At 14 years old, Catherine William is a remarkably determined student with an inspiring passion for learning! She is currently in Form 2 at Oldeani Secondary School (OSS) where she is residing on campus in TCF’s newly built dormitories.

At 3 years old, Marietha Simon is bright, curious, charismatic, and always eager to tell you about her latest adventure. Before the expansion of our Education Program, Marietha’s educational future would have lacked critical resources, classrooms, teachers, and books.

In January of 2023, we opened our first dormitory at Oldeani Secondary School (OSS) and welcomed 96 female and 64 male students to live on campus.

Now, six months later, we sat down with Form 4 student Katherine Maganga to understand what the transition to boarding has been like.

In January of 2023, we opened our first dormitory and welcomed 96 female students and 64 male students to live on campus. It was an exciting time for the Oldeani community as families celebrated the opportunity to give their child a better chance at completing secondary school.

In Tanzania, less than 30% of students complete their secondary education. To address this issue and ensure accessible quality secondary education for the Oldeani community, TCF partnered with the government to co-manage Oldeani Secondary School (OSS) in 2013.

As we approach our 20th year of operations, we have thought critically about the impact we have made and the needs that remain present in our community. We are celebrating this anniversary by growing our Rift Valley Children’s Village family, treating a record number of patients, and by DOUBLING the number of students we serve.

As we transition Oldeani Secondary School (OSS) into a residential campus, we are focused on providing students with far more than just safe housing. By creating an environment that is safe and empowering, we can ensure students will thrive both in and outside of the classroom!

We are now 6-months into our partnership with Oldeani Primary School (OPS)! When we began co-managing OPS, there were only 6 teachers for 700 students, limited school supplies and learning materials, crumbling infrastructure, and little student support. 

Last month, we announced that we will soon be starting construction on our first-ever dormitory at Oldeani Secondary School (OSS). Transitioning OSS to a fully residential campus is the next critical step towards improving student outcomes and we have the data and student testimonials to prove it.

One of the biggest challenges facing students today is the walk to school. Most Oldeani Secondary students walk over two hours to school each day. In a country where 23% of all sexual assaults occur on the walk to school, this unmanageable commute puts our students at significant risk.

In 2022 we are taking huge strides in deepening our impact in education to better serve more students in our community. In addition to expanding our school partnerships, we have kicked off our Teacher Training Program.

Secilia, one of TCF’s scholarship students, grew up in Oldeani town with six siblings. While in her final year of secondary school, Secilia Kalisti witnessed a mother in her village go into labor and immediately wished she knew how to help.

We have big news! Starting in January 2022, we are entering our third public-private partnership with the government to run Oldeani Primary School. As a school with over 700 students and only 6 teachers, the need for resources and leadership is significant.

Multiple teacher trainings have taken place at OSS and GPS over the last few months, with the plan to continue these sessions bi-monthly throughout the rest of the year. Trainings have been aimed at helping teachers incorporate new techniques to best reach a variety of learners.

An average day for a student at a secondary school in rural Tanzania involves a lot of listening, reading, and note taking. Although auditory and visual learners may feel at home in this environment, this leaves those that understand best by doing, touching, and moving at a disadvantage.

Zawadi Mwema, a Form 3 student at Oldeani Secondary School (OSS), has overcome countless obstacles to be where she is today. Like many other young girls living in the developing world, she grew up in a system that always seemed to be working against her.

Many families in our corner of Tanzania face significant financial barriers that prevent them from sending their children on to secondary school. The Akiba Program aims to bridge that financial gap that exists for these families.

Just about a year ago, we made the difficult decision to go into lockdown in order to ensure the safety of our community. During that time, our college kids came home and our senior staff remained at RVCV as we went into quarantine. As we reflect on those days spent together, we feel grateful for the unintended positives that resulted.

A Look Inside our IWD Celebrations at RVCV