Tanzania’s aspirational art inspires

In a village in the Arusha region of northern Tanzania, where some of the most famous and astonishing landscapes of Africa can be found, lies the TEKUA Education Centre.

The centre, founded in 2003, provides much needed education to people in the ages thirteen to twenty-five, as even though primary school education in Tanzania is free, only 20% of the population can afford further learning. The founders of the centre, two Tanzanian volunteers, recognised the need for education and decided to make the main focuses Art, English and IT.

The principal idea was that the school could gather funding by selling the artwork of the students. The idea was hard to execute as the demand for the art pieces, although well presented and original, was low in the region, and hence a group of SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) students at Imperial decided to help TEKUA become self-sustainable, as it is currently dependent on charitable donations.

The students involved in project TEKUA have since done numerous things in order to achieve this goal. For example, by finding places such as university union shops to distribute greetings cards made by TEKUA students or by selling the artwork at markets.

The greatest opportunity thus far however is a month long exhibition, which will be held at Chartis, one of the world’s largest insurance companies. The exhibition will conclude in an auction.

The students’ artwork is vibrant and colourful. The paintings and sculptures represent everything from everyday life to more complex emotions and themes such as love, pain and the struggle against HIV, among other things. The art shows the reality on the other side of the word, a reality we can barely imagine, with great innovation and creativity, not to mention an exquisite execution and polished technical skills. The work has been priced to an average of £70, whilst the best pieces are worth £120 or more.

The art students really enjoy their work, and the opportunity to further their education. They receive 50% of the revenue whilst the rest goes to TEKUA in order to keep the centre running and equip it with paper, running water, etc. This helps the students support themselves and be independent during their studies.

Tekua also teaches its students other crafts in order to help them support themselves through their education; for example, many students run small businesses of their own, such as trading merchandise like eggs, bananas, socks, etc. This opportunity is given to the students by a small microloan that TEKUA provides.

Each summer, volunteers from Imperial travel to Tanzania in order to help out at TEKUA. The main job there is teaching things such as basic maths and business courses, but also discussing further development and future plans with the headmasters of the school in order to determine how best TEKUA can increase its self-generated income and become independent of charities. Our aim this summer will be to help with initiation of the second TEKUA Centre, as well as teach.

TEKUA stands for five words in Swahili: empowerment, education, initiative, health and poverty. Themes that perfectly describe the ethos of the education centre, and what it does for the community. TEKUA graduates hope to become teachers, chefs, secretaries, to study at university and to have a bright future.

TEKUA furthers life, art, and independence. It helps people fulfill their dreams.

Contact us at tekua.sife@gmail.com if you would like to be part of this amazing project. Take the initiative to empower and educate, to prevent poverty and poor health, to give people a chance at a better life.