The Bahati Project is a Canadian project that currently supports Tengeru Village Development Centre, in Tengeru, which is just outside of Arusha, Tanzania. The Bahati Project started in 2013 after various trips taken by Anne-Marie, Megan and Jenn to Tanzania. They fell in love with the people and the culture and couldn't return to their "normal" lives without doing something...
The Bahati Project originally started in 2013 supporting three projects in Arusha - Tengeru Village (Meru View at the time), Pippi House Safe Home for Girls and Newlands Orphanage. The Bahati Project has evolved to solely supporting Tengeru Village Development Centre as other external supports for the school diminished throughout the years. The Bahati Project and Anne-Marie, who is the International Director of the school, support Tengeru Village Development Centre through donations, sponsorships and funds raised at various local events.
The co-founders of The Bahati Project have been to Tanzania multiple times, and absolutely love Arusha, and the surrounding areas. The people are so kind, welcoming, and truly beautiful. The landscape is unbelievable with views of Mount Meru and of course Mount Kilimanjaro. The children at Tengeru and across Tanzania greet you with open arms and huge smiles.
The Bahati Project originally started in 2013 supporting three projects in Arusha - Tengeru Village (Meru View at the time), Pippi House Safe Home for Girls and Newlands Orphanage. The Bahati Project has evolved to solely supporting Tengeru Village Development Centre as other external supports for the school diminished throughout the years. The Bahati Project and Anne-Marie, who is the International Director of the school, support Tengeru Village Development Centre through donations, sponsorships and funds raised at various local events.
The co-founders of The Bahati Project have been to Tanzania multiple times, and absolutely love Arusha, and the surrounding areas. The people are so kind, welcoming, and truly beautiful. The landscape is unbelievable with views of Mount Meru and of course Mount Kilimanjaro. The children at Tengeru and across Tanzania greet you with open arms and huge smiles.
Hi, I’m Anne-Marie, one of the founders of The Bahati Project.I first fell in love with Africa when I travelled to Nigeria at age 16 on a mission trip. I fell in love with the people and the landscapes, and knew that I needed to go back one day and get more involved.
In 2011, Megan and I travelled to Arusha, Tanzania and fell in love with an adorable little school in rural Tanzania called Meru View Prep School. We loved the children, we loved how happy they were and we LOVED that the students got fed two meals and had a safe place to learn, grow and play. We came back and did a bit of fundraising, but with the hustle and bustle of life, soon got distracted with university and normal life.
In 2013 Jenn and I went back to Tanzania at separate times and both fell in love with projects. I went back to volunteer at the same school Megan and I had in 2011, now named Tengeru Village, and Jenn fell in love with a woman’s safe house. We came back from our trips, and felt a little helpless. The three of us were sitting in Jenn’s living room one day reminiscing about Africa, feeling guilty about our easy “first-world” problems, and wishing we could do more… until we honestly asked ourselves why we couldn’t do more? And this is where The Bahati Project was born… in a living room in Orangeville, Ontario.
We quickly came up with a name (bahati means success in Swahili), built a website and planned our first ever fundraiser, and decided we would support three different projects in Tanzania: a safe house, an orphanage and a school. We had a movie fundraiser at the Circle Theatre in Alliston and raised over $3000. From there we created events with local schools, golf tournaments, yoga classes, bake sales, craft sales, and so many other things! It kind of just grew and evolved.
After two years of fundraising and transferring money to these organizations, in 2015 I went back to Tanzania to check in on things. While I was volunteering at Tengeru Village, I was notified that the funds we were sending was not enough, and that we were the main sponsors of the school. The decision was being made to close down the school. I was IN the country at the time and thought I just couldn’t watch it close. So I decided to take over International Director of the Tengeru Village Development Centre and that The Bahati Project would fund the school completely. To be honest this was stressful and scary but I also knew we would figure it out, and we have!
