Our Story
In traditional African communities, raising a child is a collective endeavor, guided by a network of elders and community members. Similarly, the Swahili word “mwezeshe” embodies the concept of shared responsibility and uplifting one’s neighbor. At Mwezeshe Foundaton, we embrace this ethos, recognizing our duty and shared responsibility to nurture promising young minds.
Founded by Huba Mduda, the foundation was born out of a desire to break down barriers and create pathways to success for young girls, ensuring that no dream goes unrealized due to circumstances beyond one's control. Growing up in Dar es Salaam, Huba witnessed many bright girls fail to grow into successful women due to socioeconomic and cultural barriers. In a series of fortunate events, Huba was identified by her school principal as academically gifted and received three consecutive scholarships that made it possible for her to achieve her dreams of attaining the highest level of education.
Mwezeshe Foundation aims to be the catalyst for a series of fortunate events for a new generation of young girls today. The foundation provides teenage girls in Tanzania with the tools, resources and opportunities they need to realize their dreams. Our approach prioritizes holistic support, paying keen attention to the overall wellbeing of our beneficiaries. We recognize that educating girls not only transforms individual lives but also has far-reaching benefits for entire communities, including improved health, increased economic opportunity and enhanced societal relationships.
While our journey begins in Tanzania, this is the first step towards our broader mission of broadening access to resources for youth across Africa and beyond. We envision a world where young people everywhere have the freedom to succeed in whichever path they choose.
Our Approach
The Mwezeshe Scholars Program is an application-based initiative for teenage girls at Canossa Girls School. While we believe in providing pathways to global experiences, we are mindful of the brain drain facing our continent. Therefore, we employ homegrown strategies to nurture talent locally and set up our communities for a sustainable future. In collaboration with school staff, local educators, and professionals of African descent, we annually select 10 girls to become Mwezeshe Scholars—five completing O-levels and five completing A-levels.