In a world that demands both academic excellence and holistic personal development, students at The School of St Jude excel at both thanks to pre-university training hosted and facilitated by the Beyond St Jude's (BSJ) team annually.

The training aims to prepare secondary school graduates for a journey of self-discovery and growth.

“A pre-university training program like this gives students a much-needed perspective and preparation as they venture into their next stage of academic life,” shares Francis, one of the facilitators of the training.

"I remember when I was at university, such programs were not provided. Nobody guided me on what to study, which university to go to, or how life was going to be,” says Francis.

At St Jude’s, the majority of secondary school graduates opt to join BSJ ahead of their university studies. In the program, they undertake a year of community service where they volunteer to teach at different understaffed government schools or at various non-teaching placements within the school. This further equips them with real-life experiences and skills such as public speaking, time management, patience and resilience.

"Our students have been well guided throughout their time at St Jude's," reflects Francis, adding, “We have a trained psychologist who mentors them remotely, providing invaluable support for their emotional and psychological well-being while they are at the university."

The training covered a wide array of topics, addressing the multifaceted challenges and opportunities that await these students at university and beyond. Topics ranged from understanding the structure of universities and grading systems to fostering healthy lifestyles and relationships in the university environment. Graduates also delved into issues like mental health awareness, financial literacy, and personal branding in the age of social media.

"I am grateful for the training I received, which has prepared me for a successful university experience," says Saraphina a St Jude’s graduate attending the training.

“My favourite part was the self-awareness activity that we did,” shares Saraphina. “It helped me realise the importance of personal branding and how other people can describe me outside my room,” she adds.

Also sharing his views is John, another St Jude’s graduate, soon-to-be a university scholar. John believes the training serves as a useful orientation to life at university and complements his research at different universities. “We reviewed the prospectus of different universities and studied their rules and regulations,” says John. “This has helped us to know which environment we can be in; how can we study and how can we choose friends. So, the training is very useful and I’m excited to take on the challenges of university life,” he adds.

The training also involved external mentors such as university lecturers, psychologists, St Jude's alumni currently at the university, and St Jude’s staff who offered a broader perspective on crucial topics.

Pre-university training plays into the school’s commitment to shaping well-rounded, confident, and capable leaders who are not only academically proficient but also equipped to tackle life's challenges head-on. As these graduates embark on their next academic journey, they bring a wealth of values and skills to help them make a lasting impact on their communities and beyond.

The last quarter of the year is a typically busy time at here at St Jude’s! It is full of graduations and special events to celebrate important days as part of our busy academic calendar. This year was no exception as St Jude’s held three different ceremonies, and a St Jude’s Day all in five weeks.

“It was a memorable experience!” says Luciana a recent Form 4 graduate at St Jude’s Girls’ Secondary School. “My favourite part was the Form 4 Farewell, it was lovely to see all the different guests that had come to celebrate with us,” she adds happily.  

In October, Luciana and 113 other students at St Jude’s Girls’ Secondary School celebrated the end of their O Level studies with great excitement and pride.

In Tanzania, the first four years of secondary school are called Ordinary Level (O Level) studies; from Form 1 to Form 4. Completing O Level education is a crucial step in the Tanzanian Education System. The day is typically marked by a ceremony, where parents, students and the whole school celebrate the graduating class and mark the achievement!

“Completing Form 4 is an important step because I can now specialise in subjects of my interests,” says Luciana. “Also, not everyone makes it this far in their education. That’s why it means a lot,” she adds. 

According to data from the World Bank, only 34% of secondary school girls in Tanzania complete Form 4 education. Factors such as extreme poverty, poor infrastructure, and cultural influences all play a role in the high dropout rates among female students. On the other hand, 100% of students at St Jude’s Girls’ Secondary School complete Form 4 with a 100% pass rate. 

“Graduating Form 4 at St Jude’s gives me a special feeling,” reflects Luciana, who joined St Jude’s from a government school four years ago. “The resources and support from the school gave me a major boost in my studies and career aspirations. I was able to explore my passion in art and sport, not just the academics,” she adds. 

Luciana graduates Form 4 as an aspiring artist, a talented netball player, and equipped with a vast variety of skills in typing, public speaking and creativity. She looks forward to coming back in January to participate in the Special Program’s Post Form 4 Holiday Program, where students have training in leadership, emotional intelligence, typing and ESL. She plans to spend the rest of her time at home during the break honing her artistic skills as well as assisting her siblings with their schoolwork before continuing with her Advanced Level (A Level) studies in July 2024. 

