The Peace Matunda project is situated 6km up on the beautiful slopes of Mount Meru Tanzania, around 15km outside of the city of Arusha. We currently operate a day school for over 130 children from the local community and provide a family environment for 21 permanent residential children.
We are so proud of our beginnings, which we feel stand us apart from many other organisations, our heritage is what makes us unique: Peace Matunda was founded in 2000 by Unambwe Zephania Kaaya, a professional wildlife guide and community leader. Born and raised in the area, ‘Kaaya’ initiated this project for the benefit of his community after witnessing the difficulties he saw his people face on a daily basis.
Peace Matunda has recently begun application for registration with the Government of Tanzania to gain official ‘school’ status. The Government’s millennium goal states that all children of school age must be educated by 2025. As the population grows, so in turn does the demand for education and thus, makes the need to reach this goal, all the more demanding. Peace Matunda School is committed to offering a holistic education, focusing on the mental, spiritual, physical and social faculties of a child. This type of education, we believe, will enable students to excel in academics and be responsible and self-reliant citizens.
The main objective of our volunteer programme is to provide a level of English medium input into both school and after school hours. During the school day this input occurs through classroom teaching, classroom assistance, involving children in sports, art and music activities which are often missed within the curriculum. After school hours the input arises through a variety of volunteer led games and activities with the residential children and often children who live in the immediate area around Peace Matunda.
The volunteer role at Peace Matunda is a fairly autonomous one; although the school follows a scheduled timetable and the orphanage a scheduled meal and bed-time plan, the volunteer can choose how to spend the majority of their time. This time can be spent on activities the volunteer felt would be of most benefit to the children and staff as well as making the most of their time in Tanzania.
We are a growing school so therefore rely on volunteers, more so than larger organisations, to interact with our children.
