Kujali International's founding project was in partnership with a local nonprofit in Tanzania. Together, we redesigned an orphanage into a self-sustaining boarding school.
Kujali's origin story.
In 2005, while an undergraduate student at the University of Florida, Sydney Schaef boarded an East Africa-bound plane with a guitar and suitcase in hand, en route to the University of Dar-es-Salaam for a term of study. While in Tanzania, she met a visionary entrepreneur dedicated to social change, and a group of 30 kids who loved to sing.
"That experience changed the course of my life." Sydney returned to the U.S. inspired by Mr. Mwalugaja's vision for transforming orphanages into sustainable boarding schools that helped equip disadvantaged youth with the skills, resources, and opportunities to forge their own bright futures. She founded Kujali and started sharing the vision with everyone she knew.
Two years later, Kujali International and Hananasif Orphanage Center co-founded the first free boarding school for orphaned and disadvantaged youth in Mkuranga, Tanzania. Over an eight year period–through local fundraising, music album production and sales, horticulture programs, solar kiosks, adventure travel, and more–the school became financially sustainable and 100% locally operated. HOCET Secondary School remains an active, registered school in Tanzania today.
Stories from the archive.
Explore the archive that captures the story of Kujali's first major initiative from 2006-2013, working alongside young people and local leaders in Tanzania to reimagine the orphanage institution and create a more human-centered, impactful model of care.
will we see you there? Join us on Friday, July 19th 2013 for Kujali’s upcoming summer charity benefit event! Come out to support our work in East Africa, and enjoy…
Yet another recent secondary school graduate in Tanzania has committed suicide after receiving his Form IV results, reports allAfrica.com. This tragic loss of life – the fourth death publicized over…
Join Kujali International for its 4th annual Climb for Kujali event! Venture to East Africa with us, see our work in education first hand, and journey to the summit of…
We are excited to announce the opening of our Community Solar Kiosk in the village of Shungubweni! With the support of the Waterloo Foundation, and in partnership with SolarAid Tanzania,…
We are thrilled to congratulate our very own David Edward for becoming an Anzisha Fellow, and for being recognized as a finalist for the $75,000 Anzisha Prize, which is awarded…
Congratulations to our Climb for Kujali 2012 team for their safe journey up Mt. Kilimanjaro! A brief note from our Executive Director, Sydney Schaef, who climbed with this year’s team……
We are excited to welcome our second class of graduates to Kujali’s Bridge Program! Kujali’s Bridge Program provides life skills training, academic & career counseling, and post-secondary scholarship opportunities to…
HSS kicked off the 2012 school year last month – now in its 6th year of operation – by welcoming 28 new Form I students to the community. We’re looking…
