The History of Tuwapende Watoto

From its humble beginnings in a small apartment building to today’s campus with dormitories, schools, and vocational training programs—Tuwapende Watoto has been growing steadily since 2004 to provide children and young people with a safe, secure, and sustainable future.

Timeline

Founding and Early Steps

On December 16, 2004, the Tuwapende Watoto Foundation was established at a notary’s office in Winterthur and officially entered into the Commercial Register of the Canton of Zurich on March 17, 2005. The NGO was established in Tanzania as early as February 2, 2005, to provide a legal foundation for the work on the ground. On December 9, 2005, the foundation was placed under the supervision of the Federal Foundation Supervisory Authority, and on December 8, 2006, it was granted tax-exempt status by the Zurich Cantonal Tax Office.

The First Children’s Home in a Rental Building

On November 14, 2005, Tuwapende Watoto signed the lease for a house in Mbezi Beach.

After taking over the property on January 11, the large, safely located building was renovated. By the end of March, the rooms were ready for occupancy and the first caregiver moved in.



On May 19, 2006, the first children found a new home. They were only three and a half years old. In the following weeks, more children arrived and filled the house with life.

The Children’s Home at Its Current Location in Bunju B

In 2008, the foundation acquired a 12,000 m² plot of land in Bunju B, north of Dar es Salaam. The children’s home at its current location was built there according to the foundation’s own plans. In January 2010, the growing Tuwapende Watoto family moved into the newly constructed building. In the years that followed, the children’s home was continuously expanded: by the end of 2013, the extension of the main building and the enlargement of the kitchen, workroom, and storage area had significantly improved the living conditions at the home.

In 2019, a separate house for older youth was added, known on site as the dormitory, with separate areas for young women and men.

Today, 31 children and adolescents live here together with the three “mamas.”

Preschool and Primary school

Alongside the construction of the residential facility, the first educational programs were also launched. In 2010, the first kindergarten classes opened, along with an administrative building featuring modern restroom facilities. The elementary school began operations as early as 2011, initially using temporary classrooms. To accommodate this, the teachers’ lounge and the library in the administrative building were temporarily converted into classrooms.

In mid-2012, the first two classrooms in the newly built pavilion, as well as the large dining hall with an integrated school kitchen, were ready for use. Three additional pavilions, each with two classrooms, followed at the end of that same year. At the same time, landscaping work was completed, providing the schoolchildren with a playground, a spacious recess area, and an amphitheater. In January 2013, the entire school complex, comprising a total of eight buildings, was officially inaugurated and handed over for school operations.

With the purchase of the property adjacent to our school grounds in 2013, we secured the necessary space to accommodate the strong growth and high demand from newly arrived families. This made it possible to expand the school gradually and provide more children with access to a high-quality education. Three additional classrooms were added in early 2015. In January 2016, a two-story building with six classrooms and modern restroom facilities was completed. In 2020, another new building was constructed, featuring eight classrooms, a teachers’ lounge, a multipurpose room, and office space

Today, the primary school consists of 27 classrooms, an administration building with two offices, a music room, a library, a teachers’ lounge, and a multipurpose room; a school kitchen with a large dining hall and a covered veranda; three restroom facilities; and several sports fields and playgrounds.

New Preschool and Daycare Center

To meet the high demand for spots in the daycare center and preschool, we planned the construction of a new building. Once all necessary permits were in place, construction began in November 2022.

The modern building includes eight classrooms, a large multipurpose room, four offices, and four storage and preparation rooms. Additionally, the necessary restrooms were included in the design to ensure a child-friendly infrastructure. The new building was handed over to the kindergarten and daycare center in November 2023. In mid-January 2024, the 193 children were able to move into the new classrooms.

The outdoor area was also designed to be particularly child-friendly: with safety mats for sports and play, a large sandbox with a climbing frame and sunshade, as well as a spacious area with a small stage for performances and parent events.

Vocational School

To provide young people with career opportunities, the Foundation Board decided in 2012 to build a vocational training center. A 44,000-square-meter plot of land was purchased for this purpose, located not far from the elementary school. Starting in 2017, five school buildings were gradually constructed, featuring numerous classrooms and workshops, along with a small kiosk for selling student work.

The planned campus was completed in 2022 and offers diverse, hands-on vocational training in various skilled trades.

Secondary School

Many parents repeatedly asked us to open a secondary school based on the same principles and values. At the end of 2023, we decided to undertake this project. We offer a high-quality education at a reasonable cost—with healthy meals, transportation options, and no corporal punishment.

Construction will take place in phases from 2024 to 2027. In early 2025, we will start with one class (Grade 1) in modern facilities: six classrooms, teachers’ and administrative offices, a school kitchen with a dining hall, and the necessary restroom facilities. Further construction phases will ensure the school’s full completion by 2027.