A letter from Executive Director, Sydney Schaef

Dear Friends of Kujali,

This year, alongside new milestones and memories, we celebrate renewal: the time and opportunity to discover again our purpose and vision, to evaluate our impact and effectiveness, and to re-imagine our future as an organization committed to creating new opportunities for underserved youth in East Africa through education and social entrepreneurship.

As I write, I’m thinking about the day earlier this year that I received word that David Focus, one of our founding students and a graduate from HSS – the boarding school we co-founded in 2007 and co-operated from 2007-2012 – received an admissions letter to attend the top-ranking university in Tanzania.  I’m remembering the day I had the chance to hold little Sydney for the first time this past summer, who was born to Damas and Lucy, two of our former students who are building their life together and running a small and successful video game center in their neighborhood.  I’m recalling the long, energizing days I spent working with our Tanzania-based team, reflecting and planning together, drawing on extensive student survey data to help understand student needs, and to cast a new vision for our program model in Tanzania.

This year, we’ve also celebrated:

• Sixteen students participating in our scholarship program, which provides opportunities for students to pursue higher education, including college & vocational training courses

• Four students completing their programs of study and earning college diplomas and/or program certifications

• One student participating in her second study abroad year in the U.S.

• Ten individuals participating in our 4th annual Climb for Kujali event – which has now collectively raised over $200,000 in net proceeds over four years to support Kujali’s programs and services.

• The formation of our second Adventure Travel event, Run for Kujali – the opportunity to run a marathon, half-marathon, or 5k Fun Run at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro each spring, coupled with travel adventure “add-ons,” service learning and fundraising to support Kujali’s programs in Tanzania.

• The complete re-design of our educational program model in Tanzania – now called “New School,” and set to launch in January 2014

While I’m deeply proud of the individual accomplishments of our students over this past year, I am equally as excited and humbled to share with you the goals and rationale behind our New School Program.  Kujali’s “New School” represents a radically different approach to education in Tanzania — one that is personalized, community-based, and designed to support students in building their post-secondary pathways. Our New School vision is simple: Kujali youth lead healthy, happy, and self-sufficient lives.  Our New School model is based on four key tenants that we believe are the critical factors that will position our students to realize this vision in their own lives:

Kujali’s “New School” is not a traditional school model where learning takes place within a classroom, teachers are instructors, and students are grouped in grades that progress by time.  Kujali New School is an alternative approach to secondary educational delivery in which learning takes place both inside classrooms and “outside” in the community; where teachers are coaches, mentors, and facilitators of student learning; and where students progress academically and developmentally at their own paces — following personalized learning plans that are tailored to students’ individual goals, interests, and academic & career aspirations.

Drawing on insights gleaned from student feedback surveys, focus groups, and interviews, Kujali has begun to provide counseling & career advocacy services to student members; has continued its competitive Scholarship Program; and is introducing a Seed Capital fund to support youth-led businesses in 2014. Learn more about Kujali New School.

Our New School application process opened in the fall of 2013, inviting out-of-school youth between the ages of 16 – 24 in Dar-es-Salaam to apply for membership to New School, and to receive full access to our new Kujali Youth Center.  With 25 students now selected to pilot the program with our Kujali Leadership Team beginning in January, we couldn’t be more excited to invite you to join our efforts in these three key ways:

• Share your expertise: we are seeking “Virtual Advisors” to support our lead Learning Coach and Youth Counselor, providing relevant educational and counseling resources for program enhancement, as well as offering mentorship and ongoing counsel to our staff as they lead the roll-out of this new educational model;

• Join a Committee: our Seed Capital Fund Committee and Scholarship Fund Committee will meet quarterly to make funding decisions about our fund disbursements to support higher learning and youth-led businesses.

• Make a tax-deductible gift to support to new program:  All donations to Kujali International are tax-exempt, and as a result of funds generated through Kujali’s board member contributions and annual fundraising events, 100% of your donation will support our program efforts in East Africa.

For any questions or suggestions, or to learn more about ways to get involved, contact us at engage@kujali.org. Thank you so much for your continued support. We are grateful for all that you continue to make possible in the lives of our students!

Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful holiday and a very happy New Year!

Sydney & The Kujali Team