About Us
“Tumaini” means “hope” in Swahili. Our initiative supports children in remote rural areas of Tanzania who face financial barriers to education.
Founded in 2024 through a partnership between Fr. Nicolaus Matungwa Gomano and donors from Markt Schwaben Parish in Munich, we operate in the Missenyi District of Kagera, Tanzania.
Our Mission
We provide comprehensive educational support including:
- School fees and materials
- Uniforms and transportation
- Mentorship programs
- Community engagement
Our goal is to create sustainable change in these children’s lives and provide them with tools for a better future.
How You Can Help
Your donation gives children in Tanzania access to education and thus a chance for a better future.
Support a Child
Every donation counts, big or small!
Every contribution directly supports children in Tanzania.
With just €300 — less than €1 a day — you can cover a child’s education costs for an entire year.
Donation Account
Kath. Kirchenstiftung St. Margaret Markt Schwaben
IBAN: DE87 7509 0300 0002 1409 00
BIC: GENODEF1M05
Reference: TUMAINI
The Parish of St. Margaret in Markt Schwaben will provide a donation receipt upon request.
st-margaret.markt-schwaben@ebmuc.de
Would you like to support us long-term and become part of the Tumaini Education Initiative?
Become a sponsor! You decide how long and with what contribution you’d like to support the project.
It’s also possible to sponsor a specific child at a distance.
Contact us — we would be delighted to welcome you into our circle of supporters.
Status
April 2026
Building Sustainability: More Children, More Supporters, a School for the Future
Concert – November 2025
After costs, the November 2025 concert raised €3,127.63 for the project — a wonderful result made possible by everyone who performed, organised and attended.
Easter Bazaar – Carl Orff Primary School, Erding
On 17 March 2026, children from all classes made Easter-themed objects with the help of their teachers, and third-form pupils sold them to parents at school. The event raised €900, which was handed personally to Father Nicolaus when he visited on 13 April 2026.
Franz Marc Gymnasium – Eine-Welt-Gruppe, Markt Schwaben
Father Nicolaus visited the Franz Marc Gymnasium and met with the school’s Eine-Welt-Gruppe — a student initiative with a long tradition, active since the late 1980s, that supports education and development projects across the Global South through fundraising, events and direct partnerships. The visit led to a concrete new collaboration: Father Nicolaus will compile a list of school supplies that are hard to find in Tanzania, which the group will work to collect and send.
Calabria – School Visits and Fundraising
In the week before Holy Week, Father Nicolaus visited six schools in Calabria, made possible through the dedication of local contact Assunta. She had personally introduced the project to each headteacher beforehand, and class representatives were brought together so Father Nicolaus could thank the children in person for their contribution to last year’s clothing drive. Despite limited time — schools had already lost days to local elections — the children were wonderfully engaged. A larger event open to parents is planned for the future.
Beyond organising the visits, Assunta raised a further €500 through her personal contacts. She also donates 10% of the income she earns selling a wellness product, adding €55 this period — a quiet but meaningful ongoing commitment.
Medjugorje Pilgrimage
Olga Novello and Father Nicolaus took part in a pilgrimage to Medjugorje, where they took the opportunity to present TEI to fellow pilgrims and distribute leaflets about the project. This raised €420.
School Reports and Family Visits
In January we received the school reports for all the children we support. The results are generally encouraging, though we have identified some areas where additional backup will be needed to help as many children as possible succeed. Father Salvius visited the families of the children and a number of their schools — no small undertaking, as some children live well outside the villages. All school fees for the current calendar year have now been paid.
One child, despite support from both family and school, was consistently not attending classes and disengaged when present. After several attempts to understand the situation and find a way to help, it was decided — with regret — to end his support so that the funds can go to children who are able to benefit from the opportunity. Efforts will be made to connect him with local organisations who may be able to help in other ways.
| Concert | Easter Bazaar | Calabria | Medjugorje | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| €3,127.63 | €900.00 | €555.00 | €420.00 | €5,002.63 |
Looking Ahead – Child Sponsorship Programme
Father Salvius currently has a waiting list of 11 children who could be supported by the project. We are developing a sponsorship programme that will allow individuals or organisations to support a specific child, with the possibility of receiving updates on their progress and, where appropriate, communicating with them directly. As we move from one-off events towards this kind of regular, committed funding, we will be able to expand the project accordingly.
A School for the Future
The next step in making the project sustainable in the long term is the creation of a private, church-owned secondary school that will generate income to fund scholarships for disadvantaged students. The Bukoba Diocese has donated approximately 37 acres (15 ha) of land on a main road with access to water and electricity — an excellent foundation to build on. One donor has already contributed €1,000 towards the construction. This is still in its early stages, but it is an exciting development that we will keep you informed about.
November 2025
Advent Concert in St. Margaret’s Parish Church - A Heartfelt Success for the Tumaini Education Initiative
On Sunday, 30 November 2025, a special advent concert took place in the Parish Church of St. Margaret in Markt Schwaben. During the event, Father Nicolaus introduced the Tumaini Education Initiative with a deeply personal and touching speech, giving the audience an inspiring insight into the project’s mission and impact.
The church was filled to capacity, creating a wonderful atmosphere for an evening of music and community. Two choirs—the Parish Choir of St. Margaret and the Munich International Choral Society (MiCS)—performed separately, together, and finally joined by the audience. Several talented soloists also contributed to the musical success of the concert.
Thanks to the generosity of all attendees, we collected over 3,300 EUR in donations. This support will make a significant difference for the Tumaini Education Initiative, helping us take important steps toward securing its future and enabling continued growth.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who made this evening such a success.
October 2025
Project Update – Autumn 2025
Thanks to a second round of generous donations, we were able to cover the school fees for all children for the remainder of 2025 and also respond to several individual needs:
- A mattress for a child who had been sleeping on the bare floor and often felt tired at school.
- A bicycle for another child who had a very long walk to school every day.
- Boarding accommodation for a child facing a very difficult family situation.
All six children we support are now able to attend school regularly and are making good progress — a wonderful success for everyone involved!
In addition, our network of supporters has grown.
In a separate effort in Calabria, Italy, a clothes collection was organized. Pilgrims traveling to Rome kindly carried the donations in their luggage to Tanzania — resulting in over 120 kg of second-hand clothes being distributed in a big weekend action that was warmly received. A financial donation also accompanied this initiative.
We also held workshops in two primary schools near Markt Schwaben, where children learned what school life is like in Tanzania. We hope this will inspire further fundraising activities.
Currently, we are preparing for the Advent Concert at St. Margaret, Markt Schwaben on Sunday, November 30, 2025, at 6 p.m., where donations for the Tumaini Education Initiative will once again be collected.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who contributes — your support truly changes lives!
See Report. The report has been redacted so as not to include personal data of the assisted children.
March 2025
The first doantions arrive
We have completed our first transfer of funds, and have been able identify and help 6 children who were not going to school because their families could not afford it. Each child has received school equipment, books, and clothes as well as having their school fees payed up to June 2025. The children are now going to various schools in the area.
We gathered 1000€ in donations of which 89% were spent directly for the children, the rest was used for expenses including transport and banking fees. See Report
In the meantime more children have been identified, and we are in the process of collecting more donations to continue helping the current children and to expand the program to others.
Contact Us
We’re happy to hear from you and available for any questions.
tumaini-education-initiative@gmx.de
08121-9953725
© 2025 TUMAINI Education Initiative. All rights reserved.