Overview

One of the largest charities of its kind in Africa

In 2002, The School of St Jude opened with one teacher and a handful of sponsored students.

Today, The School of St Jude is a pioneering leader in charitable education within Africa. We provide free, quality education to 1,800 bright primary and secondary students who come from considerably poor backgrounds. We provide them with everything they need for a successful education, ensuring our students' well-being and future success.
Located across three campuses, we provide boarding for all secondary students and employ around 300 Tanzanian staff.

97% of St Jude’s secondary graduates go on to access higher education, supported by Beyond St Jude’s or by other means. Through Beyond St Jude’s, our program for secondary graduates, we support 100s of graduates with access to higher education and provide more than 20,000 government school students with volunteer teachers each year.

100% of St Jude’s students and scholars are on scholarships.

Our vision
An educated community of moral and intellectual leaders; fighting poverty in Tanzania.
Our mission
Our mission is to give bright, poor Tanzanian students a free, quality education so they can lead their family, community and country with Respect, Responsibility, Honesty and Kindness to growth and prosperity.

The situation in Tanzania

Tanzania has a young and rapidly growing population. In addition, many Tanzanians live in poverty and 75% live on less than AU$4.20 / US$3.20 per day.

The majority of Tanzanians are unable to complete their education with only 30% of Tanzanians of secondary age enrolled in secondary school. To combat this, St Jude’s selects students who are bright and at risk of not completing their education due to financial pressures.
Our students

Our approach

Our approach has always been different from child sponsorship agencies that financially support a child’s home life. We focus on education as a means of alleviating poverty.

St Jude’s provides academic scholarships to students who — due to poverty and social pressures — would otherwise be unlikely to complete their schooling. We then source sponsors and donors from around the world to support their education.

An academic scholarship at St Jude’s covers much more than tuition. We provide everything a student needs for a successful education including boarding, meals, health checks, transport, uniforms, stationery and equipment. At the heart of our approach is the belief that we are educating the future leaders of Tanzania.

Additionally, we value the importance of local involvement and sustainability. The vast majority of our almost 300 staff are Tanzanian, including all teachers.

St Jude's campuses

Sisia Campus
Smith Campus
Moivaro Boarding Campus
Sisia Campus

Sisia Campus

Moshono village
Sisia Campus provides educational facilities for students attending both St Jude’s Primary School and St Jude’s Girls’ Secondary School.

This 10-acre campus was established on the initial land that was gifted to St Jude’s Founder, Gemma Sisia. It is the home to two schools each equipped with modern classrooms, sports fields, playgrounds, science and computer labs, well-stocked libraries, dining and assembly halls.

St Jude’s Head Office and Visitors Centre and accommodation are also located on this campus.
Smith Campus

Smith Campus

Usa River village
Smith Campus is home to St Jude’s Secondary School. This includes our single-sex educational facilities for boys in Form 1 to Form 4 and co-educational facilities for girls and boys in Form 5 and Form 6.

All students at Smith Campus board in single-sex boarding houses and return home on school holidays.

Situated about 40km from Sisia Campus, on 30 acres at Usa River, Smith Campus is equipped with modern classrooms, science labs, well-stocked library, dining hall, assembly hall, multi-purpose courts, sports fields and a five-acre farm.
Moivaro Boarding Campus

Moivaro Boarding Campus

Moivaro village
Just a short walk from the Sisia Campus, our 10-acre boarding campus in Moivaro village is the home away from home for the students attending St Jude’s Girls’ Secondary School and our Standard 7 primary students.

This modern boarding campus is equipped with a sports field, study rooms, dining and assembly hall, comfortable boarding rooms and everything our students need to focus on their life-changing education.