St Jude’s graduate Tumaini is taking a stand against physical discipline while volunteering at his local government school.

Through his Mentoring and Networking Program at Baraa Secondary School, Tumaini is encouraging teachers to lose the canes and adopt non-violent forms of discipline.

“Teachers take those students that they have a negative perception of and the main punishment that they give them is caning. Physical punishment is not a good punishment,” Tumaini said, explaining that he has refused to punish in such a way and is trying to sway colleagues to opt for more encouraging solutions.

“I told them that when you want to change (the students’) mentality you have to deal with them psychologically and not physically. Since strokes are given on hands, some students fail to even hold a pen and write, and some of them start avoiding classes.”

The idea came to the Beyond St Jude’s community service student and fellow program founding teacher Peter as they agreed that physical punishment such as caning, which is still common practice in Tanzanian public schools, is no way to encourage students.

In the second half of his community service year, Tumaini is proving himself to be a community-focused leader with strong skills and values.

He said he knows non-violent punishment works, as he has seen it for himself at St Jude’s, where physical punishment has never existed.

“St Jude’s is an example to be followed as far as educating a child goes. If I had remained in my former school before St Jude’s, I would have been failing like these students because I started out as a failure but got better and better and started excelling when I got to St Jude’s,” he explained.

“This is a lesson to me that a student isn’t the one to blame; instead, he/she should be given a chance to be listened and understand his troubles as they could be the reason for his failure.”

Proof in his theory is already showing… Tumaini said the most rewarding and enjoyable part of his internship proves it.

“The positive interactions with students, and the bond created between me and the students, has caused even the chronic absentees to start attending my lessons.”

Graduates like Tumaini are reaching more than 10,000 students at local government schools. Support them by donating to the Beyond St Jude’s fund.

All Filip Yip needed was a visit to St Jude’s, and he was “in love instantaneously”.

Ever since, the illustrator/designer by trade has been looking for a way to help our school fight poverty through education, and his latest business turned out to be just the right avenue.

Filip’s new venture combines his passion for exotic teas, a fondness for sourcing products from little known developing countries and a desire to help people in need.

He launched NOUS Tea in December 2015, offering a premium organic selection of blends with a $1 donation to St Jude’s or fellow charity Namlo International (for earthquake relief in Nepal) from each package sold.

“We took a tour at St Jude's and fell in love instantaneously with the premises, especially the fleet of colorful school buses,” Filip said, explaining that he had travelled to Arusha with a Tanzanian colleague for market research on their university business concept. “The academic achievement of the students is very impressive and inspiring! Since then I have been looking for an opportunity to collaborate with St Jude’s.”

The trip was also a valuable step along Filip’s emerging career path, with the business concept earning them third place at the prestigious Chicago Booth New Venture Challenge Business Plan Competition in 2010.

After creating visual brand assets for almost two decades, Filip said it was five years ago when he was recruited to rebrand a tea in the UK where the seeds for NOUS were sown.

His NOUS research led him to the advantages of sourcing teas from “neglected origins”.

“There is always a poor cousin next door (to countries with well-established tea reputations such as Darjeeling), who do not get the same love due to their underdeveloped economy and infrastructure. State borders are only imaginary and political boundary does not divide climate or soil composition,” he explained. “Teas from Myanmar taste a lot like their counterparts from Yunnan; teas from Tanzania are comparable to those from Kenya; and teas from Nepal have the same characteristics of those from Darjeeling's...etc.”

Filip (pictured) said the advantages of sourcing teas from these areas include being organic and non-GMO.

“Teas from trees not grown industrially are in fact more flavorful, thanks to the soil that is not depleted of nutrients nor polluted by chemicals. Merchants and farmers in these regions are also keen to work with importers because of their desire for economic growth,” he said.

“This is one area where we can squeeze some budget out for charity. We get clean, delicious teas at a lower cost, and experiment with reducing marketing cost to further increase charity contribution.”

Filip said it will also be an interesting challenge to see if they can raise awareness of their product though communities such as St Jude’s supporters, as effectively as traditional marketing campaigns.

“We are starting really lean, yet we are super ambitious in being generous, $1 a box for donation is a big chunk of revenue. No big established multinational brands can afford that kind of social commitment,” he said.

“We want to give back to the communities we source tea from in a meaningful manner, and education is definitely one area that’s proven to be effective in reducing poverty in the neediest population.”

New York-based NOUS tea is currently exploring new avenues to ensure more people around the world can purchase from their selection and support charity. Go to www.NOUStea.com to make your order, and have it delivered anywhere.

The kind folks at NOUS tea have also made a special offer for St Jude’s supporters. Make your order with this discount code - stjudes25 - and enjoy 25% off the total purchase.

Overcoming vision impairment in a developing country is no easy task, especially when you’re trying to focus on your education, but two of our students have done just that.

Primary school student Sebastian and secondary student Selemani are both severely vision impaired due to albinism, but a group of generous Australians are helping them focus on their education.

The Brisbane-based group have worked together to provide specialised equipment for both students, so they can access the curriculum like their normal-sighted peers.

Selemani said he had tried various solutions during his schooling, including a prescription monocular (an optical instrument for use with one eye) and glasses, but without success.

Simply mentioning his new set-up brought a huge smile to his face.

“I have struggled to read the blackboard since I was in Standard 1 (Grade 1). I used to wear spectacles but they didn’t help much, so I still needed to go close to the board,” the soon to be 18-year-old said.