Just two weeks apart, St Jude’s held another Form 4 Celebration and Awards Day, this time at the Smith Campus in Usa River, about an hour away from the girls’ school in Moshono. Smartly dressed in their crisp uniforms and sporting a special graduating badge, the boys, celebrated their achievement with flair, singing and dancing their way to their next stage of education!

“It feels like a dream come true,” says Ramadhani, a recent Form 4 graduate at St Jude’s Secondary School. “I joined St Jude’s as a Standard 1 student more than 10 years ago. Every day since then has been a step closer to this magnificent day,” he adds enthusiastically. 

During his time at St Jude’s, Ramadhani was elected Head Boy twice, won medals in public speaking competitions, and developed his computer skills. He graduates from St Jude’s as a confident young man with leadership, public speaking, and problem-solving skills, and life-long friendships. 

Two celebrations just weren’t enough! St Jude’s also held its second Beyond St Jude’s Recognition Ceremony. A special event that brings together St Jude’s alumni who are graduating tertiary studies with various degrees, locally and internationally. 

“The best part of the ceremony was being able to mark this moment and celebrate my achievement with family and friends,” says Saumu, a Beyond St Jude’s (BSJ) university graduate. “It was also fun seeing my high school classmates again after three years! Was great catching up and reminiscing about our time at St Jude's,” she adds emphatically. 

Saumu joined St Jude’s as a Standard 1 student in 2006 and proceeded to spend the next 17 years at the school – 13 years as a student, one year as a volunteer, and three years as a BSJ Tertiary scholar. 

Saumu now proudly holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance and wants to use her skills to help other children from disadvantaged backgrounds reach their full potential.

When Steven joined The School of St Jude, he immediately knew it was different from any other school. But he couldn’t have predicted the immense opportunities that lay ahead of him.

“I was a Standard 1 student and everything was new to me,” recalls Steven. “From the playing fields to the classroom to the library – it was all eye-opening,” he adds with a smile.

As Steven continued to explore his new school, his curiosity finally found an outlet in the computer room. In the following years, Steven deeply developed his enthusiasm for computer studies making the most of St Jude’s educational resources and opportunities.

“I frequently took part in various regional and national science competitions and exhibitions,” says Steven. “These experiences and exposure inspired me to combine my passion for technology with creativity leading me to develop various innovative projects,” he continues.

One such project was Alice, an artificial intelligence computer program that Steven co-developed with a friend. The innovation was so popular for its ingenuity and functionality that the pair were invited to present their prototype to the government agency for science and technology.

Determined to develop his skills further, Steven resolved to pursue a higher education scholarship at the African Leadership Academy (ALA) in South Africa. The educational institution is renowned for its pioneering leadership and entrepreneurship programs for aspiring African youth. To ensure that he had the best shot at getting the scholarship, Steven knew just the place to go.

“Students begin to develop their career interests at a young age,” says Mr Malisa, St Jude’s Career Guidance Officer. “It is therefore important to prepare them early with career guidance lessons so that they can make informed choices when the time is right. That’s what my office does here at St Jude’s,” he adds.

As a Career Guidance, Mr Malisa routinely works closely with students looking to apply for international scholarships at various academic institutions and advises them on career choices. This includes prepping students to write compelling essays, interviews, and guiding them throughout the application process.

“Luckily, around that time, students from ALA came to St Jude’s for a training seminar,” recalls Steven. “Some of them were alumni of St Jude’s and they gave me some valuable tips in addition to counselling from the Career Guidance Office,” he adds.

Thus, equipped with mentorship from St Jude’s and driven by his unwavering ambition, Steven applied for and successfully got a scholarship to ALA.

Four years later, Steven, now a graduate, returned with four other colleagues to run a boot camp training at St Jude’s Secondary School. Dubbed BUILD-in-a-box, Steven and his team sought to extend their knowledge to help students improve their entrepreneurial and problem-solving skills through creativity and innovation.

“It is a step-by-step strategy that walks students through the process of identifying a problem, developing a solution to the problem and creating a business out of the solution, and then scaling it to reach a wider market,” explains Steven.

