Orkeeswa, Inc.

Orkeeswa is a community-based organization in Tanzania compelled by the belief that education is the foundation for youth-driven, community-led development. 

In 2008, Orkeeswa opened in an underserved Maasai community in northern Tanzania on land donated by the community elders. Fifteen years on, Orkeeswa offers a multi-pronged approach to education and leadership development in partnership with the community, investing in student-centered, skills-based learning for young people at three critical points:

• Orkeeswa Outreach utilizes trained and motivated Orkeeswa student and alumni leaders to run holistic life skills, sports, extracurricular and academic programs for primary school students in eight local primary schools;
• Orkeeswa School provides high-quality academics, robust co-curricular programs, student wellness services, sports programming, and community-based leadership through a holistic secondary school experience;
• Orkeeswa Incubator supports the ongoing impact of alumni and young local leaders through professional development, higher education scholarships, and small grants and mentorship for entrepreneurs.

It is a model that is effective, achieving both a micro- and macro-level of impact, beginning with individual students and expanding outward to the community.

Through Orkeeswa’s 2027 strategic plan, we are poised to reach approximately 15,000 students in the Monduli District of Tanzania with high-quality, holistic programming through all three programs, and increase our revenue from $1.5M to $2.9M.

ORKEESWA CORE VALUES

All Orkeeswa team members, students, alumni, and community members are intrinsically linked by our shared and enduring commitment to our organizational core values:  

"I am because we are" is one of Orkeeswa's core values, inspired by Ubuntu Philosophy. But what does that mean? To us, it means that community is both the context and the purpose of our work; both a source of knowledge and a source of inspiration. Love, solidarity, compassion and respect for the dignity of others are essential. We recognize that we are all connected and that the mission of education is to find one’s own sense of purpose, which is intrinsically linked to the wellbeing of the collective whole. 

"Anything is Possible" is another Orkeeswa core value and is our founding principle. We believe there are no limits to an individual’s ability to make a positive impact on their community. We encourage young people to take risks, try new things and to challenge the status quo with grace and critical imagination. We value a growth mindset, a sense of optimism and a tendency to see challenges as opportunities. We believe communities should hold the power to shape their own future, and that young people have the unique ability to bring about forward-thinking change that will resonate for generations. That’s why we are committed to building a foundation for youth-driven, community-led development. We are fostering an ecosystem of engaged citizens, young professionals and motivated leaders who are bonded by the belief that anything is possible. 

"When you get, give" is Orkeeswa's final core value. A compulsion to serve others is central to who we are and what we do. We value an enduring sense of generosity and responsibility to help others. We cultivate this impulse in our students through the design of our programs, creating ample opportunities for young people to give back to their community. When exposed to a variety of learning opportunities, students emerge with a sense of purpose, motivated by curiosity and eager to leverage their passion to serve others. From arts and sports to robotics and agriculture, our students are carving their own unique paths and creating opportunities for others along the way.