Fifth grade is a big year for St Jude’s student Justina, her year level has just started living at the school’s boarding house.

She may only be 12 years old but she already she knows she wants to be a doctor. 

“I want to work in Tanzania to help people with different diseases and problems,” Justina explained. 

And since her move to the Moivaro Boarding Campus, just a ten-minute walk from the Sisia Primary Campus, boarding is bringing out her brilliance. 

Students start boarding in their fifth year at St Jude’s, so for the first time Justina has a solid roof over her head, a cosy bed of her own, reliable water, three nutritious meals a day and electricity for studying, all giving her every opportunity to succeed. 

“I love studying, playing, cooking and eating with friends. Before I lived with my father and three sisters in a one bedroomed home. They are proud of me for coming here and studying hard. I want to help them live better in the future.”

It is also the first year of boarding at Moivaro for enthusiastic basketball fan Baraka. 

“I love all things about boarding, because we get time to study, play and we are getting good meals. Of course I always find time for basketball too.” Baraka shared. 

Baraka has big dreams, a bright mind and now with a bed to call his own, he wants to do his family and his community proud. 

“When I grow up I want to be a solider. I want to help my country and my family. I want to stop people doing bad things, and rescue those in trouble in our country and other places.”

Justina and Baraka are just two of the students settling into the Moivaro Campus for the first time in 2019. They’ll join almost 1,400 St Jude’s students benefiting from boarding facilities, over two campuses this year. 

The Moivaro campus is a bustling, refuge for students, all coming from the poorest of communities.

Sister Zawadi, the Head of the Moivaro Boarding Campus, says her new student’s transition to boarding life has been a smooth one, with the main challenges for her team often to help students ease the burdens of their home life and focus on fulfilling their potential. 

“They are very happy as it’s the first time they can be with their friends, spend the nights together and they are sure to get their meals,” Sister Zawadi explained. 

As part of that routine, students also have a better opportunity to complete homework with guidance and to learn English. St Jude’s teachers are on hand each night for academic and emotional support during evening group study sessions, as well as leading extracurricular activities like dancing, music and sport. 

“For most of them, life before was very difficult, so when they are here they finally feel secure. They are sure they will also have water, electricity and everything they need.”

Each day when Justina and Baraka return back to their home away from home after school, it’s increasing their chances of reaching secondary school in just a few years, achievement milestone that less than one in three children achieve in Tanzania. 

They are also a step closer, for the first time, to their dreams of serving their community and country. 

An academic scholarship allows our students to have access to the benefits of boarding. Support boarding students like Justina and Baraka today.  

How has your first job as a St Jude’s intern improved your life? 

“You meet different people here, it gives me a lot of experience, how to work in a group and how to work in a team. I have learnt discipline from working, learnt how to manage deadlines, how to conduct yourself in a work environment and how to overcome challenges. Most of all I’ve been able to give back to my community and school and say thank you for all the years they gave to me.”

How is your internship, and first year in the workforce, making a difference to the community? 

“In Tanzania lots of government schools are lacking teachers so I’ve got the opportunity to make a big difference. For most of the students here their English is a problem, so that is a challenge I have come across. There is a big difference from The School of St Jude and government schools, the materials for teachers aren’t nearly as good, class numbers are around sixty students and some classes don’t even have a teacher.”

How is your community service internship helping prepare you for the workforce?

“This job is helping me prepare for the workforce as before I was not confident to speak in front of people that I have never met but now that is not a problem. Everyone is supporting me, anytime I have a problem I go to them and they help me. I love educating the visitors that come here about The School of St Jude. I have had the chance to learn more about the cultural and language differences with visitors from all over the world and that will only help me professionally. It is a privilege to give back to St Jude’s and I hope through the information I give our visitors it will encourage more sponsors to join our community.”

What made you want to give back to St Jude’s with your community service year?

“I have never had a job before but now I am like both a teacher and parent. I take all the responsibilities with those roles. It means a lot to me and prepares me to be someone that is really hard working. I look forward to work each week but the biggest challenge is managing the students so they are achieving and happy. It is a good tactic to help me be ready for the workforce and it is equipping me to make positive changes in my community.”

What challenges have you come across in your Community Service Year?

“I am getting new skills about how to communicate with people from all ages, because before this I struggled with that. To stand up in front of a class full of students only a few years younger than me is a challenge but I have found a great new confidence.Before St Jude’s and my internship life was tough and now I want to give back.”