The two-day training camp was segmented into various engaging activities for students to learn, practice, and refresh.

“One of my biggest takeaways from this training is the power of teamwork,” says Nelson, a Form 5 student at St Jude’s Secondary School. “It’s incredible how much we can accomplish by putting our collective minds together towards a problem,” he adds.

The open and interactive learning also inspired Nelson to develop his confidence and practice his presentation skills. Despite his generally reserved personality, Nelson admits the engaging activities of the boot camp inspired him to challenge his fears and dream big.

“I think I might even run for a position in the students’ government in the near future,” says Nelson with a smile. “We had sessions where we mimicked pitching our solutions to potential investors. I enjoyed presenting my ideas and it was truly an enlightening exchange between me and my peers,” he adds.

St Jude’s has long maintained a mutually beneficial relationship with the African Leadership Academy (ALA). Over the years, students from St Jude’s have won scholarships to pursue their studies at the academy with many of them returning to facilitate bootcamp workshops for their peers. No doubt Steven’s transformational journey has inspired more students to pursue their dreams and use their skills to create innovative solutions to problems around them.

Ericsson may have left Tanzania eight years ago, but he remains intimately connected to his roots at St Jude’s.  

“Wherever I go, St Jude’s will always be my home,” says Ericsson, who is currently residing in the United Kingdom.  

The story of Ericsson and St Jude’s began at the beginning of the 2000s when the school was still in its early stages.  

“It was unlike any other school,” recalls Ericsson. “I was especially intrigued with the culture and diversity at the school along with the fact that St Jude’s offered free and quality education,” says Ericsson. 

Ericsson realised the benefits of having a good foundation in education early on and so like any other aspiring scholar student, he applied for a scholarship at St Jude’s and hoped for the best.  

“The Scholarship Application process was a very rigorous one,” recalls Ericsson. “I had to sit for a series of oral and written tests. I don’t remember the tests as being easy,” he adds with a smile.  

Ericsson soon became a regular face around campus. He would hang around the school as he waited for his results, eventually one day, Ericsson got the best news he was hoping for!  

“I think my journey with St Jude’s started when I received my school uniforms,” Ericsson recalls fondly. “I remember having daily training sessions with Angela, one of the earliest teachers at the school, on how to tie my tie – valuable life lesson for sure,” Ericsson adds with a smile. 

Ericsson spent the next 13 years at St Jude’s, exploring his passions and interests in a wide variety of subjects. The resources and supportive learning environment allowed him to freely develop and evolve his interests until he finally found his groove both academically and outside academics.  

“At first, I was fascinated with mathematics,” says Ericsson. “Then I ventured into other subjects like social studies, and the sciences, until I finally settled for extended business subjects like commerce, accounting and economics in secondary school years,” says Ericsson. 

Outside the classroom though, Ericsson had only one passion. 

“I have always love football for as long as I can remember,” says Ericsson passionately.  

While at St Jude’s, Ericsson was a member of a local football academy and had dreams of playing professional football. As an emerging football talent, Ericsson took his passion seriously and was a regular starter on the team.  

“I would train and play football every day,” says Ericsson. “I remember doing my homework on my way to school because I had spent the entire previous evening playing football!” he recalls. 

However, things took a different turn and Ericsson had to adapt his passion for football to suit the changing dynamic, just as he did with his studies. When he began losing his starting spot on the first team, Ericsson shifted his focus to officiating football matches and soon qualified as a certified football referee. 

“This was an interesting turn of events because I didn’t like referees back in my playing days,” Ericsson reflects with a smile. “The biggest lesson I learned during my transition is no matter how bad it gets; better days are always waiting. Never lose hope,” he adds. 

Today, Ericsson has set a unique record of being the first Tanzanian professional football referee to officiate football matches in England aspiring to one day referee the Premier League. He also has a thriving career at one of the world’s leading reinsurance companies following a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management with honours and a Master’s of Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Enterprise Development from Westminster University. He is a living example of dedication, ambition and adaptability. 

“Whenever I find myself doubting how far I can go, I remind myself of how far I have come and how many people have significantly contributed to me getting this far. And that gives me the strength to press on,” says Ericsson. 

