About Us
Since July 2013, TanzaCare has partnered with the Government of Tanzania to increase the attendance and graduation rate of children in their under-served areas.
Our comprehensive approach has helped to "fill the gap" in government assistance by funding solutions that directly benefit the community.
ABOUT US
Our Approach
In order for students to continuously attend school, they need to have access to specific essentials. While no community is the same, we evaluate their needs with our 6-step approach.
Water and Nutrition
Access to clean water is the first, and most essential, need assessed as it directly affects the health and wellness of children and parents.
TanzaCare has funded rainwater harvesting initiatives and water storage facilities which ensure clean drinking water for the community.
Health and Hygiene
Proper health and hygiene plays an integral role in reducing exposure to infectious diseases that can be fatal in rural communities.
In an effort to decrease rates of infectious disease, TanzaCare is launching its first well and WASH Program (Coming Fall 2020).
Supplies and Textbooks
Schools that lack access to textbooks and teaching aids struggle to properly educate children in their community.
Students who attend our partner schools receive the textbooks and learning aids needed to learn the curriculum.
Building and Construction
Due to the remote locations of the communities we serve, access to proper infrastructure can be minimal.
Over the last 7 years, we have funded (or built) primary schools, classrooms, toilets, and teachers quarters to assist students in pursuing their education.
Teacher Training
Every school we partner with is equipped with a talented team of teachers who are dedicated to their students' success.
English Instruction
While all students are required by the government to take standardized tests in English, teachers provide instruction in their native language of Swahili.
In order to help students pass their exams, we have provided English dictionaries, literature and tutors.
Kelly Gaines
Executive Director
Kelly is a serial entrepreneur with a heart for giving. She has over 30 years of experience in business ownership, operational management, sales, and training. Through Kelly’s leadership and management experience she has developed expertise in staff development, retention, motivation, leadership training, and program development. Her energetic and creative personality allows her to work with various people and rally them around a common cause.
During Kelly’s visit to Tanzania in 2013 she fell in love with the country and the people, especially the children. Kelly was always told as a child that she could achieve anything! A philosophy she continues to live by and promote. She believes the children of Tanzania have the ability to achieve anything. Providing them with the essentials for a quality education and hope in the future will produce greatness.
Allie Gaines
Founder
At 17, this energetic teenager summited Mt. Kilimanjaro. Wanting this adventure to be more than just an extreme sport, she raised money to purchase 443 textbooks and teaching aids for children in rural Tanzania. This simple gesture was so successful and appreciated, that it led to the founding of TanzaCare.
Allie has been a champion of children all her life. At age five, she started wrapping Christmas gifts for children in need as a volunteer for The Giving Tree, a holiday charity event. In 2002, 2003, and 2005 Allie traveled to Ecuador to help with education in a small school. The fourth year Allie was unable to go so she decided to collect hundreds of Beanie Babies to send with the volunteers so they could be distributed to the children. When Hurricane Katrina hit and displaced families moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, Allie held a neighborhood carnival and raised $1,500 to buy supplies for the children. Because of these efforts, she was awarded the Ronald McDonald Champion for Children Award.
Allie has since graduated magna cum laude from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a business degree from Kenan Flagler. During her time at UNC, Allie started TanzaCare UNC, a chapter of TanzaCare officially recognized by the university. She currently works as a business consultant at Ernst & Young and helps lead the Advancing Women Executive program at the company. Allie enjoys climbing, scuba diving, and walking with her dog.
Roger Gaines
Chief Financial Officer
Roger is a results-driven, financial executive offering more than 30 years of experience and success in driving profit improvement, increasing company value, leading business growth, and building operationally-focused teams. Roger has broad financial experience in general business and real estate procurement, development and management.
He has held financial leadership positions in over a dozen companies ranging in size from start-up to multi-million dollar organizations. Roger began his career on Wall Street as an Investment Banker and later moved to Charlotte NC to develop businesses of his own.
Although Roger's core expertise includes optimizing cash flow, improving profit, and managing operations, it is his servant leadership mindset that makes him an asset to any organization he leads.
Yesaya Mwashala
Director of Operations
Yesaya Mwashala is the son of chief Gwaza Mwashala Mshepete. He was born in a rural village in Tanzania. At the age of five, his time was spent doing domestic work such as looking after big herds of animals, fetching water, and farm work. Waking every day between 4:00-5:00 am, he would take the animals to find food, as well as find his own food! He would return around 6:00 pm, milk the cows, eat dinner, and go to sleep.
This was his routine every day. At the time he knew nothing about the world outside his village. When he was sponsored to go to school, his eyes were opened! At first it was culture shock, but he soon found himself enjoying not only the learning, but the new foods, timetables, clothing, etc.
Since those beginning days, Yesaya has attended university and worked in the travel industry. He has a heart of gold and does all he can to give back to the people of his country. As the Director of Operations for TanzaCare, Yesasya is “happy because TanzaCare is positively affecting lives of children in rural areas. It melts my heart more than words can express!”
