* GET TO KNOW US
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* Our Work
* GET INVOLVED
* Planting Roots Campaign
| **Giving** **HOPE**  ---   Translated from Kiswahili, toa tumaini means "to give hope". And we believe hope comes from empowering some of rural Tanzania's most vulnerable youth through education, community investment and sustainability.This is why we partner with local Tanzanians to provide free, quality education to children ages 3-18.Will you join us today?​ | Picture |
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## Make a difference in three easy steps...
| Vertical Divider       **Contact Us**Send us a message and join our mailing list. Stay in the know and have the opportunity to grow your involvement. | | Vertical Divider       **Give**Pick a program and dollar amount that resonates with you. Your donation will pave the way for a child's future. | Vertical Divider       **Give Hope**Your involvement makes all of the difference, join us. Provide hope in the form of education and empowerment. | | --- | --- | |
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**"Poverty is about more than a shortfall in income or calorie intake. It is about the denial of opportunities and choices that are widely regarded as essential to lead a long, healthy, creative life and to enjoy a decent standard of living, dignity, self-esteem and the respect of others"
(UNICEF, 2004)**
| Picture  **WHO WE ARE**A volunteer based organization giving tomorrow's leaders hope today.  | Picture  **HOW TO HELP**Partner with us today; become a changemaker providing hope.  | Picture  **WHAT WE DO**We empower some of rural Tanzania's most vulnerable children.  |
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## **STAY CONNECTED**
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| connect with us: |  |
| MailingToa Tumaini FoundationPO Box 957364Hoffman Estates, IL 60195 | Email + Phone​224-208-5840 |
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| ***​*We seek to empower some of rural Tanzania's most vulnerable children by means of education, community investment and sustainability.** |  |
## **About Us**
| Picture | Toa Tumaini Foundation was created to support local Tanzanian efforts to better the lives of vulnerable children in rural Tanzania. Our current projects are focused in a couple of rural villages just outside of Moshi Tanzania. We work in partnership with a locally-founded organization called Project Hope to provide support, fundraising, and advocacy to the children and community they serve. We band together with friends in America, like you, to help raise awareness and funds on their behalf.We believe that partnerships lead to success and sustainability and so we pride ourselves on the "togetherness" we have built internally, within our organization and externally, with our native partners and community members.Don't miss out on the opportunity to join our family of world changers today. |
**"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world"
​- Nelson Mandela**
## **MEET OUR TEAM**
| Picture    Kelsey Potter Founder | Vertical Divider   Kelsey has an educational background in social work and a career background working with refugees, immigrants, and other international populations. She spends her free time fully immersed in passions of writing, traveling, essential oils and holistic wellness. She took her first trip to Tanzania in the summer of 2011, where she volunteered in a local nursery school and met a local volunteer named Carles. Less than a year later Kelsey partnered with Carles in his dream to open Project Hope Nursery School in an underserved village in rural Tanzania. She returned to Tanzania in 2013 to work with the children and community served by Project Hope School and fell immediately in love. She now travels to Tanzania annually in order to visit the children and community, and work with our local team to measure success and develop new programs. Kelsey enjoys meeting with the Project Hope community to discuss ways in which to improve and expand the programs that we provide. She is dedicated to the work of Toa Tumaini Foundation and the community she has come to know and love. |
| Picture    Caitlin McCaliano president | Vertical Divider   Caitlin holds her bachelor’s degree in psychology as well as a Montessori Certification specializing in children from birth to age three. Throughout her career, Caitlin has always been involved with education, humanitarianism, and public service. She has worked with children and adults with disabilities, taught in a Montessori classroom, and volunteered locally and globally with at-risk youth and their families. In 2011, Caitlin volunteered in Tanzania with Cross-Cultural Solutions, an organization that improves education and health opportunities for communities that need it most. During Caitlin's work in Tanzania, she experienced first-hand the struggles that the local community had with obtaining basic needs and education, and she was struck by their overwhelming spirit of generosity in the face of this adversity, always welcoming visitors into the home to offer what very little they have. This eye-opening experience put life into perspective for Caitlin, who continues to admire and advocate for the people in Tanzania. She is dedicated to helping support the community there through her work with the amazing board of the Toa Tumani Foundation. |