In May 2023, Ericsson purchased 13 of St Jude’s latest book, The School That Hope Built, to be distributed to schools in Australia. The books were personally delivered by Gemma, St Jude’s Founding Director, during her Australian Tour in 2023.  

Salome joined The School of St Jude in 2006 with a dream of helping her family and community break the cycle of poverty. She has studied hard and progressed to secondary and then higher education. 

“I joined St Jude's in 2006, completed primary school and then my four years of O Level education. I graduated from two years of A Level education in 2018,” Salome explains. 

“After doing the Community Service Year from 2018 to 2019, with the help of Beyond St Jude’s, I pursued higher education for three years and I graduated this year with a Bachelor of Science in Procurement and Supply Chain Management,” she adds.     

Salome’s journey with St Jude's isn't over yet. Now, she's back, helping out the Community Relations team as an intern. 

“Currently, I am working as a Data Clerk. In my role, I update the student database with their current information. In addition, I make sure our data is accurate at all times and also convert all information to an electronic format," says Salome. 

“One of the things that inspire me most about working at St Jude's is the opportunity to give back to an institution that has given me so much during my academic journey. Also, I would like to encourage, motivate, and inspire young students to follow their dreams,” she adds. 

Salome is one of many St Jude's alumni who return to the school after graduation to complete an internship. Her goal is to gain experience that will enable her to utilise the knowledge in the future.  

“Though I majored in procurement, which is completely different from what I am doing at the moment, I am enjoying my work and am looking forward to learning new skills and knowledge that I can put to use in the future, and hopefully be able to work in both fields,” she adds. 

“St Jude’s has transformed my life in in a big way. With the generous support from the school as well as sponsors and donors, I can now stand firm as an educated young woman in my community,” Salome says. 

Now, as the year comes to a close, it is tradition for students to send letters, postcards, and Christmas greetings to sponsors and donors.  

"I loved writing letters to my sponsors, Bill, Cheryl and Anne during my time in school and university, and I will forever cherish those moments,” Salome recalls. 

“Now that I’ve completed my scholarship with St Jude’s, I would still love to send my season’s greeting to all the sponsors, donors and supporters of the school and thank them for their generous support. I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!” she adds. 

“I want to be remembered as a productive member of St Jude’s community. I want people to recognise that I am from St Jude’s even if I will be somewhere else,” explains Sefu about the legacy he would like to leave behind.

Sefu joined Standard 1 at St Jude’s in 2009. Currently, he’s taking part in a Community Service Year (CSY) as a volunteer, to give back to the community in appreciation of the free education he has received.

“This year, I volunteered to travel outside Arusha to distribute scholarship application invitation letters for Form 1 and Form 5,” says Sefu.

“What drives me to support the school is the appreciation I have for receiving full support from the school to help me get closer to my dreams,” adds Sefu.

Launched in 2020, St Jude’s Spirit Program recognises students, staff, families, the local community, and international supporters who go above and beyond to support the school either financially or non-financially. 

“Apart from distributing letters and helping out during Scholarship Application Days, I’ve also been volunteering my time to teach Scouts at St Jude’s Secondary School and sharing my skills in different sports activities,” says Sefu.

“My aspiration in life is to one day be successful and be able to sponsor a student here at St Jude’s so I can transform their lives just like mine was. But for now, I’m donating a certain amount to the school. In a small way, I would like to do my part and work together with other alumni to ensure the school leaves a lasting impact on education in Tanzania,” adds Sefu.

Just like Sefu, Daudi is proof that education changes lives. He’s currently volunteering his skills and providing financial support. “Every month I sacrifice a portion of my Beyond St Jude’s stipend to support the school,” explains Daudi who is also a CSY volunteer.

Donations made by alumni go to the school’s Unsponsored Student Fund.

“Giving makes me feel satisfied. I feel that I’m blessed to have been given this opportunity and I can help others and have an impact in their lives,” he adds.

Daudi, who can’t wait to start higher education later this year, is ready and excited for his future and the next stage of his academic journey. “I have applied for a Bachelor in Project Planning Management as my priority, a Bachelor of Agri-Business and Resource Management as my second priority and the third is a Bachelor of Sports Science because I enjoy teaching sports,” says Daudi.

Both Daudi and Sefu are going above and beyond to support the school financially and non-financially, paying it forward while leaving a lasting impact and carrying on St Jude’s legacy as they move on to their next stages of lives.