Village Africa is a UK-registered charity funding work in Tanzania, East Africa. It is a charitable company limited by guarantee.
The charitable activities are now delivered by its partner organisation, Vyaadahikana Village Africa Tanzania, which was registered in Tanzania on 2 May 2023 as a Tanzanian NGO (Non-Government Organisation). The NGO is under the umbrella of the Catholic Diocese of Tanga. ‘Vyaadahikana’ means ‘It is possible’ in the Kisambaa language. Vyaadahikana Village Africa Tanzania employs local Tanzanian staff and utilises a lot of local casual labour for building projects.
Vyaadahikana Village Africa Tanzania is based in a village called Yamba, high in the West Usambara Mountains in the Tanga region. Like Village Africa, the aim of Vyaadahikana Village Africa Tanzania is to alleviate poverty. Its work covers health, education and the environment. Please click on this link for further details – Vyaadahikana Village Africa Tanzania.
Village Africa funds a life-saving ambulance service operated by Vyaadahikana Village Africa Tanzania. On average there are 50 emergency trips per year from the remote villages. It is a 3 hour drive in a four-wheel drive vehicle on rough terrain to the nearest hospital. The free ambulance service covers Yamba, Milingano and Makanya (a population of 7,000 people). Vyaadahikana Village Africa Tanzania also gives health seminars to pupils and the community funded by Village Africa.
To date, Village Africa has assisted 4 government primary schools (Yamba, Milingano, Kwembalazi and Kweulasi) and 1 government secondary school (Mibukwe). The charity has funded the building of classrooms and school toilets and the provision of water tanks, desks, books, cupboards, sports equipment and school stationery. It has also helped other government primary schools to a lesser extent (Mkurumuzi, Kongoi, Mhanko, Mavumbi, Kwediwa, Kwemisambia, Bumba, Kishimai, Kwemkomole, Kibaoni-Kweulasi, Kikumbi, Foroforo, Kwebamba, Kijungumoto, Mashewa, Sagara, Kwetonge, Tuliani, Mgwashi, Makanya and Malomboi).
Village Africa works with Vyaadahikana Village Africa Tanzania to operate a child sponsorship scheme for primary school and secondary school students in the region. The sponsors continue to support the students with their vocational and higher education if they are able. Village Africa grants also enable farming education on crops and livestock to be provided within the community.
Past activities include running a successful and popular volunteer programme (including teaching English) from Sept 2006-Sept 2012 and managing a health post in Yamba from May 2006-Aug 2018.
Village Africa was started in May 2006 by a British woman (Caroline Johnston) and a Tanzanian priest (the late Monsignor Baruti). The charity was initially financed by a very generous gift from the late Mrs Rhoda Lawley. It is now funded by donations from both individuals, companies and grant making bodies.
Most villagers have no cash income – just the crops they grow. They experience frequent crop failures caused by excessive rain or drought. Despite the cold climate several months of the year, many adults and children do not have adequate warm clothing, footwear and bedding. There is no piped water. Electricity came to Yamba and some properties were connected in September 2024. Prior to the start of Village Africa, sick people and pregnant women were taken on a stretcher carried by 6 men down the mountain on a 2 day walk to hospital. Mother and child mortality in Tanzania are high.
The villagers of Yamba and Milingano have a thirst for development and have proved this in practical terms. They donated land, buildings, building materials, food and hours of casual labour to get Village Africa started. They spent months turning the bush into a 4.7km road to give vehicular access. Two four-wheel drive vehicles which are used as an ambulance and to bring medicine, supplies and visitors to the project.
The villagers are friendly, hospitable and generous. They look after one another. They wear vibrant colours, sing, dance, drum and play the guitar to enjoy life. They are incredibly strong and can carry a 20kg bag of cement up the mountain.
Village Africa and its local partner Vyaadahikana Village Africa Tanzania have the support of the community, the village and ward committees and the Tanzanian government. All are assisting in ways that they can and believe that development is possible.
Please view Location page for more information.
Village Africa 