Situated in North-West Tanzania on the western edge of Lake Victoria, the Katoke-Lweru Secondary school is run by Australian head teacher Sid Moir on behalf of the Anglican church in Tanzania. Counselling, involvement in outdoor activities, Bible study and any other suitable subjects are possible activities for those interested. Free accommodation at the school makes this a relatively inexpensive option for science teachers wishing to volunteer for medium to long term periods. Volunteers would be self-catering. The school is located in a village near to a teacher training college. A car is available for use.

THE KATOKE TRUST FOR OVERSEAS AID was set up in 1998 to make a sustained, multi-pronged attack on extreme poverty in the Katoke area of Tanzania – a remote part of one of the poorest nations in the world. The Trust is a grass-roots, voluntary body begun in Sydney, Australia.  With very few overhead costs, virtually all money raised by the Trust goes to combat poverty.

 Long-term links with Katoke, begun by Bishop Chambers and other Australian missionaries in the 1920s, have given a strong foundation for the present work. Since 1998 regular six monthly visits from a team form Sydney have enabled a flexible approach to aid delivery and close personal supervision of financial and management processes.

The Trust is a Christian organization with projects aimed at self-help educational, medical and economic improvement for all. The three themes, educate, care and grow, define an extensive program that includes school improvement, scholarships for orphans, malaria and AIDS prevention and cash crop extension, e.g., by introduction of vanilla growing. Smaller strategic seeding projects begun by the Trust have enabled larger grants to be won from organisations such as AusAID, ORAF, (the Sydney Archbishop’s Overseas Relief and Aid Fund) and Rotary.

The Trust is making a difference to the lives of tens of thousands of people. Projects are locally owned and all proceeds assist local needs.  Real change has taken place in terms of school and economic improvement, health and personal growth. 

A current major project is to build a secondary school at Katoke.  This is greatly needed because at present less than 10% of Tanzanian children have opportunity to do secondary schooling in Tanzania and even fewer in rural areas like Katoke. Stage One is complete and 160 Form 1 students have begun studying in 2009.

Qualified Secondary School teachers are required for this school and the Tanzanian Committee welcomes enquiries from Australian teachers who would like to hear about service at Kato ke Secondary School. 

Patron of Katoke Trust: Hon. Robert McClelland, Attorney General of Australia