Thank you for your interest in donating goods to The School of St Jude. The wish list below contains items that are difficult or expensive to source in Tanzania that may fit in your suitcase when you visit.
Tanzanian Customs authorities at the airport or border checkpoint will most likely require you to present a taxation waiver letter to enable you to bring these items to St Jude’s. Please contact us in advance at DonorRelations@schoolofstjude.co.tz so we can send you a tax waiver letter and provide you with further advice about the priority items listed below.
Our libraries have reasonable fiction collections thanks to many generous visitors over the years. However, most of our books are written by international authors.
St Jude’s is working to build our collection of African fiction (particularly contemporary fiction) and titles written by African authors.
Important: In 2023, the Tanzanian government has taken steps to ban certain books that do not fit with the country’s conservative values. We therefore ask that you care to
donate books that are age-appropriate and that reflect the cultural norms and moral standards of Tanzanians. To help you we have book lists on the websites below.
Our requested titles are listed on some online book websites. We carefully review and update these lists throughout the year so that supporters like you are aware of our priority needs.
Please do not purchase from these lists and send titles directly to St Jude’s, as this costs the school customs tax, often costing more than half the value of the book or shipment. Although the books listed on these websites are our highest priority, we also appreciate similar books in good condition.
The following resources are NOT required; our libraries are generously stocked with multiple copies, thanks to the goodwill of past visitors to St Jude’s:
The school also has a list of specialised and very specific goods that are expensive or can be harder to source, even overseas. Some items may also be larger, meaning they will likely take up more of your luggage or incur extra luggage costs. These goods are a specific once-off need of the school. Please consult the Donor Relations team (DonorRelations@schoolofstjude.co.tz) before making any significant purchases of these items.
