Our Stories

At So They Can, our “School Improvement” project is a core pillar of our holistic Education Program. Since our inception in 2009, we have witnessed the direct correlation between safe, inclusive and well-built school infrastructure and improved educational outcomes for all.

Importantly, to ensure long-term sustainability, our model centers both government and global partnerships. In 2025, we saw the true impact of this partnership approach in Kenya and Tanzania.

Public-private partnerships and increased investment from local governments.

Public-private partnerships are central to our model at So They Can not only to maximise funding but to also ensure that our work is in line with local and national educational policy priorities. In addition to So They Can’s own fundraising, in 2025, across our partner primary schools government investment included:

• The Government of Kenya constructed 12 classrooms, renovated 2 classrooms, constructed 3 toilets and constructed staff quarters at a total value of AUD $183,871.
   
• The Government of Tanzania invested in 8 new classrooms, 2 toilet blocks and 3 teacher houses (to accommodate 12 teachers) at a total value of AUD $131,008.

We were delighted that the impact of our model was even recognised during a visit by representatives from DFAT, Canberra and the Australian High Commission in Nairobi in August 2025 who noted how:

‘So They Can’s strong reputation within the counties is a testament to its effectiveness and community engagement … whether through improved services, strengthened local capacity, or enhanced resilience.’

Global partnerships in Tanzania

2024/25 also marked an expansion in how we leveraged global partnerships to create long-lasting impact. In December 2025, we concluded an 18-month school infrastructure improvement project worth $2.039 million in Tanzania through a partnership between So They Can, our ongoing local partners, the Australian Government, the Government of Tanzania and school communities. With our ultimate goal to reduce foreign dependence and instead foster long-term sustainability, we were particularly proud of the role that local school communities played as partners in these school infrastructure projects. They co-contributed 14% of this project’s total infrastructure costs, and mobilised local building aggregates including sand, gravel and volunteer labour.

In October 2025, the Embassy of Japan in Tanzania and So They Can also signed a historic grant agreement. Under this new partnership 3 classrooms, 11 boys’ toilets, 15 girls’ toilets, 3 teachers’ toilets and 2 water tank risers for 5,000L water tanks will be constructed at Orng’adida Primary School in Babati in 2025/26. A sign of strong local ownership, the school community also built a new school kitchen as part of the project agreement in 2025.

Partnerships are key to our success at So They Can and we can’t wait to see what we can achieve together in 2026. As Roselyne Mariki, So They Can’s Tanzania Country Manager, explains:

‘Together, we are building not just classrooms, but hope and opportunity for generations to come’.

To read out full 2025 Impact Report see here.