Since the beginning of our partnership in 2011, We have seen the number of children able to access education at the Queen Elizabeth Academy more than triple.

The school is currently educating 203 students, from Nursery up to Primary 7 level. In 2011, it was educating a total of 65 students.

The mission of the school is to provide equal access to quality education in Mlali, with a particular focus on supporting those children in the village who live in poverty and/or those who had been affected by HIV/Aids. It runs on a 2 to 1 model i.e. for every two children who can pay the affordable school fees, one child from a family who cannot pay is sponsored by the school.

Thanks to this innovative model, 65 students impacted by poverty or HIV/Aids are able to access free education at the school.

By investing in people, We have also seen the quality of education increase

In partnership with the management team on the ground and thanks to the donations of our supporters, The Mlali Community Trust pays staff salaries at the Queen Elizabeth Academy - the 13 teachers, 1 school nurse, 2 cooks and 2 watchmen who are at the heart of the life of the school and are the people ensuring the students have all that they need to thrive.

Meet the staff here

The school has a low turn over of staff which is unusual for a rural school in Tanzania. A consistent income to pay salaries, dedicated local leadership, a strong team spirit and a common vision for the future combines to provide important consistency, a positive environment for the students and ultimately a better education.

Below are pictures of the school in 2011 and in 2018.

Here are the 65 students of the Queen Elizabeth Academy and their teachers in 2011, at this point sharing the local council buildings for lack of a building of their own.

Here are the students of QEA in 2018 jumping with their teachers in front of their very own classrooms and amongst the fruit trees that they are taught to care for. Not all 203 students are pictured - you can see the nursery class with their teacher… — Here are the students of QEA in 2018 jumping with their teachers in front of their very own classrooms and amongst the fruit trees that they are taught to care for. Not all 203 students are pictured - you can see the nursery class with their teachers Kezia and Diana at the top of this page!

Many of the students pictured in 2011 have now gone on to secondary school. Some are part of the current Primary 7 class at QEA (pictured below). The whole of P7 passed their national exams in October 2018 and placed QEA as the top school in the ward, and the 6th best in the district - the school’s best ever placing! Their hard work and that of their teachers - who often teach extra classes and tuition outside of working hours - made sure of this success!

2018’s Primary 7 Class celebrating their success with their brilliant head teacher and the school manager, Yohana Chuma.

This is Lucia, Flora, Faith and Faraja, four members of the first ever nursery class at the Queen Elizabeth Academy. See if you can spot them in the 2011 picture above! They are now thriving as Form 2 students at SEGA Girls Secondary School in Morog… — This is Lucia, Flora, Faith and Faraja, four members of the first ever nursery class at the Queen Elizabeth Academy. See if you can spot them in the 2011 picture above! They are now thriving as Form 2 students at SEGA Girls Secondary School in Morogoro, Tanzania.

The school’s ultimate aim is to be be able to pay salaries and other running costs Entirely with local income

Along side salaries, we have been partnering with the team to meet this goal by funding school infrastructure, which allows them to increase the quality of education and the number of paying and supported students they have. In partnership with Mama Hope - an organisation based in the US - we have also funded income generating projects that provide local funds for the school. These projects have all been designed and managed by the local team.

Since 2011, thanks to contributions from our brillianT supporters, we have Partnered with the Queen Elizabeth Academy to:

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Complete five classrooms

This has ensured a safe and enjoyable learning environment for the students. It has allowed the staff to increase the number of students they teach, while reducing class sizes. These were funded in partnership with the Memusi Foundation and Mama Hope.

Buy desks and chairs

Giving each child enough space to learn.

Establish a school farm

Funding from Mlali Community Trust has helped to establish a successful maize and sunflower farm and school vegetable garden. This feeds the students and staff, creates income and provides an outdoor classroom for the students to learn about natural processes, food security and protecting the environment.

Build school toilets

To ensure proper sanitation and hygiene.

Purchase a school motorbike

This helps staff get school business done quickly, take children to hospital if they feel ill and transport supplies. For example, here the school motorbike has picked up Mercy Mushi to take her to QEA. Mercy works with Nguzo Foundation, a girls empowerment organisation from the north of Tanzania. She comes regularly to the school to teach the girls about their sexual and reproductive health and rights and to help them to believe in themselves as young women.

Build a school shop

Here they will rent out one unit and use the other to sell school produce and create income for the school. This project was funded in partnership with Mama Hope.

Install an electrical system

This has meant that the school is safer at night and can hold night time activities, including extra learning support and clubs for staff and students. Solar panels funded by the Zimmerman Foundation through Mama Hope ensure that the lights can stay on.