In 2017 when I went back to Tanzania, I visited all of our organizations that we supported. We decided that our funds would now fully support Tengeru Village Development Centre as we had the most control there and really wanted to put our time and resources into developing this amazing school.
Since then Paige Danforth and Tabatha Debruyn have joined our team and the five of us work very hard to keep The Bahati Project running so that Tengeru Village Development Centre can grow and thrive. We now have close to 75 students who attend our school. We support 7 local women who work there and we get updates from our school almost daily. I am so proud of the work we have done and I know that this is just the beginning!
We were supposed to go back in July of 2020 to plan our first ever Mission Trip in July of 2021, but of course, lots of things are on hold right now! We are so excited about that the future holds and cannot wait to grow and expand our school!
Asante for all your continued support
Xo Anne-Marie
In 2011, Megan and I travelled to Arusha, Tanzania and fell in love with an adorable little school in rural Tanzania called Meru View Prep School. We loved the children, we loved how happy they were and we LOVED that the students got fed two meals and had a safe place to learn, grow and play. We came back and did a bit of fundraising, but with the hustle and bustle of life, soon got distracted with university and normal life.
In 2013 Jenn and I went back to Tanzania at separate times and both fell in love with projects. I went back to volunteer at the same school Megan and I had in 2011, now named Tengeru Village, and Jenn fell in love with a woman’s safe house. We came back from our trips, and felt a little helpless. The three of us were sitting in Jenn’s living room one day reminiscing about Africa, feeling guilty about our easy “first-world” problems, and wishing we could do more… until we honestly asked ourselves why we couldn’t do more? And this is where The Bahati Project was born… in a living room in Orangeville, Ontario.
We quickly came up with a name (bahati means success in Swahili), built a website and planned our first ever fundraiser, and decided we would support three different projects in Tanzania: a safe house, an orphanage and a school. We had a movie fundraiser at the Circle Theatre in Alliston and raised over $3000. From there we created events with local schools, golf tournaments, yoga classes, bake sales, craft sales, and so many other things! It kind of just grew and evolved.
After two years of fundraising and transferring money to these organizations, in 2015 I went back to Tanzania to check in on things. While I was volunteering at Tengeru Village, I was notified that the funds we were sending was not enough, and that we were the main sponsors of the school. The decision was being made to close down the school. I was IN the country at the time and thought I just couldn’t watch it close. So I decided to take over International Director of the Tengeru Village Development Centre and that The Bahati Project would fund the school completely. To be honest this was stressful and scary but I also knew we would figure it out, and we have!
In 2017 when I went back to Tanzania, I visited all of our organizations that we supported. We decided that our funds would now fully support Tengeru Village Development Centre as we had the most control there and really wanted to put our time and resources into developing this amazing school.
Since then Paige Danforth and Tabatha Debruyn have joined our team and the five of us work very hard to keep The Bahati Project running so that Tengeru Village Development Centre can grow and thrive. We now have close to 75 students who attend our school. We support 7 local women who work there and we get updates from our school almost daily. I am so proud of the work we have done and I know that this is just the beginning!
We were supposed to go back in July of 2020 to plan our first ever Mission Trip in July of 2021, but of course, lots of things are on hold right now! We are so excited about that the future holds and cannot wait to grow and expand our school!
Asante for all your continued support
Xo Anne-Marie
Hi, I’m Jenn!
I have always dreamt of going to Africa to visit the projects and tour the beautiful continent. My dream became a reality this summer when I was able to visit Tanzania. As a teacher I was very eager to volunteer at a school, specifically Meru View, because I had heard so much about it on Anne-Marie and Megan’s first visit. I was disappointed when I arrived to learn that the schools were on vacation for a couple of weeks. However, I was excited to hear that there was a girl’s safe house named Pippi House that was needing volunteers. While teaching Geography class, we have often studied the power of girls education, so I was eager to see things first hand.
