Karimu Social Fund
Based on the success and visibility of Karimu within the Babati district and our prior help to district-wide clinics in support of COVID-19 prevention, several villages within the Babati district have come to Karimu requesting support for more projects. This creates a dilemma for us.
Karimu’s operating model and our success we believe is dependent on knowing the communities we serve well, developing trust with community members, and being fully engaged with the community in all aspects of the project. This is not possible with one-off projects. In addition, eliminating poverty requires working on all five pillars: health, sanitation, income, education, and financial services, not just one. Broadening our projects without our full engagement runs counter-strategic to our core mission and operational model.
However, our hearts go out to all communities in the region. Karimu has defined a Social Fund to accommodate such requests and we increased our funding in 2025 from a maximum of 3% to up to 10% of total fundraising. We are giving some priority to projects in wards that were considered and qualified, but not selected, for our full poverty elimination strategy during our 2024 ward selection process which resulted in selecting Dabil ward. These are Hidet, Masakta, and Masqaroda wards. Additional requests from the government will be considered only if:
- The need is critical (e.g. classroom roof damage due to extreme weather conditions).
- The social fund for the given year has not been exhausted.
- The request was received by an official letter from the Director of the Babati District or another government official with a position higher than the director.
- Justification and proof of the need can be validated by the staff of Karimu Tanzania.
Karimu will evaluate the request and officially respond to the government with a decision. We will not support requests requiring Karimu funds to flow to government officials. US regulations limit the flow of funds from US-based NGOs to government agencies and officials. We do not support requests that violate Karimu’s values, guidelines, principles, or strategic goals.
This will enable Karimu to provide help to other communities, addressing, on average, just a few of requests per year.
Note that Karimu occasionally expands the scope of projects to neighboring communities when it is opportunistic and efficient to do so.
Here is a list of the projects supported by the social fund or supporting neighboring wards:
2024
- Medical education on childhood illness provided education to doctors and nurses across Babati district
- Tuberculosis campaign extended awareness of the district campaign to neighboring wards
- IT Systems for Dispensaries provided new IT systems for 3 dispensaries in Babati district
- Karimu donated a copy machine to Dareda Mission Secondary and High School
2023
- New Stoves for Dareda Mission Secondary and High School - a Karimu Social Fund project
- Exchange Student Housing in Babati - a Karimu Social Fund project
- Tuberculosis campaign extended awareness of the district campaign to neighboring wards
- Maasai Water Harvesting - a Karimu Social Fund project
2022
- Tuberculosis campaign extended awareness of the district campaign to neighboring wards
- Completion of the hostel for children with special needs will serve not only the children of Ayalagaya and Arri wards, but of the entire Babati district
- Completion of the student hostel at Dareda Mission Secondary & High School - a Karimu Social Fund project
2021
- Teacher housing for Boay Secondary School - a Karimu Social Fund project
- Donation of medication, equipment, and supplies to treat Covid-19 patients to the Regional Hospital in Babati
- Tuberculosis campaign extended awareness of the district campaign to neighboring wards
- Medical education on childhood illness provided education to doctors and nurses across Babati district
- Majengo Primary Subsidy - a Karimu Social Fund project
2020
- Response to the Coronavirus provided personal protective equipment and sanitation supplies to dispensaries and hospitals across the region
Karimu Social Fund
Based on the success and visibility of Karimu within the Babati district and our prior help to district-wide clinics in support of COVID-19 prevention, several villages within the Babati district have come to Karimu requesting support for more projects. This creates a dilemma for us.
Karimu’s operating model and our success we believe is dependent on knowing the communities we serve well, developing trust with community members, and being fully engaged with the community in all aspects of the project. This is not possible with one-off projects. In addition, eliminating poverty requires working on all five pillars: health, sanitation, income, education, and financial services, not just one. Broadening our projects without our full engagement runs counter-strategic to our core mission and operational model.
However, our hearts go out to all communities in the region. Karimu has defined a Social Fund to accommodate such requests and we increased our funding in 2025 from a maximum of 3% to up to 10% of total fundraising. We are giving some priority to projects in wards that were considered and qualified, but not selected, for our full poverty elimination strategy during our 2024 ward selection process which resulted in selecting Dabil ward. These are Hidet, Masakta, and Masqaroda wards. Additional requests from the government will be considered only if:
- The need is critical (e.g. classroom roof damage due to extreme weather conditions).
- The social fund for the given year has not been exhausted.
- The request was received by an official letter from the Director of the Babati District or another government official with a position higher than the director.
- Justification and proof of the need can be validated by the staff of Karimu Tanzania.
Karimu will evaluate the request and officially respond to the government with a decision. We will not support requests requiring Karimu funds to flow to government officials. US regulations limit the flow of funds from US-based NGOs to government agencies and officials. We do not support requests that violate Karimu’s values, guidelines, principles, or strategic goals.
This will enable Karimu to provide help to other communities, addressing, on average, just a few of requests per year.
Note that Karimu occasionally expands the scope of projects to neighboring communities when it is opportunistic and efficient to do so.
Here is a list of the projects supported by the social fund or supporting neighboring wards:
2024
- Medical education on childhood illness provided education to doctors and nurses across Babati district
- Tuberculosis campaign extended awareness of the district campaign to neighboring wards
- IT Systems for Dispensaries provided new IT systems for 3 dispensaries in Babati district
- Karimu donated a copy machine to Dareda Mission Secondary and High School
2023
- New Stoves for Dareda Mission Secondary and High School - a Karimu Social Fund project
- Exchange Student Housing in Babati - a Karimu Social Fund project
- Tuberculosis campaign extended awareness of the district campaign to neighboring wards
- Maasai Water Harvesting - a Karimu Social Fund project
2022
- Tuberculosis campaign extended awareness of the district campaign to neighboring wards
- Completion of the hostel for children with special needs will serve not only the children of Ayalagaya and Arri wards, but of the entire Babati district
- Completion of the student hostel at Dareda Mission Secondary & High School - a Karimu Social Fund project
2021
- Teacher housing for Boay Secondary School - a Karimu Social Fund project
- Donation of medication, equipment, and supplies to treat Covid-19 patients to the Regional Hospital in Babati
- Tuberculosis campaign extended awareness of the district campaign to neighboring wards
- Medical education on childhood illness provided education to doctors and nurses across Babati district
- Majengo Primary Subsidy - a Karimu Social Fund project
2020
- Response to the Coronavirus provided personal protective equipment and sanitation supplies to dispensaries and hospitals across the region