Over one-third of all households in Tanzania live in poverty, on $1.00 a day or less, with children and rural populations disproportionately affected by this hardship. As the economy relies primarily on agriculture, approximately 75% of the population lives in rural areas, often without access to basic infrastructure or clean water.
According to UNICEF in Tanzania, “Malnutrition — most prevalent in young children from poorest or rural households — is the single biggest contributor to child mortality, with malaria, anemia, pneumonia, diarrhea, HIV and AIDS also being key causes.” The average age in Tanzania is 18, yet young people are often excluded from the decision-making processes that directly affect them. Young people also have the highest rate of new HIV infections and poor knowledge of family planning.
Although abolishing primary school fees has increased primary school attendance to 94%, there has been no corresponding increase in teachers, infrastructure, or resources.
Because of these issues, MEDLIFE focuses on improving education in this region through a partnership with the Mailisita Foundation. The foundation runs an education center for orphans, funded by the income from an adjacent guest house, the Stella Maris Lodge. Students who visit the country will learn about rural poverty and the development challenges in Africa.