Question 1

What does the I.D. number of my student mean?

Accepted Answer

The first two numbers are the year they start Kindergarten, and the second two are where the student is listed on the page from 1-100. For example,  #2130 is a student that started first grade in the year 2021, and is the 30th student on the list.

Question 2

Why does my students’ name seem to change sometimes?

Accepted Answer

The middle name should never change. This is the most important name, and it is their father’s first name. This is why there will be females with a male middle name. Students may change their first name because of preference, and sometimes change their last name, if living with a different family than their own.

Question 3

Is my $38 monthly gift used for administrative fees?

Accepted Answer

No! This program does not have any paying staff on the United States end. We all serve in a volunteer capacity so that all your sacrificial giving is used for educating your student(s), and nothing more.

Question 4

How do I correspond with my student?

Accepted Answer

You may mail your letter or send an email for your student, to our correspondence coordinator, and it will be sent on via email or physically taken to Sakila. We ask that you please avoid photographs of your home, cars, and material possessions. These children come from poverty, and this can give them the wrong impression. Thank you!

Question 5

May I visit my student?

Accepted Answer

Yes, yes, and yes! Your presence in Sakila, Tanzania, would be most welcome. This would be very meaningful to your student, and it will bring a new level of understanding about why this program was started.

Question 6

What happens after my student graduates from Standard 7 (Primary School)?

Accepted Answer

Your student will have finished the government requirement for schooling in Tanzania. They have a graduation in October, and are finished in November. Then, they have a bit of a break before they start Form 1 (High School), in January. Students may choose not to continue on, and we will contact you once we are sure that they are not coming back. Sometimes, it takes a few months for kids to come back after a break, because they need to help their families, lack of resources, and other unforeseen obstacles.

Question 7

What happens after my student graduates from Form 4 (Lower Secondary School)?

Accepted Answer

They graduate in October, and finish in November. If they are willing and able to move on to Form 5, they will start school again in July, of the following year. This period of 6 months gives them an opportunity to work and continue studying for the intense period of upper secondary school, before university. This schooling is about 3 times the cost of Primary School, and the intensity of work study is unlike our own. If you choose to continue to support your student this far, your financial support helps their room and board on campus, and educators tutoring them for the July start date. If they choose not to move on to Form 5, they are highly sought after by the government for trade schools. The English they have learned will give them opportunities for jobs.

Question 8

What happens after my student graduates from Form 6 (Upper Secondary School)?

Accepted Answer

If your student passed the National Exam from Form 6 with high marks, the government will send your student to a government school, and they may pay up to 75% of tuition and fees. Your student can still choose to go on to university with passing grades, however, they will need to take out student loans. In addition, some may even choose to go on to a trade school.

Question 9

What is a Duka basket? (Duka means "Store" in Swahili)

Accepted Answer

Anytime during the year, you can purchase your student's family a $25 Duka basket. This basket is a wash basin wrapped in a kitenge (large piece of material used for clothing or carrying a baby), two bags of flour, two bags of salt, sugar, tea and oil. This gift will support a family of four for a month.

Question 10

When I send money for the Monthly Family Assistance, does it go directly to the family of our student?"

Accepted Answer

No. Your faithful giving to support the families of your students are placed in a separate account and evenly distributed to the families on a list that support this specific donation. Families on the list will come to the store (Duka) every two weeks and receive food and staples. We ask for a standard amount of $20 a month, in order to make this process work in a fair and loving manner. Tanzanian society is a “Share” society, and if the family standing in line ahead of someone receives $30 worth of goods for two weeks, and another is only given $10 worth of goods, it will cause conflict and strife. We hope that you can understand the necessity of this way of life that may be different from our own.

Question 11

What to expect if my student leaves the program?

Accepted Answer

You will be notified that your student has left the program, and if there is an explanation as to why, we will let you know. In the same notification, we will transfer your sponsorship to another child in need, and give you information about them.

Question 12

Can I contact my student via phone, email, social media or text?"

Accepted Answer

No, we ask that you do not contact your student via these methods until your student is out of the program. This is for your security. If you would like more details on why this is a policy, please contact Jennifer Kamrath at 541-405-6650.

Question 13

What are some reasons that my student would leave the program?

Accepted Answer

Some reasons could be: families moving to another village, children needed at home for working the land, transferred to the government school (Standard of education is less), graduated and moving on, or learning difficulties.

Question 14

Why do we have food drives if sponsorship includes food?

Accepted Answer

The Sakila Sponsorship Program fees are below the average monthly support that many non-profits charge. In addition, inflation and the cost of purchasing food being dependent on either a drought or flood year in Tanzania, we have needed to reach out yearly for supplemental support.

Question 15

Will I receive anything from my student?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you will receive a minimum of one letter a year from your student(s). In Standard 1 (First grade), they start learning English and Swahili. For the first 3 years, they will need help with their letters, and most will draw pictures. After the third grade, they will begin to start writing you in English.

Question 16

Can I send gifts to my student?

Accepted Answer

Other than a few small items such as stickers and stationery, we ask that your extra gifts are given through the Duka basket and Monthly Family Assistance. Due to the increase in fines at the ports in Dar es Salaam and our increase in student numbers, we are not able to send boxes over for families anymore.

Question 17

Can I send mail directly to our student?

Accepted Answer

No. For your privacy and protection, we do not allow direct mailings. Mail your correspondence to the correspondence coordinator, and it will be forwarded. Also, our policy does not allow us to send maps, addresses or phone numbers to your student. There are no home addresses and post offices in Sakila, Tanzania, therefore, mail cannot be sent.

Question 18

Do you monitor our correspondence?

Accepted Answer

Yes. This is for the protection of your student, as well as your own. In order to promote fairness and monitor the affects that affluence in America can bring, we ask that certain things are avoided mentioning in text, and showing in photos. We will forward your letter or photos on to your student, after we have made sure that there is nothing that can lead your student directly back to your home.

Question 19

If my student has been gone from the program for a month or two while updating is being done, what happens to my support?"

Accepted Answer

If this happens, your support will go towards the students that are still waiting for a sponsor, and those that have lost their sponsors.

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