Californian garages are so 20th Century. The big tech breakthroughs of the 21st Century could come from humble homes of mud and sticks, on the outskirts of Arusha.

Samson in Grade 7 wants to be a businessman and IT entrepreneur, “bigger than Bill Gates”. 

In a country with one of the lowest rates of computer ownership and internet access in the world, this is an ambition of Goliath proportions but one St Jude’s actively supports. 

“When you know much about computers there is no end to your possibilities, like Bill Gates who took so many steps in his life, you can change the world,” Samson said.

At St Jude’s computer classes start from Grade 1. With students coming from the poorest homes in Arusha, it is often their first and only point of access to computers. 

“The first time I saw a computer was at St Jude’s,” said Samson, whose family home does not have electricity or running water. 

“I was so excited, even though I didn’t understand it, now I know how to do so many things and when I am at home I am always thinking about the possibilities of computers.”

Elineema Kileo teaches computer class at our primary campus. His favourite age group to teach is Grade 1.

“When a Grade 1 student uses a word processor for the very first time and sees their words coming together on a computer, it’s like magic. They want to learn everything.”

Mr Kileo points to computer literacy as instrumental to Tanzania’s future development and his students’ success in the changing job market.

“When you think of medicine, when you think of engineering, when you think of tourism and art; they all need computers, that’s why I think computer education is very important and the earlier the better,” he said.

Investment in quality learning resources, especially computers, is already paying dividends for St Jude’s students and has been recognized nationally.

For the past three years, our students have successfully competed in the Tanzania Young Scientist (TYS) competition, excelling in the technology category with inventions such as SMS Voting software, a hybrid generator and a smart phone app that remotely controls households. 

Last year Emiliana (Form 6) and Neema (Form 3) were invited to Rwanda to participate in intensive workshops with IT industry leaders from Intel and Microsoft. 

Both young women were recognized among a field of 120 delegates from nine countries, for their efforts during workshops on programming, technological innovation and entrepreneurship.

The School of St Jude has a powerful ally in the fight against poverty, with Benson Security Systems teaming up to educate more than 1800 of Arusha’s poorest and brightest students.

Arusha-based Benson Security Systems will support the innovation of some of the region’s most passionate budding scientists by sponsoring The School of St Jude 6th Annual Science Fair on April 23.

“BSS focuses in providing state of the art technologies and we believe in supporting innovation, especially here in Tanzania,” Benson Security Systems Managing Director Nadeem Moh’dhussein said.

“I would love to see a student from this Science Fair go on to create the technology that will help our clients in the future.”

The School of St Jude provides a free, high-quality education to more than 1800 of the poorest and brightest students in Arusha. These students are fighting their way out of poverty, with last year’s inaugural Form 6 graduating class finishing in the top 10% in Tanzania.

The annual Science Fair has become a key part of the school’s philosophy of generating future leaders, with a winner each year competing in the national Young Scientists Tanzania competition.

These winners have gone on to great things. Liston, who won the Science Fair in 2013, was awarded a scholarship to the African Leadership Academy in South Africa, where he studied alongside the continent’s top scholars.

Benson Security Systems is a leading provider of innovative security solutions and has worked on many major projects, including the Kilimanjaro International Airport.

The company is sponsoring the TSH 1.6 million in awards on the day, with TSH 250,000 going to the overall winner.

Schools from across the region are invited to attend and present projects that will help the community.

“BSS and the entire Benson Group of Companies has a rich family history here in Arusha and we’re proud to support a school that is doing such positive work in our community,” Mr Moh’dhussein.

The heat is on at our boarding campus, and the students couldn’t be any happier.

Thanks to a $52,000 grant from the Australian High Commission’s Direct Aid Program (DAP) and some additional help from our friends at Freudenberg Group, students are now enjoying environmentally-friendly hot showers at Moivaro campus.

