Felicia’s Children Center has come a long way since January 2024. With the generous support of donors like you, we’ve transformed the space Ruth was initially using into a warm and inviting schoolhouse. The primary goal and concern to secure the property and infrastructure of the school with the addition and completion of the security wall. Below is a brief outline of our goals for upcoming projects. If you have any questions or want to get involved, please get in touch with us so we can share more about our development plans and partners. Thank you! The FCCF Board.
Perimeter Wall
Building a perimeter wall around the property of the school.
Status: Complete– Procured all bricks, mortar, and materials to build a perimeter wall, entryway, and gate, plus the labor to install.
Perimeter Wall
Building a perimeter wall around the property of the school. This is a crucial step in allowing FCCF to qualify for NGO status in Tanzania.
Status: In-Progress – Procuring all bricks, mortar, and materials to build a perimeter wall, entryway, and gate plus the labor to install.
School Uniforms
Producing a cohesive school uniform for new and existing students attending pre-K at FCC.
Status: Complete. School uniforms and tennis shoes were purchased for all students.
School Uniforms
Producing a cohesive school uniform for new and existing students attending pre-K at FCC.
Status: Completed — School uniforms and tennis shoes were purchased for all students.
New Playground Equipment, Swings & Seesaw
The purchase and installation of a commercial grade, preschool-friendly playground. Various types of playground equipment will contribute to the children’s free play and exercise. In addition, we also plan to implement an afterschool program and this will foster more outdoor play for the community as a whole.
Status: Complete. A new playground, seesaw, and swings were procured, installed, and grass planted. The Barr family generously donated the playground, and we installed a plaque to honor their generosity.
New Playground Equipment, Swings & Seesaw
The purchase and installation of a commercial grade, preschool-friendly playground. Various types of playground equipment will contribute to the children’s free play and exercise. In addition, we also plan to implement an afterschool program and this will foster more outdoor play for the community as a whole.
Status: Completed –A new playground, seesaw, and swings were procured, installed, and grass planted. The Barr family generously donated the playground, and we installed a plaque to honor their generosity.
Additional Staff Salaries
At present, three of our Tanzania-based staff are not drawing a salary. We know that their commitment and investment in the school will go farther is they feel valued for their time and expertise. We would like to establish funds to pay our Head of School, Head of Operations and Accountant.
Status: Complete. Additional Tanzania-based staff salaries have been implemented for the current hires.
Additional Staff Salaries
At present, three of our Tanzania-based staff are not drawing a salary. We know that their commitment and investment in the school will go farther is they feel valued for their time and expertise. We would like to establish funds to pay our Head of School, Head of Operations and Accountant.
Status: Completed — Additional Tanzania-based staff salaries have been implemented.
Sponsor a Child
We have 11 children aging out of our school, beginning this January 2026. Our near-term goal is to sponsor three children selected by Ruth and approved by the board to be sent to The Bright Future Academy, a private primary school nearby in Arusha. We would ideally love to sponsor all the children aging out every year, and realize this is a stretch goal, as tuition is recurring every year.
Status: Complete. Our first “class” of rising 1st graders was sponsored and now attends Bright Future Academy.
About The Bright Future Academy:
Bright Future Academy, BFA, was founded in 2010 by Bazibu Mugisha and his wife who are both teachers. The school began with 3 students and has since grown to 680 students. BFA has classes for children from 3K through 7th grade. Tuition costs $900 for the year and includes uniforms, meals and bus transportation. The curriculum includes: English, Math, Swahili, Science, Civic/Moral Values, and Geography/History. The school is expanding to add a computer lab this month and plans to offer classes in French, Mandarin and Arabic next year. The feeling on the school campus is one of joy. Teachers are strict, but kind. Children are challenged, empowered and encouraged.
The children are interviewed and tested for academic proficiency prior to admission. All classes are taught in English with a goal for fluency by 3rd grade. The student body is primarily made up of children whose parents pay tuition. BFA sponsors a handful of children from a nearby orphanage and there are a few children who have individual sponsors from Europe.
FCC’s partnership with BFA kicked off with 10 students in January 2026. Our children are individually sponsored by donors from the US. We, the children, FCC, BFA, the children’s caregivers and their donors are all supporting the success of these kids. Our kids receive a full “scholarship” because they would have no possibility of going to BFA otherwise. We as a team check in on the kids as needed, do onsite visits monthly and have regular communication with the Director. So far, we have two girls ranked in the top five and all students fall in the top 50/83 students. The students caregivers have been made well aware of their responsibilities to make sure their child attends school, is prepared with completed homework, their bodies and clothes are clean and that they are fed something before getting on the school bus in the morning and dinner in the evenings. We plan to also have the caregivers contribute nominally with pencils and notebooks next year to further their commitment to their child’s education.
At the end of this year (2026), we expect to graduate 11 FCC students with hopes of getting each child sponsored to BFA. If you have any interest in becoming a student sponsor, please let us know. Our hope is that the sponsorship is considered a yearly commitment through 7th grade. We are doing research for what comes next, but fortunately we have some time to see the direction we feel best about and also the type of progress the children make in the next several years.
What we can say right now is that we are really doing good things for these children. We are providing a huge opportunity and stability for them that they never would have had. Thank you to all the support our vision. Your help no matter how you contribute is invaluable and so greatly appreciated.
Sponsor a Child
We have 11 children aging out of our school, beginning this January 2026. Our near-term goal is to sponsor three children selected by Ruth and approved by the board to be sent to The Bright Future Academy, a private primary school nearby in Arusha. We would ideally love to sponsor all the children aging out every year, and realize this is a stretch goal, as tuition is recurring every year.
Status: In-Progress — Seeking sponsors.
Monthly Operations
With more staff and new goals, including an increase in food for the children following the medical review in June, we continue to need your help offsetting the cost of our monthly operations. We also need help covering the ongoing costs of updating our website, producing newsletters and social media, accounting, banking, and so on. Please consider becoming a monthly donor to help us fully cover these costs.
Monthly Operations
With more staff and new goals, including an increase in food for the children following the medical review in June, we continue to need your help offsetting the cost of our monthly operations. We also need help covering the ongoing costs of updating our website, producing newsletters and social media, accounting, banking, and so on. Please consider becoming a monthly donor to help us fully cover these costs.
Volunteers Visit FCCF
Plan for volunteers to travel to Arusha to work directly with the students and staff and help with the school.
Status: Complete — Volunteers visited the school in June 2025 with countless school supplies hand-carried from the United States, donated in large part from our Amazon Wishlist. We also built bookcases and oversaw the visit of both a dentist and medical doctor to review the children’s health and advise us on their ongoing care.
Volunteers Visit FCCF
Plan for volunteers to travel to Arusha to work directly with the students and staff and help with the school.
Status: Complete — Volunteers visited the school in June 2025 with countless school supplies hand-carried from the United States, donated in large part from our Amazon Wishlist. We also built bookcases and oversaw the visit of both a dentist and medical doctor to review the children’s health and advise us on their ongoing care.