My name is Selemani Babulibe Selemani, I live in Tungi and am 14 years. I used to live with my parents and had a good life. But later on my father passed away and our lives started to become difficult. My mum was left behind with a big family and she had no money to take care of us all. Not evenenough for us to go to school. Therefore we started failing our school exams because of hunger. Us kids started to go fishing, in order for us to have some food at home. One day I saw my friends doing acrobatics and I was very interested and I wanted to start learning to do so myself and develop the talent that I have. To do so I found that there is a centre that’s taking care of children and developing their talents - Jamii Kwanza. I started to go there in 2020. And when it reached 2022, Jamii Kwanza started helping us by giving us a place to stay, food and all basic needs. I managed to finish primary school and am now waiting to start my secondary school education. I’d really like to ask people to keep supporting Jamii Kwanza because it’s helping kids to reach their goals and develop their talents.

“I live in Dar es Salaam, Tungi, Utulivu street and I am 12 years old. My backstory is that I was living with my parents and joined Jamii Kwanza in 2020 to learn acrobatics. As soon as I joined my life changed. Because before that my father had passed away and our life used to be so difficult. So my mum decided to let us go to the centre to train acrobatics. Eventually, our teacher agreed and decided to help us with food, school, clothes and a place to live. That gave me the motivation to train even harder and make something positive out of my life. I ask Jamii Kwanza to keep helping us since they’ve become part of our family and they are really needed.”

“My name is Regan Peter and I live in Tungi. I used to live with both of my parents but one of them, my father specifically, kicked me out of my home because I was dancing at Jamii Kwanza and he didn’t agree with that. Jamii Kwanza decided to help me and give me a place to stay so I could continue to follow my passion – modern dance. Jamii Kwanza made it possible for me to see different places and meet all kinds of different people.”

“My name is Marianna Innocent, I am 12 years old. Since I came here to Jamii Kwanza, I have changed a lot and I am so thankful for that. My dancing skills have developed until I have reached this point. My life is not easy since my mother is a single parent but I hope to one day be able to support her through my talent, so I’m training hard every day.”

“The water supply at Jamii Kwanza had helped me a lot because I don’t have to physically pull the water up from the old well anymore which takes a very long time is very exhausting.”