TAMBUA UTU FOUNDATION P.O. BOX 7828. Amani Street, Soweto. Moshi Municipal, Tanzania. Email: info@tambuautu.or.tz Phone: (+255) 734 - 451 665 Website: www.tambuautu.or.tz

Brief Introduction Tambua Utu Foundation is a non-governmental organization with vibrant mind to work with persons with disabilities in the grassroots communities of Tanzania Mainland. The foundation is seeking to ensure PWD’s rights are equally guaranteed and they are able to access and explore livelihood opportunities and flourish without discrimination. The organization started in 2019 and in 2020 received a certificate of NGO registration from Tanzania Government No: 00NGO/R/1454 which confirmed TAMBUA UTU work comply with NGO act 2002. Our main project ‘the right to school for the disabled children in Kilimanjaro to date it have reached 350 beneficiaries were 250 are primary school students and 100 are in secondary schools. Out of all beneficiaries 75 have received wheelchairs. The project designed to support students with disabilities who are excluded from learning because of lack of school supplies, tuition fees and assistive aids. In Tanzania there are many barriers for those needing wheelchairs and other assistive aid, of which finance is one. (Constantine and Mines, 2009; Smith, 2010). The use of wheelchair or short distance visual aid can improve participation of individuals in community events and social activities. According to Chuwa (2010) in Tanzania about 90% of people with disabilities do not go beyond primary education. It has been reported that most of disabled students will be brought to school without any tuition and material support (Reported by Mwereni primary head teacher) Also our Foundation is in partnership with CCBRT (Community based rehabilitation authority in Tanzania) we are providing Physiotherapy/rehabilitation care for children with cerebral palsy and other physical and developmental impairments. We are training parents/ caretaker’s different therapy exercises as well which they can do to their children at home, under this project we wish to hire our own therapist (currently we depend on CCBRT staffs) and add more facilities. Again we have empowered 15 disabled youth (who were not privileged to go to school) with tailoring skills and now they have started their tailoring group and they are earning income. However we wish to expand this initiative with more vocational training for disabled girls and women. A girl or woman with a disability is less likely to attend school and more likely to be kept at home doing domestic home chores (see also WHO, 2012). According to Lehtomaki et al (2014)) rural girls with disabilities in Tanzania are at a high risk of being sexually abused on the way to school due to the long distance and in their residences.

Current needs and Number of Children to be reached.  100 Students with albinism are in need of hand-held microscope (pocket) (St Francis primary school)  32 blind students needs white canes (aged 7 - 14). 9 (Mwereni primary school)  200 deaf Students are in needs of school supplies i.e Uniforms, shoes & stationaries (Rundugai, Chemka and Sanya)  50 Children are in needs of wheelchairs (Mwanga, Siha and Moshi Rural districts)