The core project for Friends of Lindi has been to ensure that we have enough sponsorship to see our ten children through the best education that we can afford. The aim being to educate these children to their full potential. This will help them to gain employment and in turn educate their own families.
Education is key to development. One major hurdle the vast majority of children face in Tanzania is that they are taught in Kiswahili in Primary school and then switch to learning in English at secondary level. Imagine studying for your GCSEs in French or German! The middle classes of course send their children to private English Medium primary schools.
We started by sponsoring three pre-school neighbours’ children with the help of friends and family. This number rose to eight plus two half scholarships. These children are now coming to the end of their studies at Aquinas Secondary school in Mtwara, south of Lindi. Two girls graduated in 2025 with top grades and will now progress to Advanced level studies in Government High schools. We have given them the best possible start in life. Their success so far proves that it is opportunity not ability that holds back poorer families and their children.
Friends of Lindi has supported the only English Medium primary school in Lindi – Joy School. Our children attended the school and generous donations helped with some construction, books, sports equipment and training as well as computers.
Arrival in Lindi – 2014
Our first sponsored children – neighbours who were curious and so welcoming to us in Lindi. All from challenging backgrounds with little education.
Julias, Hidaya and Hajirat, before and after enrolling in Joy School English Medium Pre-school which was chosen by their mamas. In reality it was the only choice in town.
Karishma
Karishma was eight when we met her and discovered that she had missed two years of school as her brothers had been prioritised for education. In fact in the evenings and mornings she was working as a house girl two doors away from us – washing up, cleaning and carrying water to the house.
We and her sponsors were so happy to see that she graduated from Primary school with a top grade. Karishma has now completed secondary school and achieved Division One in her Leaving Certificate – an amazing success story!
Seven years later – 2021
The girls were now all at English Medium boarding schools, both for safety and enabling study, instead of doing so many household chores morning and evening.
All are doing well and are happy. We speak to them in English on a regular basis.
Debora and Buyegi
When their father died early, we found sponsors for these two sisters to enable them to continue at Joy School. They are both high achievers and would have sunk without trace in the government school system.
Debora graduated from Primary school as the top student out of 71 other schools in Lindi District. She is in the same year as Karishma and has just graduated with a top grade from Magnificat Secondary school in Arusha. She is aiming to be a doctor!
Their mother, Happiness was one of our key people on the ground in Lindi and she oversaw all the sponsored children’s educational needs.
Young Buyegi
June 2026
We are coming to the end of sponsorship for all but one of the original group of children who were our neighbours in Lindi. They have grown up to be educated Tanzanians and are now prepared for advanced level studies in government schools. They have the huge advantage of speaking fluent English and have mixed with middle class students with aspirations beyond a life of domestic servitude!
A huge thank you to their sponsors and we will certainly follow their progress through higher education and on to employment.