Our campuses are situated in a high altitude area of Tanzania where the weather can get chilly, especially in the winter months. So not only is hot water a pleasure that most of our students rarely experience at home, it’s also vital to stop the common colds and illnesses that pester them during those colder months.

“It’s so good, now we look forward to showers when it is cold,” boarding student Noreen said, adding that she and most of her friends came from homes without running water and would often shower using a bucket.

We’re proud to now have this green, renewable heating system while reducing our carbon dioxide emissions.

“Solar water heaters were the best way for us to make sure our students were happy and healthy during the colder times of the year,” school founder Gemma said.

“Hot water is not so easy to come by here, so we consider ourselves very fortunate to receive this generous grant.”

Last year, St Jude’s launched an appeal to raise funds for solar water heaters to be installed for the 1,400 younger students boarding at our Moivaro Campus.

St Jude’s received the DAP grant and a donation from the Freudenberg Team in Germany, which allowed us to complete the project in January. Local labourers installed the heaters, and our skilled maintenance team will be in on standby to keep them functioning at optimal capacity.

Rotary Club of Brisbane High-Rise also heard the call for environmentally-friendly water heaters and organised a sold out fundraising dinner, to be held in Australia this month. Their aim is to raise enough to supply 30 solar water heaters to our Usa River secondary boarding campus, and their goal is within reach!

Want to help fund solar water heaters, malaria-fighting mosquito nets or homework-helping desks to our students in boarding? Make a donation to Boarding and Transport today.

After years of hard work fundraising to improve the lives of students at St Jude’s, a group from Strathcona Baptist Girls Grammar School has taken up the chance to witness the impact they’ve made.

And, just like other supportive schools who have been a part of the St Jude’s dream, they were not disappointed.

“This trip has been above and beyond our expectations. It has been an amazing learning experience and the girls have really taken to it,” Strathcona BGGS chaplain Rhonda Burns said.

“They’ve made so many new friends and enjoyed experiences that will stay with them forever. We have had some wonderful days hearing how St Jude's has changed the lives of so many; not just the students.”

The group was so taken with their experience that, after careful consideration and conversation with family back home, eight girls are sponsoring six students.

The group already raised more than $10,000 in less than eight weeks before arriving in Tanzania through Strathcona’s Social Service program.

The held sausage sizzles, cake stalls, rallied family… and topped it off with a fundraising breakfast in Australia featuring St Jude’s founder Gemma and Dorice, one of the inaugural graduates.

That fundraising work paid off when they arrived in Tanzania and met the students they are helping escape poverty.

The visit got off to a great start, with the students enjoying a very special Easter celebration filled with singing and dancing at a Pentecostal church service.

Since the primary students arrived back from Easter break, they’ve also started many joyous mornings with games on the oval and many school activities like cooking and eating with students and interactive class visits.

Not to mention their quick pick-up of the national language, Swahili, which they had a chance to practice during their most treasured experience - student home visits.

“The sponsor home visits were a life-changing experience,” Mrs Burns said. “This was a most meaningful time, where we experienced first-hand the daily struggles of The School of St Jude families.”

Plenty of unique, memorable Tanzanian experiences made up the rest of their trip outside the school gates – from visits to a Maasai boma (living community), a colourful Maasai choir, the snake park and, of course, a safari. Tanzania is one of the only places in the world where you can see the ‘Big Five’, and the Strathcona group got its fix of elephants, lions, zebra, hippos and giraffes during a trip to the famous Ngorongoro Crater.

They even helped at a local orphanage, Neema House, where they showered more than 40 babies and toddlers with donated clothes and books. No-one could stop the students from feeding, cuddling and playing with the children until they reluctantly returned to the bus.

All in all, it’s been an amazing adventure for the Strathcona crew and everyone here at St Jude’s!

A visit to St Jude’s is a fulfilling experience for everyone. If you’re interested in visiting us find out more here, or find out how your school can support St Jude’s by going to our At Your School page.

