Encouraging Children to Reach for the Stars


Encouraging Children to Reach for the Stars


Our mission is to create a joyful early childhood for children in Moshi, Tanzania, by providing a place where they are seen, they are safe, and they are encouraged to reach for the stars.

The Kilimanjaro Children's Foundation School

Kilimanjaro Children's Foundation School

The Kilimanjaro Children’s Foundation is located at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro, in Moshi, Tanzania, in the small village of Jorno.

The school was founded in 1993 by Edward Lazaro – known locally as “Teacher” – to help the growing number of children orphaned by AIDS. The original school was simple: a piece of tin stretched across two mud adobe structures, rows of hand-carved wood benches, a dirt floor, and painted plywood as the chalkboard.

In 2008, the Foundation purchased property to expand its mission and provide more holistic care for the children and their families.

Today the Kilimanjaro Children’s Foundation continues its work and has now served thousands of students and their families.

Our mission is to create a joyful early childhood for children in Moshi, Tanzania, by providing a place where they are seen, they are safe, and they are encouraged to reach for the stars.

The Kilimanjaro Children's Foundation School

Kilimanjaro Children's Foundation School

The Kilimanjaro Children’s Foundation is located at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro, in Moshi, Tanzania, in the small village of Jorno.

The school was founded in 1993 by Edward Lazaro – known locally as “Teacher” – to help the growing number of children orphaned by AIDS. The original school was simple: a piece of tin stretched across two mud adobe structures, rows of hand-carved wood benches, a dirt floor, and painted plywood as the chalkboard.

In 2008, the Foundation purchased property to expand its mission and provide more holistic care for the children and their families.

Today the Kilimanjaro Children’s Foundation continues its work and has now served thousands of students and their families.

Who We Serve

Our focus is working with children ages 3 – 8 to provide care that gives them a head start. We also serve as a dependable resource for families by providing reliable day care, where children are fed and cared for.

We maintain an open enrollment policy and welcome all in need.

Place & People
Place & People

Who We Serve

Our focus is working with children ages 3 – 8 to provide care that gives them a head start. This work directly benefits the children and has a secondary benefit of providing a dependable resource for families.

We maintain an open enrollment policy and welcome all in need.

Staff and Administration

Bella Severua, Headmaster and Teacher

Bella, Program Administrator

Bella is formally trained in early childhood education and an experienced educator. She is responsible for administrating all the Foundation’s activities in Tanzania. In her role, Bella does everything and anything, from buying groceries for student meals to leading the teachers and managing day to day operations. Bella is an incredible leader who is passionate about leading children toward a brighter future.

Jane Lucas Kimario, Teacher

Jane, Teacher

Jane is a teacher at the Foundation and loves working with children - you can tell because she smiles with her whole body every time she speaks with the kids. Jane teaches mathematics, English, phonics, drawing, science, and environmental studies. When asked what she loves most about her work, she says, "We must love these children. They come from families who have fallen on hard times. We need to show these children love and dignity."

Beatrice Yovin Maro, Teacher

Beatrice, Teacher

Beatrice is a teacher and childcare provider at the Foundation. Her work focuses on early learning education, so she teaches phonics, numbers, sport, science, health, and the environment. She says her teaching philosophy is to be flexible. Each day is different, and she wants to respond to the kids so even if it's math time, but they want to draw, she will draw until they are ready to learn numbers. She has worked with the school since 2019.

Eveline Richard Mrema. Teacher

Eveline, Teacher

Eveline is a teacher at the Foundation. When asked what she teaches, she says "everything!". She focuses on activity planning with the children and loves playing soccer with the children. She has worked for the organization since 2020.

Teresia Leonard Mao, Cook

Teresia, Cook

Teresia is the cook for the Foundation. She wakes up at 4.30 a.m. every morning to light the wood stove and cook the morning porridge, then works in a small and smoky room to prepare a lunch of beans and maize or staples like ongali and makande. She has been the live-in chef at the Foundation since 2022.

Agnes Swai, Volunteer

Agnes, Volunteer

Agnes is a volunteer at the Foundation. After receiving a certificate in regional planning, she realized her real passion is supporting children. When asked what she likes about her role at the Foundation, she says, "I love teaching in an environment that is warm and welcoming to all."

Louise Erskine, Coordinator

Louise Erskine, Program Coordinator

Louise Erskine is the Coordinator for the Kilimanjaro Children's Foundation. She works with Foundation staff and board members to advance new projects and grow the organization and its impact. When not working with the Foundation, Louise is the Chief of Staff and Gender & Climate Lead at the International Center for Research on Women, the foremost gender equity research, advocacy, and advisory organization.

Place & People

Help create a joyful early childhood

Help create a joyful early childhood

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