we are ujamaa
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Family isn’t always something you’re born into. It’s something you grow together.
At Ujamaa, we believe that every child deserves to feel safe, loved, and supported; no matter their background or beginning. We provide long-term, family-style trauma-informed care for extremely vulnerable children and young adults in Arusha, Tanzania.
We’re not a shelter. We’re not an institution. We’re a home. And once you’re part of our Ujamaa Family, you always belong.
To provide vulnerable children in Arusha with long-term care in a safe, nurturing family-style home, empowering them through education, healthcare, and emotional support to become self-reliant adults.
Our Mission
A future where every vulnerable child in Arusha reaches their full potential, gaining financial independence, personal fulfillment, and breaking the cycle of poverty.
Our vision
our values
FAMILY IS FOUNDATIONAL
We create a family-style home environment that provides love, support, and security which helps our children feel they truly belong.
EDUCATION IS EMPOWERMENT
We ensure our children receive high-quality education to break cycles of poverty and provide them with the skills and knowledge they need to positively shape their future.
GROWTH THROUGH SUPPORT
We nurture each child’s unique potential, helping them grow into resilient, empowered and self-reliant adults.
HEALING THROUGH COMPASSION
We foster an environment of empathy and kindness, where children can heal emotionally and grow with confidence.
CARE WITH COMMITMENT
We are dedicated to providing quality, sustained care that nurtures each child’s well-being, aspirations, and growth over many years, supporting them from childhood through adulthood.
the ujamaa model
Our approach is focused, compassionate, and deeply personal. Many children in Tanzania face extreme vulnerability due to poverty, loss of caregivers, abuse, or neglect. Without a safe and stable home, they’re at risk of homelessness, exploitation, long-term trauma and a continued cycle of poverty.
The Challenges Facing Orphans and Vulnerable Children
Tanzania is a country of great beauty and cultural richness, but for many children, daily life is overwhelmed by hardship. Multidimensional poverty, limited access to education and healthcare, gender inequality, and the effects of HIV/AIDS all contribute to widespread child vulnerability.
Barriers to a Safe and Healthy Childhood
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Poverty: 25% of the population lives below the poverty line (under US$2.15 per day), limiting access to food, housing, clean water, healthcare, and education.
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Education Gaps: 45% of the population is under 15, yet only 58% of children complete Primary School and of that only 27% of children go on to secondary school due to financial, logistical and cultural barriers.
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Gender Inequality:
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30% of girls are married (often forcibly) before they turn 18 and 5% before they are 15 years old (even though it is illegal)!
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22% of girls aged 15–19 are already mothers or pregnant.
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28% of girls and 13% of boys experience sexual violence.
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Child Labour & School Dropout:
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25% of children aged 5–17 are forced into labour, including domestic work, agriculture, mining, and other forms of exploitation.
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Loss of Family: Over 1 million children have lost one or both parents which can leave them in an unsafe or vulnerable environment.
For these reasons, many children end up in institutionalised care. Most orphanages in Tanzania are overcrowded and under-resourced, offering only basic shelter and no long-term plan. Without emotional support, stable relationships, or education, children often leave these environments ill-equipped for adult life and still trapped in the same cycles of poverty and vulnerability.
Education Access
We ensure every child attends a high-quality English Medium school, with all supplies, fees, and support covered, as well as focused academic support at home for those who need extra help. Education opens doors, and we make sure they can walk through them.
Health & Nutrition
We provide highly nutritious meals, clean water and regular medical check-ups, to ensure our children grow up healthy, strong, and confident. We also provide extra support for our kids with chronic health needs, with a focus on mental health.
Empowering Girls
We address gender inequality at its roots by valuing our girls’ education and supporting them in their goals so that they can reach their full potential. We actively promote keeping girls in school and deny early marriage and other inhibiting cultural practices.
Life Skills & Leadership Training
It is vital that our children can effectively support themselves when they become adults. From communication and confidence, to cooking and budgeting, our children learn all the practical skills they’ll need to lead successful, independent lives.
Community Support
Our children are important members of their broader community and we value that connection as part of their identity. We work closely with families, schools, and the extended community to ensure long-term, sustainable impact beyond the walls of our home.
our solution
the ujamaa difference
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Family-style care, not institutional care: Children grow up together as siblings, supported by a consistent, highly trained team of caregivers.
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Long-term support, not time-limited aid: We stay with our children into adulthood, providing housing, education, and life skills until they’re truly ready to live independently.
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Small-scale, deeply relational: We intentionally remain small scale (with a max. of 25 children in Ujamaa Children’s Home) to ensure personalised, high-quality care.
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Holistic care for the whole child: Beyond a safe home, we provide education, healthcare, nutrition, and emotional support so children can truly thrive.
Our Programs
Ujamaa Children’s Home provides safe, long-term residential care for children aged 3–18. Forward Together supports young adults aged 18+ with housing, education, emotional support, and life skills; ensuring a smooth, supported transition to independent adulthood.
Together, these programs break the cycle of poverty and abandonment, and nurture a new generation of confident, capable, and compassionate leaders.
Our history
Click the arrows on the right to see how our Ujamaa Family has grown from 5 to supporting more than 30!
2010
Ujamaa Foundation is registered in Australia to support the funding and governance along with support from The One By One Foundation.
Ujamaa Children’s Home is founded and registered in Tanzania by Carley Mchome and Lucy Bradlow, starting with five children in Arusha (pictured).
2010
2012
Land is purchased and work begins on our permanent, purpose designed home (pictured).
Ujamaa Children’s Home is fully licenced by Social Welfare and continues to work in partnership.
2014
2015
Our Ujamaa Family moves into our forever home (pictured).
Expands staff training programs and education support.
2016
2019
As required by regulation changes mandated by Tanzanian Government, Ujamaa Tanzania Foundation is re-registered as an INGO and continues to work in partnership with Social Welfare.
Begins piloting post-18 support, recognising the need for continued care.
2021
2023
Ujamaa supports 28 children and young adults across both programs with 3 adults who have successfully moved on to independent living (pictured).
Forward Together formally launches as a dedicated transition program.
2025
REPORTS & policies
We believe in full transparency and deep accountability, to our donors, our community, and most importantly, the children in our care.
For more information or a full breakdown of funding and program costs, please get in touch.