Measured by income per capita, Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world.

A very high percentage of Tanzania’s children live either in absolute poverty or in what the UN calls “multidimensional poverty”.

Absolute poverty means that their most basic needs, such as food and clothing and a place to sleep, are not met.

Multidimensional poverty encompasses the fact that even if the children’s basic needs ARE met and they have access to both food and a roof over their head, they may still be poor when it comes to other parameters such as access to clean water and electricity and the possibility of getting an education, for example.

At the Moshi Kids Centre in Moshi, the NGO Zara Charity works purposefully to give children from underprivileged families a somewhat better start to their school life. Zara Charity identifies families with no experience of going to school, or who cannot afford to send their children to school and offers the children the chance to attend a pre-school for free, where they are given a meal, clothes, and the opportunity to learn how to go to school.

On a day-to-day basis, the aim of the pre-school is to give the children a chance. They are given food and clothes – and the opportunity to be prepared for a different life. The longer-term goal of the pre-school is to set up sponsorships so that the children can go to a REAL school and get an education.

At TourCompass, we support the school with a set monthly amount, so just by buying your tour from us means support for the pre-school.

If you stay at Springlands Hotel in Moshi, for example in connection with your Kilimanjaro trek, you can visit the pre-school, which is a stone’s throw from the hotel. You’re welcome to bring clothes and toys that you can donate to the children, or you can be driven to the market and buy food to donate.