PRESS RELEASE - ENGLISH

HASSAN MAAJAR TRUST DETERMINED TOCONTINUE TO

IMPROVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IN SCHOOLS

The Hassan Maajar TRUST (HMT) marked its five years recently and is determined to continue its Mission to ‘Improve Learning Environment’ in Schools in Tanzania. Through the five years, HMT has worked in close partnership with its main sponsor, Bank M especially in implementing HMT’s flagship project ‘A Desk for Every Child’.

This year, HMT in partnership with Bank M is organising a Fundraising Event scheduled to take place on 25^th November 2016 at the Diamond Jubilee VIP hall, in Dar es Salaam. The Prime Minister, Hon. Kassim Majaliwa, will be the Guest of Honour.

Speaking with the press in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the HMT Fundraising Committee Chair Mr. Daniel Mwasandube said HMT is delighted to have Bank M on board again adding that the support extended by Bank M contributed significantly to the success of HMT projects. “We recently celebrated our Fifth anniversary. So far the Trust has managed to provide over 9,000 desks lifting 30,000 students off the floor in 13 regions namely, Rukwa, Njombe, Singida Mwanza, Pwani, Shinyanga, Kigoma, Lindi, Mbeya, Iringa, Mtwara, Dar es Salaam, and Kilimanjaro.

“We have gone far in realizing the dual dream of raising awareness of the plight of pupils learning to read and write while seated on the floor, and mobilising the Tanzania public and others to join the HMT led initiative to resolve the problem”.  The Fundraising Committee Chair added that Bank M’s decision to partner with Hassan Maajar Trust once again shows the Bank’s commitment to improving the learning environment in schools in the country. “The Government at the highest level has recognized the role of HMT and Bank M as the main partner”, he affirmed.

Mr. Mwasandube noted that with this year’s fundraising event HMT will continue with the Desks project as the deficit persists despite of the current efforts by the Government due to the higher pupils enrolment hence higher needs. However, HMT will also accord special focus to customised learning facilities for children with special needs in combination with an initiative to shine light on the next challenge, to improve sanitation facilities in public schools.

Additionally, the HMT Fundraising Committee Vice Chair Dr. Yusuph Sinare expressed satisifaction with the current status of fundraisings done by HMT via several fundraising campaigns so far being TZS 1.7b in cash while TZS 140m has been raised in kind.

Recently, Bank M’s CEO Designate, Ms. Jacqueline Woiso, was quoted saying that Bank M is proud to be associated with HMT in such a noble cause and commended the Trust for a job well done over the last 5 years. “Having over 30,000 children seated on desks in 5 years is an achievement we recognise and will ensure that the programme is sustainable.”