| Picture    Aaron Potter vice president | Vertical Divider   Aaron was born and raised in Oshkosh, WI. He is currently working as a brewer with 3 Sheeps Brewing Company where he is happy to say that he has turned a hobby and passion into a career. Aaron has a passion for exploring new places and experiencing new cultures as well as an appreciation for the outdoors. When he’s not working, Aaron is spending time outdoors or daydreaming about and planning his next trip. As a matter of fact, Aaron spent many years taking extended hiking trips each year and was excited when he was able to spend his hiking trip of 2017 climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro while on a voluntour trip with Toa Tumaini Foundation.  He began volunteering with TTF in 2016, helping document and track donations and assisting with fundraising opportunities. Aaron's volunteering on the board turned into two voluntour trips to Tanzania during which he has enjoyed exploring the amazing country and working with the incredible people. He currently serves as Director of Photography and Media, assisting with the nonprofit's online presence. |
| Picture    Mitch Hulet Secretary | Vertical Divider   Mitch joined the Toa Tumaini Foundation Board in 2019 with a desire to help drive and fulfill its mission of improving the lives of underserved children in Tanzania.  His values include improving access to food for people of all circumstances and providing access to educational opportunities for people across the globe. Mitch brings to TTF his extensive experience working with and supporting children through over ten years of coaching youth sports and as a leader in the Boy Scouts of America.   He hopes that his experience in business and in youth activities together with his passion to improve access to food and education for all people will benefit the Toa Tumaini Foundation. He has served as a board member on two subsequent boards for a leading engineering consulting firm in the energy industry.  He has held senior leadership positions of Chief Operating Officer and his current role of Chief Risk Officer at EN Engineering.  He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Bradley University, and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from The University of Chicago.  Mitch has been happily married to his wife Janet for 34 years and he loves to travel with their adult son and daughter. |
| Picture    Hannah Ruplinger Treasurer | Vertical Divider    Hannah is a Laboratory Manager at a clinic in Appleton, WI. She loves to serve and since her trip to TZ in 2017 has developed an itch for travel that can not be scratched! She enjoys spending time with family and the outdoors. She can often be found playing strategy board games and training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with her fiance Bob. Her heart belongs to those in need and she strives to make a difference in the lives of others as frequently as possible. She is looking forward to the upcoming years with the Toa Tumaini board and conquering the challenges and possibilities that lay ahead. |
| Picture    David Hulet Director | Vertical Divider    David Hulet was born in Chicago, Illinois and is a retired police officer. Dave has had a lifetime passion for social justice issues. He has a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and a Master's degree in Organizational Leadership and is now looking for new ways to work, serve and follow his passions. Dave is a life time lover of nature and wildlife and is moved by the beauty and magic of this special place and the children most of all who need our help. He has visited Project Hope School twice to work with the kids and community. He also participated in our first ever charity Mt. Kilimanjaro Climb. His love for Tanzania and the work we are doing increases with each visit |
| Picture    Alexandria "Annie" King-Close​ director | Vertical Divider   Alexandria joined as a board member of Toa Tumaini Foundation in 2021, to contribute her experience in global development, non-profit management, and field research in Tanzania to an organization that makes a tangible, real world difference. She is a research tools consultant helping public sector scientific and medical researchers, and previously worked in public health policy translation and then international affairs at Harvard University. Alexandria also serves as Strategist Driver of Outreach in borderless development for Global Partners for People, Inc., a non-profit that connects teams from around the world to build innovative social entrepreneurship projects. She serves as an official ambassador of the City of Sheboygan, Wisconsin as a member of the Mayor’s International Committee, and has traveled as a political delegate to Japan and Venezuela. Alexandria earned her Bachelor of Arts from UW-Madison in Sociology, Women’s Studies, Global Cultures, and African Studies; and her Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies concentrating in International Relations from Harvard University. She enjoys embarking on little adventures with her family, and is learning to freshwater surf. |
| Picture    Bela Shaw director | Vertical Divider   Growing up in a small town in Florida to parents from India, Bela has always had a passion for the underserved and disadvantaged immigrant community. Though she loved all the sunshine Florida offered, she knew she wanted to travel and experience other places. She picked up a travel contract as an RN and was on the west coast for a couple of years, and then she met the love of her life and made the move to Wisconsin where she volunteered and eventually worked for a refugee resettlement agency, which is where she met Kelsey. After living abroad for a couple of years, Bela moved back to Florida with her husband and two rescued Arabic cats. She is excited and happy to be a part of the TTF team. |