A passion for science is in St Judes' DNA.

Following our three consecutive, successful years competing in the Tanzania Young Scientist (TYS) competition, sponsor and major electricity supplier Songas has awarded St Jude’s a special Passion for Science Award.

“This is a major honour for our school,” St Jude’s Head of Department for Physics and Assistant Academic Master Nzinyangwa Mcharo said.

“For the past six years, St Jude’s has shown its passion for science through the annual Science Day, which brings together young scientists from around the region to work on projects that will solve the problems facing many Tanzanians.

“We are so honoured Songas has recognised our Passion for Science and this award will inspire our students to continue the work they’ve been doing.”

Songas also awarded St Jude’s 2.5million Tanzanian Shillings (Tsh), which was used to purchase two desktop computers.

The awards kept rolling in for 2015 Science Fair winners Venance and Martin, who earned a 400,000Tsh prize from Songas for their Smart House with Raspberry Pi entry. 

It’s another exciting step for Venance, who has been at St Jude’s since Standard 1 (Grade 1) and always valued his education, using his time to pursue passions for science, computers and engineering.

It’s no wonder he and Martin are good friends, as Martin also began at St Jude’s in Standard 1 and is enthusiastic about engineering and physics.

Having come from homes without plumbing and electricity, both students’ families have also instilled the value of hard work. This, combined with dedication to their high-quality educations, has seen Martin and Venance on track to successful futures.

When their TYS entry took out first place in the Technology category last year, it capped off a great run in national science recognition for St Jude’s. Ntekaniwa and Hashim won a special award for SMS Voting software the year before and in 2013 Liston and Riziki won second prize in the Technology category for their Hybrid Generator.

St Jude’s has emerged as a national leader in science, with last year’s inaugural Form 6 graduates placing in the top 10% of chemistry, physics and advanced mathematics in the national exams.

Tanzania Young Scientists’ Dr Goziberth Kamugisha, Songas Ltd representative Dr Mkodo and Songas Community Relations officer Nichodemus Chipakapaka came to our secondary campus in February to personally deliver the special award and speak to students. 

Support St Jude’s commitment to academic excellent by donating here, and keep an eye out for more on our 2016 Science Day in late April.

Students from severely under-resourced government schools now have much-needed desks and chairs thanks to St Jude’s.

Our Secondary Second and Academic Master Revocatus Pharao recently committed to donate 30 second-hand desks and chairs from St Jude’s for a government school in need. 

“There are students (in government schools) who sit on the floor right now, so the President has said to do whatever you can by June, to make sure every student is seated,” Mr Pharao said.

Tanzania’s recently-elected president, John Magufuli, has pushed to see all Tanzanian children in primary and secondary schools attend for free.

Even though free primary education in Tanzania has been in place for over a decade, parents have been expected to pay school contributions that they cannot afford.

The influx of students in already under-resourced government schools has caused a number of issues, such as a lack of furniture for classes.

St Jude’s committed to provide almost 10% of the total need for class furniture in the district.

Mr Pharao said our original plan was to refurbish the 30 sets, but due to a shortened timeframe only a third could be completed before the deadline.

He said St Jude’s will definitely continue donating used desks and chairs, as more students will continue to attend government schools.

St Jude’s Facility Manager Ombeni Zelote also extended his expertise to the government school, by advising on customising and maintaining the desks and chairs to accommodate more students.

Our Beyond St Jude’s team also works with our committed graduates to help alleviate the 47,000 teacher shortage in Tanzania’s overcrowded government schools.

The majority of last year’s Form 6 inaugural graduates volunteered to give back to their communities in thanks for their free education by taking part in the Community Service Year before pursuing university. They taught in 21 government schools, often serving as the sole teacher in their subject of choice, and have used their high-quality education to help more than 10,000 students.

Make your donation dollars go further by supporting St Jude’s. As education is the best way to fight poverty, we support the local community through various projects.