When people are healthy, children can attend school, women can pursue economic opportunities, and communities can thrive. This simple truth lies at the heart of everything Focus on Tanzanian Communities (FOTZC) has worked toward this year—and every year in its 28-year history.
FOTZC was founded nearly three decades ago by Judi Wineland, the founder of Thomson Safaris, together with a group of passionate guests who wanted to give back to the people and communities who had so deeply inspired them. Since then, FOTZC has remained a bridge between travelers and Tanzanians, channeling generosity into meaningful, sustainable change.
It is through the kind support of Thomson Safaris’ past guests—and many others who share a love for Tanzania—that these efforts continue to grow. Each donation directly fuels life-changing projects across three key areas: education, health, and women’s empowerment. Together, these initiatives create long-term, positive impact that touches countless lives.
Here’s what that change has looked like this year.
EDUCATION
Education can’t start without the health and comfort of students and teachers. This year, efforts to prioritize these key areas have resulted in the construction of over a dozen classrooms, dormitories at two schools, and new teachers’ housing at another school.
New dormitories eliminate the need for long, dangerous commutes to school. New classroom buildings reduce overcrowding during school times and provide clean, comfortable learning spaces for students.
New, sanitary school spaces also reduce the risk of illness amongst learners, keeping students dedicated to their studies. These changes have already proven their worth: at Oloipiri Primary School, the amount of students continuing to secondary school increased from 42% in 2022 to 91% in 2024.
HEALTH
The Sukenya Health Center has seen major growth, including the addition of a maternity ward, through FOTZC’s efforts and the generous donations from Thomson Safaris guests since its opening in 2018.
This year, efforts towards increasing availability for lab testing led to a huge increase in access to care. Between March and May, visits to the lab rose from 625 visits to over 1,000 visits. Money raised this year, including money from Thomson guests, also funded a new outpatient department and the construction of new staff housing.
All of this progress is taking place alongside the center’s busy day-to-day operations. Each month, between 35 and 40 babies are delivered, hundreds of mothers receive prenatal and postnatal care, and patients continue to access emergency services, medications, nutritional support, and other essential health services.
WOMEN’s EMPOWERMENT
Women’s empowerment programs are a proven poverty reduction tool that lead to tangible financial and health outcomes for Tanzanian women. FOTZC partners with Tanzanian women to grow their small businesses through financial support, training, and providing needed equipment.
Their earnings are used to pay for healthier food, better living conditions, school fees for children, and in these ways providing growth and opportunities that reach far through generations.
Through ongoing training, women are enhancing the quality of their beadwork and honey products.
Through the women’s empowerment initiatives this year, FOTZC has served over 400 participants in sharing knowledge in beekeeping, beading, and critical business and sales skills for women to independently earn their own money and amplify their own meaningful voices in their communities. Donations have funded an open-air building to be used in the future for selling their products, a toilet block, and a borehole is under construction for drinking water and beehive maintenance.
How You Can Help
You can support the critical work done by FOTZC by donating to their efforts here. Your money helps to support and advance all the work FOTZC has done in 2025: providing clean water, medical care, increased access to education, and support for women’s empowerment projects in Tanzania.