Vodacom Tanzania Foundation and Twaweza launch education program at CSO Week 2025

The Vodacom Tanzania Foundation has partnered with Twaweza East Africa to address Tanzania's foundational learning crisis through an ambitious expansion of the KiuFunza Pay-by-Skill initiative. Announced during the opening of CSO Week 2025, this three-year collaboration will scale the program to 865 primary schools, directly benefiting over 360,000 young learners in grades 1-3 across Tanzania. 

The initiative responds to alarming statistics showing 60% of Tanzanian 10-year-olds cannot read a simple story. KiuFunza's innovative model incentivizes teachers through performance-based rewards tied to students' mastery of basic literacy and numeracy skills. This approach aligns with growing evidence that targeted interventions in early primary education yield lifelong benefits. 

"Pathways to progress begin with strong foundations," stated Vodacom Tanzania Foundation representatives during the launch event. The partnership exemplifies the CSO Week 2025 theme of collaborative solutions, bringing together corporate resources and civil society expertise to tackle one of Tanzania's most pressing educational challenges. 

As the program rolls out, it will incorporate digital monitoring tools to track learning outcomes while providing teachers with enhanced support. The expansion marks a significant commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) and demonstrates how strategic partnerships can create scalable solutions for systemic educational challenges. With its nationwide reach, KiuFunza has potential to transform Tanzania's learning landscape by ensuring every child masters essential skills during critical early schooling years.