of their community. The elders identified the need for a second primary school. The existing school in Bushasha is severely over-crowded and under-resourced, and is not providing adequate preparation for high school. They offered to donate village land for a new school. Michael gathered a group of volunteer board members and formed CORE Tanzania in July 2016. CORE Tanzania has chosen the establishment of a new school in Bushasha as its first project in working toward increased access to quality education throughout rural Tanzania.
Since then we have been engaged in planning for construction and operation of this school. CORE obtained 501(c)(3) status in January 2018. We are working with volunteer architects from Gensler and engineers from Swenson Say Faget to draw up designs for the school. We are also partnering with the Global Sustainable Aid Project to build microflush biofil composting toilets at the school and introduce this technology to the community. Additionally, St. Photini's Well Project has offered to drill a well for us on the school site. Our goal is to begin school construction in May 2019 and open to the first class of 30 kindergartners in January 2020.
