On site in Tanzania
Government and private scholarship programs in Tanzania are unfortunately not enough to give the many talented young people a chance at higher education. This is true even for urgently needed key personnel such as medical staff, engineers or educators. This is where our foundation intervenes and supports to the best of its ability.
Efficient allocation of such scholarships works best directly on site, not from faraway Central Europe. For this reason, we established a branch in Dar es Salaam, the former capital of Tanzania, in 2021 under the name "Youth Crossing Boundaries Foundation".
Motivation
The biggest difficulty is the social environment: Everything is very hierarchical. But we want to promote an initiative that is driven by the participants themselves. By their experiences, their own thoughts. An initiative that leads individuals to freedom and not back into a system of dependency.
The scholarship program is intended to help children and young people achieve their right to education. They should not have the feeling that they are receiving charity. They should not feel dependent on the donors for the rest of their lives. Conversely, however, they should return part of the money they receive - after they have successfully completed their education - to the pot in small installments so that others can receive the same.
Organization
Alphonce Leonard, himself a former scholarship holder of the foundation, is the coordinator of the branch.
The first step is to visit the orphans and poorest families. The foundation then pays 40, 60 or 80 percent of the school fees, depending on the situation.
The children are then visited regularly, and the appropriate next steps are planned in coordination with the schools. At the same time, however, individual educational progress is monitored to ensure that the money is used wisely.
In the medium term, local sponsors are also to be found for the program - not only by the foundation itself, but also by the graduates. An alumni network is also planned.
Rules
The following criteria shall apply:
- -All decisions must be transparent and comprehensible.
- -The final decision for or against a scholarship is made at the foundation's headquarters in Vienna. This protects the committee in Dar es Salaam, for example in the case of conflicts, when relatives or neighbors could not be considered for the award.
- -There is an annual review for the continuation of a scholarship. Certificates of progress must be submitted.
- -At the end of each calendar year, the committee prepares a report on how the funds were used. This accountability report is audited by the Foundation's central office in Vienna; the overall audit of the Foundation is carried out annually by the Government of the Upper Palatinate in Regensburg.
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