Tanzania

UCDVO has worked in Tanzania since 2009 to support the quality of education for communities in Morogoro District with two Tanzanian organisations, TanzEd and Camara Education Tanzania. These projects were completed in 2019. 

In 2023, UCDVO ran a successful pilot health programme with the Holy Union Sisters in Dar es Salaam, which has continued in 2024 and 2025. In 2025, UCDVO expanded their partnership with the Holy Union Sisters, running a pilot education project in addition to the health programme. In 2026, both projects will take place again, building on the success of the previous year. 
 

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2026 Planned Projects 
Partner: Holy Union Sisters, Mbagala, Dar es Salaam

The Holy Union is a congregation of Sisters from Tanzania, Kenya and Europe working in education and community development. The Sisters have been active in education in Mbagala district of Dar es Salaam for over 25 years, running pre and primary, high school and a back to education school for at-risk children. The congregation also responds to needs of the local community with the overall aim of poverty reduction and access to essential services.

The Sisters established the Matumaini Centre in 2014 in response to community requests for support for children with disabilities due to lack of services available. The Matumaini Centre is a centre for children with disabilities - offering rehabilitation, education, nutrition and livelihoods support. It is envisioned as a place where mothers and caregivers can come with their children and be given help, advice, respite and encouragement.

In 2025, this partnership expanded to include an education project - the COBET School Pilot Project - with UCDVO volunteers working in partner schools of the Holy Union Sisters. In 2026, both the healthcare and education project will take place, building on the success of the previous volunteer projects.

Project: Matumaini Rehab Programme
Dates: 6 June - 4 July (4 weeks) 

Project Overview: This project aims to support the team in the Matumaini Centre by running a three-week rehab camp for children with disabilities and their guardians. Activities will include carrying out assessments of children and developing rehabilitation plans with the Matumaini Centre staff.

Volunteers: This project is suitable for Physiotherapy Stage 3 and MSc students who may participate in this project as part of an elective placement. There may also be space for a number of general / public health science students, including BSc nutrition.

Project: COBET Summer School Pilot
Dates: 6 June - 4 July (4 weeks)

 Project Overview: This project will take place in partner schools of the Holy Union Sisters in Mbagala, Dar es Salaam, as part of their COBET schools project, which provides an accelerated three year primary school programme for children who were not able to access education due to family circumstances. Many of the students excel when given a second chance at education and proceed to the secondary school in Majamatitu. 

Volunteers: This project is suitable for all students with an interest in education (especially non-formal education), children's development, sports, art and games. Non-formal education activities will be planned and implemented alongside local Tanzanian teachers.

 

Past Partners

TanzEd and Camara Education Tanzania, Morogoro District

TanzEd is a non-governmental organisation working in rural communities of Morogoro District to improve the quality of education. TanzEd’s programmes engage with local primary and secondary schools across a range of projects, including school management, Libraries for All and Safe Children. Camara Education Tanzania is an international education organisation that aims to transform education through technology.

Together with TanzEd and Camara, UCDVO implemented an Information Technology & Computers (ICT) programme which aims to enhance the quality of education in Morogoro District (Morogoro and Ruaha), through access to computers and basic ICT training. Camara provides the technical expertise for the programme, installs the labs and follow up maintenance and on-going support. The UCDVO projects have also supported TanzEd’s other educational activities. UCDVO also provided strategic support to TanzEd through core funding to assist the organisation diversify funding streams and strengthen governance.

In 2020, TanzEd and UCDVO worked together to pilot a remote volunteering programme. 12 volunteers and three team coordinators took part, with technical and education support from a former team coordinator. The main objectives (creating a bank of IT training classes for teachers; delivering interactive ICT and cultural exchange sessions online; preparation of materials for TanzEd’s Safe Children Project, including child safeguarding) were largely achieved.

A monitoring visit in 2019 highlighted the quality and impact of TanzEd’s programmes, while pointing to the need for a comprehensive evaluation of the programme, which took place in 2021.