Empower 35 students with disability in Tanzania

INTRODUCTION: This report will summarize the main achievements of SSLC in 2025  with emphasis on the period from June to September 2025 vis-a-vis our Vision, Mission, and Goals. The main focus of this period was to plan and prepare for a big celebration on 25th September to mark SSLC’s 20th anniversary, open an Adult Program Centre, APC and graduate 12 vulnerable young adults from the junior to adult program. The day was a great success!

MISSION STATEMENT

SSLC’s mission is to promote the physical, intellectual, psychological, and social development of each child through a holistic educational provision in an inclusive, empathetic, respectful, positive, and stimulating environment so that special needs students and their families feel safe, accepted and loved. Staff use child-centered training and learning methods to encourage all children, including those having severe disabilities, to reach their maximum potential.

 VISION STATEMENT

SSLC aims to grow its capacity to provide a safe and stimulating learning and working environment for mentally and severely physically challenged students for as long as they need such support to progressively improve and learn appropriate Life and Employment  skills in order to achieve a degree of independence and dignity.

 MAIN GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

1. Forty young students (age 6 to 17) with mental and physical challenges will access appropriate education, life skills training and appropriate therapy.

2. Twenty young adults (over 18) with mental and physical challenges will get training in Job skills and thereafter employment, income, self-esteem, confidence and emotional empowerment.

3. Six Income Generating Projects (IGPs) will receive enough input to become viable, sustainable and a significant contribution to SSLC’s income and employment and livelihood for the young adults.

4. Fourteen Staff will receive support to provide compassionate, high quality holistic teaching, training and therapy to SSLC students.

5. The East African region will look to SSLC as a model of care, quality Education and exemplary mentor.

6. Drawing an Individual Learning Program (ILP) for each student with input from his/her parents or guardians, then setting goals for each student.

7. Conducting one on one, hand-over-hand, experiential teaching and training the young students in basic functional literacy and life skills

8. Providing professional therapies (Physiotherapy, Reflexology, Occupational Therapy and Speech Training plus Music, Dance, Art and Crafts.

9. Training and mentoring young adults on the job in the Income Generating Projects (IGPs): jewelry making from beads; gardening and Livestock keeping of cows, sheep, chicken and bees.

10. Expanding the IGPs and professionalizing the job skills to make the projects financially viable and sustainable.

11. Providing administrative and support services to the program.

12. Collaborating with parents, community leaders and other similar programs in order to advocate for the rights of the disabled and sell the SSLC model.

13. Participating in advocacy activities like International Autism, Downs Syndrome. Cerebral Palsy and Disability days.

14. Raising funds from various sources to keep SSLC running.

MAIN ACTIVITIES

For this period, the main activities centred around the usual programs for students, planning for the  big celebration and putting final touches on APC to be ready for it’s opening and dedication. The adult students were prepared for graduation.

STAKEHOLDERS: SSLC impact remained more or less the same with a total number  of 362 stakeholders. These were active project participants and beneficiaries (196 females and 166 males). They included students, staff, parents, guardians, caregivers, local and international partner organizations. A further unknown number of people were impacted by word of mouth around SSLC's local community. Internationally through social media Facebook and LinkedIn, the reach has increased to over 5,000 followers..

 JUNIOR CORE PROGRAM (AGES 3 TO 17)

The Junior Program maintained full capacity with 20 students. They had varying degrees of physical and mental challenges: 9 with autism, 6 cerebral palsy, 2 Downs syndrome, 1 Hydrocephalus, 1 epileptic and 1 slow learner. Attendance remained steady and good except for two students who had to be followed with home visits to find out what challenges they were facing. One has resumed full attendance and the other is still facing family challenges.  Over 80% of the students were able to attend school 80% and above. Some of the students attended over 90 percent. 

Staff continued to pursue the goals  set in the Individual Learning Programs (ILPs) for each student. As always, this was done in consultation and cooperation with parents and caregivers. 

 SSLC OUTREACH SERVICES (S.O.S)

A professional therapy room is now ready for use in the  Adult Program Centre (APC).  We started equipping it and will continue to do so as funds allow. Right now it is good enough for us to start housing Physiotherapy, Reflexology, Occupational Therapy and Speech Training sessions. Offering these paid for services will not only double up as an additional source of income for SSLC but spread and multiply the impact of SSLC into the community.