As soon as you walk through the doors of Pippi House, the effect is amazing. Even though the girls have been through the most horrific situations, they welcome you with open arms, a smile, and a hug. Their charisma is contagious, they just have a way of making you smile and laugh. The majority of the girls attend school during the day. Unfortunately, because of their previous circumstances, many of them were never able to attend and finish primary school. Many of them have never been able to learn to read and write in Swahili or English. One of Pippi House’s goals is to send every girl to school so that they can get a good job and be able to support themselves. Volunteers, including myself, tutor the girl’s in English and Math so that they can catch up to their classmates and become the best in their class. The girls are very eager to learn and often ask for tests and assignments (I wish my students back home were just as eager!). As a volunteer, I made Pippi House its own website www.pippihousefoundation.com and with the help of 3 other volunteers got them started making the bracelets and necklaces so that they can help generate an income to sustain themselves. We are now able to sell their handmade jewelry in Canada!
We were able to take a few of the girls out for lunch one day and were surprised to learn that it was some of the girl’s first or second meal eaten in a restaurant. We took them to a grocery store and told them that they could get anything they wanted but they only picked out a modest amount of food and an outfit for one of the babies. One of the girls had her eye on some nail polish, so we bought it for her, and it just reminds us that through all of their hardships, all they really want is to be regular girls.
It was heartbreaking for me to leave the girls. But it is nice to know that I am still able to help them and be part of their lives in some way until I return.
Now that I am home, I am running student council at Primrose E.S. My students are very dedicated, involved, and committed to helping these three projects. They are going to be organizing fundraising events and selling necklaces and products throughout the year in order to help raise money, and educate the public about the projects. Big shout out to the intermediate students at Primrose for all of your help and hard work! It's pretty spectacular to see children in Canada care so much about helping other children in Africa. You all are truly amazing and making a difference in numerous lives! Asante!
I have always dreamt of going to Africa to visit the projects and tour the beautiful continent. My dream became a reality this summer when I was able to visit Tanzania. As a teacher I was very eager to volunteer at a school, specifically Meru View, because I had heard so much about it on Anne-Marie and Megan’s first visit. I was disappointed when I arrived to learn that the schools were on vacation for a couple of weeks. However, I was excited to hear that there was a girl’s safe house named Pippi House that was needing volunteers. While teaching Geography class, we have often studied the power of girls education, so I was eager to see things first hand.
As soon as you walk through the doors of Pippi House, the effect is amazing. Even though the girls have been through the most horrific situations, they welcome you with open arms, a smile, and a hug. Their charisma is contagious, they just have a way of making you smile and laugh. The majority of the girls attend school during the day. Unfortunately, because of their previous circumstances, many of them were never able to attend and finish primary school. Many of them have never been able to learn to read and write in Swahili or English. One of Pippi House’s goals is to send every girl to school so that they can get a good job and be able to support themselves. Volunteers, including myself, tutor the girl’s in English and Math so that they can catch up to their classmates and become the best in their class. The girls are very eager to learn and often ask for tests and assignments (I wish my students back home were just as eager!). As a volunteer, I made Pippi House its own website www.pippihousefoundation.com and with the help of 3 other volunteers got them started making the bracelets and necklaces so that they can help generate an income to sustain themselves. We are now able to sell their handmade jewelry in Canada!
We were able to take a few of the girls out for lunch one day and were surprised to learn that it was some of the girl’s first or second meal eaten in a restaurant. We took them to a grocery store and told them that they could get anything they wanted but they only picked out a modest amount of food and an outfit for one of the babies. One of the girls had her eye on some nail polish, so we bought it for her, and it just reminds us that through all of their hardships, all they really want is to be regular girls.
It was heartbreaking for me to leave the girls. But it is nice to know that I am still able to help them and be part of their lives in some way until I return.
Now that I am home, I am running student council at Primrose E.S. My students are very dedicated, involved, and committed to helping these three projects. They are going to be organizing fundraising events and selling necklaces and products throughout the year in order to help raise money, and educate the public about the projects. Big shout out to the intermediate students at Primrose for all of your help and hard work! It's pretty spectacular to see children in Canada care so much about helping other children in Africa. You all are truly amazing and making a difference in numerous lives! Asante!