## **OUR TANZANIAN TEAM**
| Picture    Carles Mushi Founder | Vertical Divider    Carles is the founder of Project Hope School. His dream and vision for the children in his village are the driving force behind the school and its progress. Though Carles works a full-time job at TPC sugar cane plantation during the week he spends evenings and weekends visiting students and their families and conducting tutoring sessions. The children of PH school both love and admire Carles. |
| Picture    Happyness Bajutha head teacher | Vertical Divider    Head Teacher at Project Hope Nursery School. Happyness has been with the team since 2012. She spends her mornings teaching some of our youngest students in nursery school and many of her evenings holding extra classes and tutoring sessions with our primary school students. Happyness is full of laughter and love. |
| Picture    Glory Samwel teacher | Vertical Divider    Glory teaches our oldest nursery school students; both our middle class and those who are almost ready to graduate. She is determined for her students to succeed which can be seen in her educational practices. Glory is a member of her church’s choir and enjoys singing in her free time. |
| Picture    Beatrice Remmigius teacher | Vertical Divider    Beatrice works with our youngest nursery school students. She knows and appreciates each of her students and their unique personalities. Beatrice enjoys singing and being silly with the children. |
## Education Programs
**Your donations provide education to children in need.**
| ​Toa Tumaini Foundation was founded to support local Tanzanian efforts surrounding education. In 2012 we opened Project Hope Nursery School in a small village called Kariwa. Through PH Nursery we were able to help 13 children enroll in nursery school, begin the education they deserve and prepare them for future schooling- all in our first year open. To date over 100 children have been educated through our nursery school program.While Project Hope Nursery School experienced great success, we also recognized there was an unaddressed need as students began to age out of our nursery program. Following this realization in 2013, we launched a sponsorship program. This program was designed to help us assist older children in accessing primary and secondary school. With our primary and secondary school programs we have been able to help over 45 children continue their education  and pursue their dreams. We currently provide education to 78 students ages 3-18.When we say "we" we mean all of us (you, our team in the states, and our team in Tanzania). Your partnership in this journey has been paramount.To date your generosity has provided…  * School uniforms and shoes for over 100 children * ​School Supplies for over 100 children * Access to entrance exams for close to 100 children * Extra tutoring classes for close to 100 children * Health Insurance (for primary school and high needs children) * Teacher Salaries * One meal per day per child  This is all possible because of regular people like you, but according to UNESCO, in 2018 there were still 1,895,125 children not enrolled in school in Tanzania. Let's work together to reduce this number. What can you do to give a community hope?Join "The Village" today to provide ongoing funding for the education, or donate to our general programming. If you are interested in learning more about any of these programs or becoming a donor please contact us today via email:  | Vertical Divider    Picture    Picture    Picture |
## **Give the gift of education to a child in need today!**
*According to UNESCO, in 2018 there were 1,895,125 children not enrolled in school in Tanzania.* How can you help a child in poverty get the education they deserve? It's EASY! Just click the button below to become a sponsor today!
## Planting Roots Campaign
Planting Roots today for a better future tomorrow.
**Help us plant roots by building our own school in Tanzania!**
| Since our inception, we have rented our nursery school space. While we have been blessed with several different school buildings, we have always desired a place to call home forever. In 2019 we began serious efforts to purchase land and build our own school building.In 2020 we launched our **Planting Roots campaign**, in which we are taking major steps to move forward with our plans to build a permanent home.In September 2023 we learned that the landlord of our current school space wants to repurpose the property so we will no longer be able to rent it after June 2024. In November 2023 we set a goal to purchase land and build phase 1: the nursery school, by June 2024.**Long Term Goals:** Build a nursery and primary school**Why:**This program will assist roughly 300 students and provide employment for at least ten teachers and countless support staff. It increases our reach and enables us to become self-sufficient.**Fundraising:**Our goal is to raise $25,000 for phase 1 of this program | Picture |
## Over the years we have been blessed with spaces that have fit us and then blessed further to find new spaces as we outgrow the old. Here are some of our past school spaces.