WHAT DONORS SAY
When we toured the schools and villages and saw how real people live in rural Tanzania, it became clear how important FOTZC’s work is. It puts money to use where it’s most needed, and the buildings and facilities we support are practical and sustainable for the people living there. We’ve supported FOTZC in the past and will in the future, because they put our money towards what the people of Tanzania actually need.”
– Dave and Rita Roberts, North Liberty, IA
Visiting a local classroom and meeting the young students was a delightful part of my Serengeti trip. Education is a powerful catalyst for developing their potential. Sponsoring the Mondorosi and Robanda classrooms was an opportunity to reach across our borders to invest in the growth of these boys and girls and, in turn, the country's future.
– Brian McDonald, Watertown, MA
In 2015 we visited Tanzania with Thomson Safaris and had the chance to visit a Maasai school, where we interacted with the teachers, visited classrooms, and played soccer with the students at lunchtime. We also saw the textbooks the children used. They were decades old, tattered, and in English, and yet the children were quite motivated to learn, soaking up knowledge like sponges. That visit was life-changing for us, and afterwards we vowed to do what we could to give the children the best opportunity for education. We saw how much good FOTZC has already done with new classrooms, sanitary toilets, dorms and teacher housing, and we know our donations have a similar impact.”
– Rick Genter and Martina Keinath, Belmont, CA
Supporting the Christopher P. Halloran School in Orkuyene has been a way to advance education in areas of extreme poverty while memorializing someone very near and dear to our hearts. Chris believed so strongly in education for all, as do we. It has been our great honor to support education initiatives through Focus on Tanzanian Communities, and particularly the Christopher P. Halloran School.”
– Scott and Lisa Stuart, Greenwich, CT
Until we learned about FOTZC on our safari, we had been donating to various organizations that “spoke to our hearts” over the years but, admittedly, we did not really have first-hand knowledge of how those funds were used and who the actual benefactors were. But in the case of FOTZC, we had the incredible opportunity to witness for ourselves exactly what the needs are of the communities that FOTZC serves and we are so grateful for the tremendous insight!
While visiting primary and secondary schools in Tanzania, we were struck by the commitment and efforts of the teachers, staff, and partners like Thomson Safaris as they work to provide accessible education for their students. The students themselves were such an inspiration as they communicated their desire to further their knowledge and formal education. They expressed their hopes and dreams of making a real difference in their lives and it was clear that their ambitions were both noble, as well as global. They showed no sense of entitlement to their education, only one of gratitude for the opportunity to learn. It was humbling and inspiring and we are proud to support FOTZC!
– Barb & Russ McFadden, Paso Robles, CA
Traveling to another country almost always expands your horizons, but traveling to Tanzania truly expands your heart. The warmth of the people, the beauty of the land, and the awe-inspiring experiences with wild animals change a person forever. But time in Africa also reminds us that we have so much, while others have so little. At home, a long line at Starbucks can sour your mood. In Tanzania, women and girls walk for miles just to get clean water for their families. It was these simultaneous extremes—of beauty and poverty—that compelled us to get involved with Focus on Tanzanian Communities. We realized that the blessings that allowed us to travel to such an amazing place should be used to give back to others who have so much less.
We traveled to Africa for safari, but now we feel that witnessing the need, and giving back, was the real reason we were meant to see Tanzania in the first place.
– Susan Killeen, Vacaville, CA