Who we are and

what we do

Founder & Trustee

Trustee

Trustee

Trustee

Founder & Trustee

The Trustees run Ekica Fundraising. We meet on average once a month, over a glass of something in a local pub, circumstances permitting.

Gill is the Chair, Sue S is the Secretary and Tadge, James ad Sarah are trustees. Sue T is our Financial Advisor.

We discuss ways to support the needs of Ekica School, as notified to us by Jenifa, the Director. Any ideas for fundraising are explored as are ways to develop the sponsorship program and increase revenue. We catch up with news from the school and discuss any challenges they may be having.

Jenifa sends her accounts to us on a quarterly basis and we do not send any money to the school until these have been received. She is also required to complete a funds requisition form detailing how she would like to spend the available donated funds. As trustees we ensure that these meet our charitable objectives as set out in our governing document. Once this form has been approved by trustees, the funds are sent directly into the school's own bank acount and used as agreed. Evidence of spending is seen in the form of photographs of work being undertaken or items purchased. Jenifa has proved herself to be compeletely trustworthy and the trustees have no doubts about her integrity.

We welcome anyone who is interested in supporting our work or who would like to get more involved to join us at our meetings. contact us to find out the date of our next meeting; we would love to see you!

We are registered with the Charities Commission. We are registered with HMRC to claim Gift Aid on donations from UK tax payers. We hold an Annual General Meeting, to which all are welcome. If you would like to read our most recent reports, do let us know.

The AGM for 2021-2022 is being held on September 15th 2022. Contact us for further details.

We will be delighted to see you!

Challenge 2022

This year we are raising £6,000 to buy a mini-bus.

During the rainy seasons, the roads can become impassable on foot. Many of the children walk to school and live several kilometres away and therefore cannot get to school.

As the rains can last for weeks at a time, there is a real risk that the children could drop out of school, especially as they get older and become more useful at home.

To avoid this from happening, parents have shown their concern to the school's director and have asked them to provide transport. It has been on their 'wish list' for some time. However, we hope to be able to provide it this year.

We also need to raise £2,500 to build more toilets.

The numbers of children attending the school have increased significantly and the current toilets are not coping very well. 16 more need to be built as soon as it is practical.

If you would like to support our efforts please click the link at the top of the page to donate.

The Three Classes Project

The building of this block of three classes began in May 2018. The roof panels were added at the beginning of 2019 and the whole building was completed in Summer 2020, adding siginificantly to the avaailable teaching space. Thank you very much for your support.

The Next Challenge - 2021

A second block of three classrooms needed to be built in order to have the required number of classrooms for the primary school to be complete. This time, there was one smaller room and one large room with a partition that can be closed to allow two classrooms to operate, but which will also open up into one large room that will accommodate the whole school for things like worship.

April 2021 - the foundations were dug, after the rains ceased.

September 2021 The walls were built and funds sent ready for the roof to be added.

December 2021 The shell of the building was completed! The internal work for the large room was started and ready for the new term in January. The whole building was completed in the first few months of 2022.

We are very proud of our achievements through the generosity of sponsors, donors and fundraising efforts and would like to thank everyone who has supported us.

Since September 2016 we have:

  • Installed electricity

  • Drilled a bore hole and provided running water for Ekica school and local community

  • Expanded the well and the holding tank to cater for the increased number of children

  • Found sponsors for the education of 13 children

  • Bought sets of books each year for the children’s learning. Good ratio of child:book

  • Bought a computer for the office and a laptop for the headteacher's use

  • Provided uniforms for the children moving into the primary class

  • Bought beds for the younger children to nap on during the day

  • Built 6 more toilets

  • Bought a photocopier

  • Provided a bookcase and lockable cupboard

  • Helped with the day to day running costs of Ekica

  • Supported the most vulnerable families in the local community

  • Provided medical care

  • Achieved the registration of Ekica Pre and Primary School with the Education department of the Tanzanian Government.

  • Enhanced the external wall and security of the building

  • Changed the usage of a few rooms and made them fit for purpose as per the requirements of the education Inspectors

  • Bought desks and chairs for the primary children to sit at for lessons

  • Bought desks and chairs for teachers to use

  • Renovated a disused room for use as an admin block for the teachers to use for lesson preparation

  • Funded the building of 6 additional classrooms

  • Provided lessons for local women to make beaded jewellery and goods. This has empowered them and is helping them work towards becoming self sufficient. We have some of their work for sale at our events.

  • Set up two projects to begin the development of self-sufficiency. Ekica School now have a hen house and a vegetable patch!

  • Improved security of playground area with a boundary fence

  • During Covid provided enough material to make 500 masks

  • Provided hand washing buckets for local families and improved hand washing facilities at school

  • Funded incentives for teachers to show appreciation of their hard work

  • Bougt IT equipment for students to enahnce their education

  • Provided guttering and a rainwater holding tank for the new building

  • Installed electricity for the new classrooms

  • Provided emergency funding to buy food due to vastly increased costs during Ukraine war

  • Supported school staff with food for their families

Jenifa works tirelessly for the children and Ekica. She is supported by a brilliant team of staff who work with her to provide the education and care for the children.