Where We Started: The Roots in Mtapwa Tanga Education Partners' story is deeply tied to place, community, and the people closest to the challenge. At the heart of our ongoing work is Mapatano Secondary School, located in Mtapwa village in Tanga, Tanzania. Founded in 2008 and led by Headmistress Madam Magdalena Wandi, Mapatano is a public secondary school serving roughly 450 students and 16 teachers across a 25-hectare campus (including 5 hectares of farmland and 10 hectares o

Committed to the belief that every capable student deserves the chance to finish their education, Tanga Education Partners funds and partners directly with students, families, and schools in Tanga, Tanzania. We identify students facing a specific, addressable barrier to staying enrolled, connect them with a sponsor, and support them for as long as they remain in school. Since 2022, we've done this for twelve students — and we're building the model to do it for many more. Our

We believe that every student capable of finishing their education, and willing to do the work, should get the chance to—regardless of what family or circumstance they were born into. Schools provide instruction. Families do everything within their power. Governments across Tanzania and much of East Africa have expanded access at the primary level further than seemed possible twenty years ago. But secondary school, vocational training, and university remain out of reach for m

By Justin Sandefur , Nancy Birdsall and Mujobu Moyo This study examines the educational impacts of a community-implemented conditional cash transfer pilot targeted at low-socioeconomic-status households in Tanzania. Overall Impact: Cash transfers significantly increased children's school participation (by 8 to 10 percentage points) and primary school completion rates (by 14 to 16 percentage points). Distribution of Gains: Benefits are not distributed uniformly across all

Overview The World Bank and the Government of Tanzania implemented a pilot conditional cash transfer program via the Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF), relying on local communities to handle beneficiary identification, monitoring, and administration. Evaluating 5,000 families across three districts, researchers found that providing stipends conditioned on school attendance and health checkups yielded significant improvements in health, education, household savings, and comm

By Bruce Wydick, Paul Glewwe, Laine Rutledge Overview This research outlines three follow-up studies evaluating the psychological and aspirational impacts of international child sponsorship programs across Bolivia, Kenya, and Indonesia. Aspirations and Expectations: Research in Bolivia and Kenya demonstrates that sponsored children report higher educational expectations (averaging nearly a year more of sufficient schooling) and are substantially more likely to expect future w

By David K. Evans, Charles Gale, and Katrina Kosec Overview A study published by the Center for Global Development (Working Paper 563) evaluates the long-term educational impacts of community-implemented conditional cash transfers (CCTs) on vulnerable children in Tanzania. Using a randomized controlled trial across 80 villages over nearly three years, the research examines whether safety net programs equally benefit children facing multiple layers of disadvantage. Key Finding

USTZ is happy to announce a renewed partnership with ACTT - Affordable Computers & Technology for Tanzania. Having successfully collaborated six years ago on technology initiatives, USTZ and ACTT are now providing laptops to all sponsored students, empowering them to continue learning, build careers, and thrive in a digital world. ACTT, a Tanzanian-led organization, has spent nearly two decades expanding access to technology across the country. From solar-powered school labs

We are excited to share that Salome A. is beginning her fourth and final year at the University of Dodoma, where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Laws degree. She has performed strongly in her studies and remains on track to graduate at the end of 2026. ​ Through fieldwork at both the Primary Court and the District Court of Mkinga, Salome has gained valuable experience in criminal, civil, and succession law. She plans to continue her journey by joining the Law School of Tanzania