A household visit in Arusha prompts action to support a child’s access to education At 15, Nelson had never been to school. A household visit during Uwezo Tanzania’s annual national foundational learning assessment brought his situation to light and prompted an immediate response.
On 7 November 2026, our assessment team visited the Sokoni One enumeration area in Arusha. Accompanying the team was Professor Sempeho Ibahati Siafu, Acting Deputy Rector for Academic Affairs, Research and Consultancy at the Institute of Adult Education, who was observing and supporting the assessment process.
When the team met Nelson and learnt that he had never attended school, Professor Siafu immediately contacted the regional education authorities and requested action to support his enrolment in MEMKWA classes.
Regional education officers, together with ward officials, are expected to visit the family on 9 November 2026. They will meet with Nelson and his parent to discuss and agree on the steps needed to secure his enrolment.
The visiting team also included Vincent from KAKA, a Kilimanjaro NGO and Uwezo Tanzania partner. Community representatives involved in the visit included Aziza A. Tiboka, a local government representative from Longdon, and Kiula, the community leader for Shina Number Three.
Nelson’s enrolment is still to be confirmed. The prompt response shows how a household assessment can help identify a child who has been excluded from schooling and connect that child with people able to provide support.
As the annual assessment continues across Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar, Uwezo Tanzania is gathering evidence on foundational literacy and numeracy, with life skills and values also included this year. Visiting households enables the assessment to reach children both in and out of school.
We appreciate Professor Siafu’s intervention and the commitment of education authorities, community representatives and our partners to follow through. For Nelson, the next step is to turn that commitment into an opportunity to begin learning.
