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.
The photo above might not look like a Solar Kiosk…in fact, at the moment, it’s a nicely constructed pile of mud and sticks with a metal roof. But after we…
It took a generous donation, a few energy audits, months of planning & preparing, and the nonstop work of four talented Tanzanian technicians over a four day stretch….but alas, it…
Kujali has two great items awaiting your bid on charitybuzz.com: a private poker lesson with Annie Duke, and a meet & greet on the set of General Hospital! Lots close…
Hello from Kujali’s Field Team in Dar es Salaam! It is with great pleasure that I get to announce the launch of HOCET Enterprises’s “HOCET Mayai” Business- a vital step…
We want to send our heartfelt thanks to Nadia Plesner and to the Nadia Plesner Foundation for the furnishings, electronics, resources, and other gifts you’ve sent to HOCET Secondary School,…
you’re invited to kujali’s final event of the year. Join us in downtown Los Angeles this Saturday to support Kujali’s work, enjoy a great event, and get your holiday gifts…
It was everywhere. On their faces. In their voices. Between hugs and hand-holding. In the singing and laughing, drumming and dancing, story-telling and reflecting. There was so much joy. And…
today was a really big day for Victor. today, Victor can hear again. Victor is ten years old. He came to HOCET several years ago with his older brother, Damas,…
