Creating Chances through Education

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Second Chance Education Centre is a school founded to give children, who for various reasons would not be able to otherwise attend secondary school, the opportunity of continued education. There are currently 37 pupils at the school. The school would like to expand to help more in the community but does not currently have the finances to do so. 20 of the pupils are boarders. Some of the boarders are orphans and some come from families which are too poor to support them in any way. Others have been forced to leave home because of family problems.

“Second Chance Education Centre”, is a school founded to give children, who for various reasons would not be able to otherwise attend secondary school, the opportunity of continued education.In Tanzania you have to be of a certain academic standard to qualify for state secondary education. If you fail this your only option is private education, which is generally of a much poorer standard. This creates a vicious cycle for poorer families, which is very difficult to escape. Second Chance aims to help break this cycle by giving the poorest people in the community the opportunity of secondary education that they deserve and a route to a better life.

The school was founded in 2003 by a local family headed by Mama and Dr. Renju. It has grown quickly since then and now has five teachers and four classrooms, a dormitory, a kitchen and dining room, and a vegetable patch. The school runs a number of other vocational training and income generating activities including the production of tie and dye materials and handicrafts which are sold in the local lodge gift shop, and rearing chickens, again the eggs are sold to the local lodge. The school also has a nursery school which currently provides food and education for 10 orphaned or vulnerable 3-5 year olds. The majority of the students who attend the school are not able to pay for the education. Therefore the school receives next to no school fees. The challenge remains on how it can cover it’s running costs. Currently the school relies on the donations from the Renju family, the local lodge (Honey Badger Lodge) and good willed volunteers and long term supporters of the school. However finding teachers’ salaries and food to support the children is a constant challenge.