About us
The Roof of Africa SCIO is a Scottish registered charity dedicated to supporting communities in Tanzania through practical, life-changing initiatives. From improving access to education to providing vital food parcels, building safe homes, and installing essential sanitation facilities, our work is rooted in meeting real needs with sustainable solutions.
At the heart of our mission is education.
We proudly run our first pre-school and primary school in Sonu, located near the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro. This school is more than just a place of learning—it is a place of hope, opportunity, and transformation for the children who attend. Alongside this, we support satellite schools in surrounding communities, extending our reach to children who would otherwise have little or no access to education.
But this is only the beginning.
We have ambitious plans to build more schools in underserved areas beyond Kilimanjaro, reaching children in remote communities where educational opportunities are scarce or non-existent. By investing in education, we are not only supporting individual children—we are helping to break the cycle of poverty for entire communities.
Because when a child is given the chance to learn, they are given the chance to change their future—and the future of those around them.
Join us in making that vision a reality.
Support our work. Expand opportunity. Help us bring education, dignity, and hope to the communities that need it most.
“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,LLB (Hons) - 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 four children and live in Scotland. Genuine is also studying for a law degree.
Donna Charway - chair of Trustees
Donna became a Trustee in November 2021 after first becoming a volunteer while furloughed from her job due to Covid. With her experience in Communications, Donna has taken responsibility for our digital platforms (website and social media) as well as creating campaigns to recruit new supporters and sponsorships.
Donna works full time in Customer Communications for a housing association and lives with her husband Felix, who is originally from Ghana. Donna & Felix are also foster carers and currently have a teenager on a long-term placement.
All of our Trustees are volunteers and receive no payment for the services they provide.
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.
