Inauguration of the Girls' Dormitory at Milola Secondary School

The Tanzania Partnership Program (TPP) has officially inaugurated the girls' dormitory at Milola Secondary School in the Lindi Municipal District of Tanzania. The dormitory complex, which combines housing with educational services focused on empowering students with useful life skills is the result of dedicated and collaborative efforts of several stakeholders including value-based philanthropists such as the Gerald and Karen Kolschowsky Foundation and the TAG Philanthropic Foundation, University of Dar es Salaam (UDMS) including Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE), and Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Lindi Municipal, and the local community of Milola Village. The inauguration was done with much fanfare and brought together various stakeholders committed to advancing girls' education.

The ceremony included presentations by Tim Kolschowsky, President of the Kolschowsky Foundation, representatives from MSU, UDMS/DUCE, SUA, and Lindi Municipal. In his remarks, Mr. Kolschowsky noted that the completion of the dormitory complex represents a long-cherished dream of his mother, Karen Kolschowsky. He considered the ceremony as a celebration of a dream, the present in terms of the benefits that girls are reaping from the dream, and the future in terms of continued engagements that will further enhance girls' education in Tanzania. He thanked all who contributed to making his mother's dream a reality. Mr. Juma Mewl, Executive Director of Lindi Municipal, commended TPP for their development efforts and encouraged the students and community to take good care of the facility to ensure that several generations benefit from it. As part of the festivities, community members and students performed a special song and dance to honor the many individuals and organizations that made the opening of a girls' dormitory in Milola possible.

Like many rural communities in Tanzania, most secondary school age children in Milola live a long distance from their school. A lack of safe housing near Milola Secondary School acted as a barrier to girls' transition to and completion of secondary school. As part of TPP's long-term partnership with Milola Village, TPP worked tirelessly to secure the funds and resources needed to build and operate a 100 bed girls' dormitory in Milola. The inauguration festivities showcased international and local stakeholders' dedication to uplift girls in Tanzania through education.

The dormitory facilities include a dining hall, showers, large vegetable garden, and chicken house, which is currently producing about 300 eggs a day. The dorm is staffed with an on-site full-time matron and supportive staff offering various life skills training. Programming at the dormitory supports girls' academics and personal development and they are designed collaboratively with the Lindi Municipal education officers to ensure alignment with Tanzania's national education and development priorities.