 ADULT PROGRAM (AGES 18 AND ABOVE)

The spacious and airy workshop in APC was in full use by the adult students. We started putting equipment together for catering skills training. 

Excitement was in the air as the students realized they were going to graduate from the junior to adult program in a big ceremony! The big day, 25th September was a day of joy when we celebrated 20 years of SSLC, a brand new building and joyful students dancing in smart gowns (that we made ourselves) with pride and a great sense of achievement. Parents, friends and guests all joined in the joy and theme song…”tumetoka mbali!”….we have come from very far!! Link to videos and photos are available,,,,all with good viewing on Facebook and linkedin.

 ADVOCACY AND COMMUNITY IMPACT

In July, we had  virtual exchange sessions with Occupational Therapy (OT) students and their professors from Georgia College and State University. They were looking to gain insight into various aspects of health care in Tanzania.

INFRASTRUCTURE

The Adult Program Centre, APC, is basically complete except for a few more equipment and furnishings to be added. This is a big step towards implementing SSLC vision 2024, a road-map towards sustainability,

SOCIAL MEDIA

SSLC increased its over five thousand combined social media contacts, friends and followers mainly on Facebook and LinkedIn. These are valuable links for selling our vision, mission, goals, activities and projects.

DONORS

We are truly grateful to all our donors, sponsors, friends and supporters of SSLC. We were delighted to see some of them during the celebration.

PARTNERS

We were happy to maintain our formal Global Hope Partnership with Accessible Hope International (AHI) - our much needed Fiscal Sponsor and ambassador to the International world. EduAfrica - a unique tour company continue to connect SSLC with professionals and Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy students from four universities  abroad. GlobalGiving remained our reliable platform for fundraising and getting noticed by an international audience.

 SUSTAINABILITY

We continued to pursue the  bold move we took from January 2024 to launch SSLC’s Vision 2024: a Road map to Sustainability outlined below: 

WHAT?

· SSLC vision 2024 for sustainability is to empower SSLC to avoid depending wholly on donors, sponsors, friends and family for its long-term survival.

WHY?

· Competition for Donor funding is getting stiff and Donors continue to dictate their priorities and strategies over NGO ones.

· Donor fatigue as many well-wishers get tired of giving to the poor

· Economies all over the world are struggling and affecting many that want to give and or support charities

· Students with disabilities need a safe place and a long time to gain knowledge and skills to empower them to live in dignity

HOW?

· Build an Adult Program Centre with:

1. Income Generating Projects (IGPs) workshop for training adult students in jewelry making, tailoring, weaving and other employment skills but at the same time raising income for supporting SSLC and creating livelihood for the students

2. A display shop for selling IGPs products to raise income and livelihood

3. A modern kitchen and dining hall cum circle time/social area but also for training the adult students cooking and waiter/waitress skills. At the same time, they will sell their training products: popular snacks, drinks and food for income and livelihood.

4. A modern professional Therapy Room where the teachers and volunteer professionals offer therapy to non-enrolled but paying students

· Build an Inclusive Education Model wing starting with:

1. A daycare room for all young children (three years and below) with and without disabilities

2. A preschool class for youngsters (age 4 and 5) with and without disabilities

3. A grade one/primary one class for youngsters (age 6) with and without disabilities

· Influence and dictate to the Inclusive Education Wing how students from SSLC will be included into their program right from the start

· Start an aggressive and diligent appeal for funding in kind or cash locally and internationally

WHEN?

Starting January 2024 as funding allows with the Adult Program Centre:

1. Phase 1: Foundation and floor slab

2. Phase 2: Walls, roofing, doors and windows

3. Phase 3: Move in to free two currently occupied classrooms for enrolment of new 20 young (age 6 to 17) paying/sponsored students for the Junior Program and 10 young vulnerable adults (age 18 and above) for the Adult Program – thus doubling SSLC’s capacity by increasing access to education and training, and impact in the community.

4. Phase 4: Complete with wiring, plumbing, painting and furnishings as funding is available. Thereafter, whenever that will be, start building the Inclusive Education Model wing.