PRECIOUS PROJECT INC

Since its inception in 2011, Precious Project has become an integral part of the Nshupu community. We are the safety net for many of these rural families, who would have very little support otherwise. We are committed to growing the project at a sustainable rate, while meeting the needs of this community. Our overall goals are to provide quality care for the vulnerable children at our home, provide top-notch education for our primary and secondary students, encourage sustainable farming practices so area farmers can become more productive and food secure, and to empower women to increase their financial stability.

To ensure academic excellence, Precious Project is maximizing a network of qualified volunteers to leverage their expertise to enhance our programming. We have a technology consultant who is donating her services to provide equipment, training, and support to bring technology to our primary school. We are the only school in the area that is using iPads and blended learning techniques with primary students. We are also working with a life-long educator to provide teacher training. This former principal spends one month every year in Tanzania to help improve our teaching techniques and provides ongoing support abroad.

Precious Project is committed to expanding our capabilities to improve our community. We employ over 100 Tanzanians who run the project on the ground, as well as, provide professional oversight from our co-founders and board of directors, and a small, but efficient, support staff in the U.S.

The Precious English Medium Primary School - the cornerstone of Precious Project - opened its doors in January 2016 and currently provides a quality education for over 600 children from six surrounding villages. The primary school has thrived during its inaugural years, as 2018 Tanzanian National Exam results listed the top 25 students in the District as attendees of Precious Primary School. In 2021, Precious Primary School ranked #1 in the district, #9 in the region and #81 in Tanzania. To date, all Precious Primary School graduates have moved on to secondary school.

In 2018, Precious Project Board members unanimously agreed to build a secondary school in order to further the education of Precious Primary School graduates. The decision was driven by the fact that there are no quality public secondary schools nearby, and even these Government-funded schools require a fee that many families cannot afford. A Precious Secondary School would offer continued high-quality education to Precious students with the aim to prepare them for college or university admission. In 2019 and 2020, capital funds were raised to secure land and build the secondary school. Twenty-one acres of land were purchased for the site of the secondary school, 12 acres of which was immediately cultivated into farmland to supply additional food for the primary school, home, and eventual secondary school. The secondary school opened its doors in January 2022 and is on track to reach full capacity of 600 students by 2027.

In addition to providing high-quality education, Precious Project aims to model sustainability and self-sufficiency for its community and students. Our 50-acre organic farm produces nutritious foods such as bananas, avocados, grains, legumes, and a variety of vegetables to feed our residential children, students, and faculty. The sale of excess crops provides additional income to support our projects. The newly expanded poultry coop provides meat and eggs to feed the Precious community, provide fertilizer and an additional source of revenue. Solar panels at both campus locations provide enough electricity to meet the needs of the schools, home and other facilities. Precious Project continues to hold workshops for its staff, families and the greater community which cover a range of topics from womens health, to small business and entrepreneurship, to making sack gardens, to mental health, domestic and child abuse awareness trainings.