“Now with the iPad, I can see! It has a camera that takes a photo of the blackboard, and I copy it in my iPad. It’s so easy to read, and I can zoom in and out!”

When Brisbane High-Rise Rotarians visited St Jude’s last year, Selemani volunteered to show them around campus. Vision Australia physiotherapist Louise Arvier was amongst them, and she realised how Selemani’s life might be drastically improved with equipment that’s difficult to come by and afford in East Africa.

The Rotarians arranged to provide Selemani, Sebastian, and another St Jude’s student with cerebral palsy, an iPad with specific software each to facilitate their learning.

At almost nine years old Sebastian already suffers from similar difficulties to Selemani, and the equipment is already making a difference.

“Sebastian has been at the school for two years now, and seeing the progress in his performance over the past few months (with his new equipment) is amazing,” St Jude’s Community Relations Officer Charlotte Peyrat-Vaganay said.


Mrs Arvier said two of the iPads were donated, and the Rotarians fund-raised to purchase one specifically for Sebastian, as he needed the latest version to support the up-to-date software.

She and her husband, fellow Brisbane High-Rise Rotarian Dr John Arvier, personally provided the Sony Camera lens’ to attach to the iPads of both students.

“It not only allows them to take pictures of the board but of handouts and anything they find difficult to access,” Mrs Arvier said.

With the addition of iPad cases, keyboards, several styluses and the appropriate Apps through iTunes, donated by the couple, Selemani and Sebastian can both access the curriculum like their sighted peers. 

The excitement and cheer Sebastian and Selemani have been radiating makes the joy they feel about the group’s generosity obvious.

Their increased self-confidence, self-esteem and independence is already showing, with Selemani competing in a public speaking competition late last year.

Proud parents rejoiced when they saw their children, dressed in new school uniforms and ready for their free, high-quality education at St Jude’s.

Chosen from the most underprivileged families in the Arusha district, these students already understand the importance of being chosen to receive a free education that ranks in the top 10% in Tanzania.

St Jude’s employees and volunteers rolled up their sleeves to distribute fresh new uniforms to the delighted children, who then showed their parents and lined up for their first official photos.

“We are so pleased to welcome a new group of keen young students to St Jude’s. This is always a very exciting time of the year,” school founder Gemma Sisia said.

“I couldn’t imagine a better way to start the school year than seeing the faces of these students and their parents light up on Uniform Day.”

New student mothers Elizabeth and Ava agreed.

“I’m ecstatic, so excited Jenipha is going to St Jude’s,” Elizabeth said.

“She will have an opportunity at this school to go to secondary level and be such a good help for the family, and it will give her an opportunity to teach others and be a good example of how we need to prioritise education.”

“I am so happy, beyond explanation,” Ava said.

“Colin getting an education will help sustain our life, and that of our community.”

Over the 14 years St Jude’s has provided an education to underprivileged children, our selection process has been refined to ensure those most deserving are enrolled.

“We welcome bright students who have demonstrated aptitude and dedication to their education,” Gemma said.

“It’s a fair and thorough process to ensure students and their families, as well as their sponsors, receive the upmost benefit of a St Jude’s education.”

The annual selection process began in August last year with almost 7000 hopeful students applying. These successful new students have been selected for their academic ability, social and leadership qualities and financial disadvantage.

Join us in welcoming our bright new students to the St Jude’s family in 2016.

Christmas will be a lot merrier this year for some of Tanzania's most disadvantaged children thanks to the generosity of the St Jude's community.

St Jude's students relished the role of Santa Claus, delivering hampers filled with gifts and supplies to 10 needy orphanages in Arusha.

The gifts came from generous staff members who donated money on St Jude's Day, the school's annual celebration of the patron saint of hopeless and lost causes.

"In Tanzania it is the custom to help your neighbours if you are able," said St Jude’s staff member Reginald, who organised this year's gift distribution.

The gift distribution program has been one of St Jude's longest-running traditions and is eagerly awaited by staff, students and the orphanages involved.

This year gift packs went to Samaritan Village Orphanage, Haruma Children's Centre, Neema House, Kanaan Children's Centre, Karimu Children's Centre, Tumaini for Africa Foundation, Karama Care, Zion Care, Faraja Orphanage Centre, and the Future Happiness Home.

"For us, it's such an honour to be a part of something like this," said Caroline, a 2015 St Jude's graduate who is volunteering in the Beyond St Jude's community service program.

Like all St Jude’s students, she came from one of Arusha’s poorest families and is now benefiting from her free, high-quality education.

"My family would have appreciated gifts like this very much, so I know how these children feel."

As the recipients of sponsor and donor generosity, St Jude’s staff and students are particularly understanding of the importance of giving back. The Christmas gift drive is an opportunity to pay forward the kindness and generosity within their own communities.

"It's something we look forward to every year," Reginald said.

"For the students, it's very special. But not only for the students. For the staff it's very special because we get to see how much (the orphans) appreciate what we are giving

Whether you are shopping for loved ones or a workplace Secret Santa a donation to St Jude’s is the perfect gift.

If you make a donation on someone’s behalf before December 20 your recipient will receive a special eCard like the one above.

All you have to do is click on the box that says “Gift this for a loved one” before you add the frequency and amount of your donation on our donation page.

You will be asked to fill in their details at the checkout and you can even include a personal message to them.

You will be billed and receive a receipt and tax information.

If you have any questions along the way, just send us an email at info@schoolofstjude.co.tz.