Hi, I’m Megan!
I first had the opportunity to go to Tanzania in 2011 with Anne-Marie. While we were there we volunteered at Meru View (now Tengeru Village Development Centre). I remember my first day there and everyone was so welcoming and the kids were just so happy. The first day we were there another volunteer had donated backpacks for each of the students and I just remember how happy they were to have received them as their own. They loved the backpacks so much some of the students wore them the entire day, even going down the slide with them on.
I had taught in Class A, with the four year olds. At that time, there were only two teachers and one teacher in training, and relied heavily on volunteers to help with the kids. The students were very eager to learn and were very good students! They also had very few school supplies. Anne-Marie was able to bring a large suitcase over full of toys, crafts and toothbrushes donated to give to the students. We also bought some school supplies while we were in Arusha to give to the kids, which we then realized that was the right thing to do. Not only can we avoid the struggling of travelling with extra suitcases, we can help support the economy directly in Tanzanian by buying local. They were so thankful and loved anything that was given to them. It is the greatest thing to see a child so happy to get a sticker or to play with clay they have never seen before. One of the initiatives I like the most about Tengeru Village Development Centre is that it provides two meals to the students (breakfast & lunch!). If these meals are not provided, the kids might not eat any other time in the day. While providing education as well as support and nourishment for the students, we hope that these initiatives will make a difference in the future of their lives.
Tengeru Village Development Centre will always be near and dear to my heart and even though it has changed a lot since my initial visit, I hope that with the help from everyone involved we will be able to provide great education and support to these children.
Since my initial trip in 2011 I have heard so much from Anne-Marie and the other volunteers about the progress and great work that is being done to keep the centre running. I hope that we are able to find people who have the same passion and drive as us to help with this initiative! The passion is to help educate and support those individuals who cannot afford to or have the opportunities to themselves. I am very grateful for the opportunities I have had and appreciate everyone who is helping with these initiatives! Asante sana!
I first had the opportunity to go to Tanzania in 2011 with Anne-Marie. While we were there we volunteered at Meru View (now Tengeru Village Development Centre). I remember my first day there and everyone was so welcoming and the kids were just so happy. The first day we were there another volunteer had donated backpacks for each of the students and I just remember how happy they were to have received them as their own. They loved the backpacks so much some of the students wore them the entire day, even going down the slide with them on.
I had taught in Class A, with the four year olds. At that time, there were only two teachers and one teacher in training, and relied heavily on volunteers to help with the kids. The students were very eager to learn and were very good students! They also had very few school supplies. Anne-Marie was able to bring a large suitcase over full of toys, crafts and toothbrushes donated to give to the students. We also bought some school supplies while we were in Arusha to give to the kids, which we then realized that was the right thing to do. Not only can we avoid the struggling of travelling with extra suitcases, we can help support the economy directly in Tanzanian by buying local. They were so thankful and loved anything that was given to them. It is the greatest thing to see a child so happy to get a sticker or to play with clay they have never seen before. One of the initiatives I like the most about Tengeru Village Development Centre is that it provides two meals to the students (breakfast & lunch!). If these meals are not provided, the kids might not eat any other time in the day. While providing education as well as support and nourishment for the students, we hope that these initiatives will make a difference in the future of their lives.
Tengeru Village Development Centre will always be near and dear to my heart and even though it has changed a lot since my initial visit, I hope that with the help from everyone involved we will be able to provide great education and support to these children.
Since my initial trip in 2011 I have heard so much from Anne-Marie and the other volunteers about the progress and great work that is being done to keep the centre running. I hope that we are able to find people who have the same passion and drive as us to help with this initiative! The passion is to help educate and support those individuals who cannot afford to or have the opportunities to themselves. I am very grateful for the opportunities I have had and appreciate everyone who is helping with these initiatives! Asante sana!