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.
In the past six days you’ve been to work, school, or home. You’ve eaten. And slept. You’ve hung out with friends, studied for a test, or met a deadline at…
this year is a special one for us. Each year, we are humbled to celebrate the graduation of our Form IV students at HOCET Secondary School (HSS). These students have…
On Saturday, November 20th, we’re celebrating HOCET Secondary School’s founding class with our school’s first graduation ceremony. But what’s next for our 12 Form IV students? Kujali field staff member…
Nothing really excites our kids quite like computers. Which is why we’re so excited about the computer lab we’re setting up at HSS. In the past, power has been our…
My name is Yose Onesmo Guga. I’m nineteen years old. I was born in Arusha at Mountain Meru Hospital. I’m the fourth child in the family of six children. I…
Hi! My name is Fadhili Mukharami. I’m a student of Hananasif my class is Form IV. I’m finished with Form IV after my last exams on October 4, 2010. Here…
My name is Furaha Mbeyela. I was born in 1991 in the Iringa region of Tanzania. I started attending primary school in 1998 and I completed my primary studies in…
They took on a mountain for our kids. This past summer, a team of eleven international climbers, led by Kujali’s Director of Development, Sarah Lowe, met in Moshi, Tanzania to…
Welcome to Kujali’s new website! Thanks so much for visiting. We invite you to explore the new interface, catch up on the latest news, and learn about ways you can…
