About us
The Roof of Africa SCIO is a Scottish registered charity providing a range of initiatives to communities in Tanzania from free education to vital food parcels, building homes to providing toilets.
As well as running our own primary school in Sonu, near the foothills of Mount Kilmanjaro, we also have satellite schools in other communities. Through the power of education, we aim to break the cycle of poverty.
“Genuine by name, and by nature.”
The catchphrase of our founder, Genuine Mwasha, is pivotal to The Roof of Africa and all we do. To understand Genuine’s passion to help is to understand his childhood, when at the age of 2 he was abandoned and had to find a way to survive living on the streets. His inspiring story can be read here www.theroofofafrica.org/blog.
Life for many children and families in Sonu is difficult, with the beautiful background of Mount Kilmanjaro, most of the adults are subsistence farmers. They rely on a good crop for survival, which means and there is insecurity over food; not knowing when the next meal may be and where it will come from. The average family survives on as little as £2 a week, and only a few have piped water and electricity to their one-room homes.
Unfortunately, living in these conditions often leads to family disputes and illnesses. Consequently, children often live with extended family members in larger numbers. Or, like Genuine, are left to fend for themselves on the street.
Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world but even so, Government schools in Africa expect the families of pupils to make a monetary contribution towards the materials required, like the desks they use and the books they read. This means many children in areas like Sonu are unable to go to school, simply because their family can’t afford to send them. As a result, children have little opportunity to explore avenues other than continuing to work the land.
The cycle of poverty continues.
the roof of africa school = the dream began …
In June 2016, Genuine and his wife Freda rented a large building in Sonu and opened The Roof of Africa School. The building itself was originally a children’s home where Genuine had stayed when he was young.
The school allows children from the poorest backgrounds access to free education. It also provides each student with two free school meals a day, prepared with fruit and vegetables grown in the red soil that surrounds the school.
Over 20 children enrolled almost immediately when the school opened and by November 2018 the school had reached its capacity with 68 children. A long waiting list followed and continues to grow today.
In 2018, construction started on our own school, which will accommodate more children and teach higher primary levels. In January 2020, our children moved into the building and each year we aim to add at least one new classroom to the building. In January 2021 the fifth classroom was completed.
We are currently fundraising to build the four remaining classrooms, to learn more please head over to Our Projects.
Our values
Child Focused
Respectful
Skills Orientated
Meet the Trustees
Genuine Mwasha - Founder
Genuine is the founder of The Roof of Africa (SCIO).
Due to family feuds and abject poverty, Genuine found himself as an orphan and living between children’s homes and the streets of Tanzania from the age of two.
Genuine was able to attend a secondary school and unite with his mother as a teenager, due to the kindness of a family working with a charity in the area.
He met his wife, Freda, and together they set up The Roof of Africa in 2016. Together they have three children and live in Edinburgh. Genuine is also studying for a law degree.
Donna - Trustee
Donna became a Trustee in November 2021. Donna has been our volunteer Marketing Manager since April 2020 and has taken responsibility for all our digital platforms. Donna created our first Christmas campaign which was a huge success and we have seen increases in supporters and income.
Donna is in Customer Communications for a housing association and lives with her husband Felix, who is originally from Ghana.
Being involved with The Roof of Africa has become a real passion for Donna and we are very grateful for everything she does.
Freda Mwasha - Trustee
Freda grew up in the Highlands of Scotland before moving to study a Master’s in Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh.
Shortly after graduating, she travelled to Tanzania to volunteer for First Aid Africa. Here, she met Genuine and they married in 2012 before moving to Edinburgh in 2013.
As the UK team has no paid staff, Freda is active in the day-to-day running of the charity and particularly enjoys promoting the charity vision. In between this, she is writing her PhD thesis, supporting resident students at Heriot-Watt University and raising three young children – whilst trying to get back into horse-riding!
Clive - Trustee
For those who have read Genuine’s blog series on here will know the importance Clive and his family have made to him.
Clive has been involved with The Roof of Africa ever since it was a dream in Genuine’s mind.
He has great experience of Tanzania and the education system and understands the difficulties running an organisation can have.
Jo Mackenzie - Trustee
Jo has lived and worked across the UK and beyond as a registered veterinary nurse. Working as a locum, Jo is also a part-time college lecturer and a Project Manager for an animal welfare charity.
Throughout her career, she has been actively involved in a number of animal welfare charities with a focus on overseas projects. This has given her an in-depth understanding of how to run a charitable organisation, as well as a joy for brainstorming new ideas and problem solving.
Having been childhood friends with Freda, Jo met Genuine and was inspired by his story and vision to build a school in Tanzania.