Who We Are

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Our Mission

Neema International is committed to investing in the lives of Tanzania’s promising youth through grassroots education-based projects that synergize environmental and economic sustainability with creative learning and community engagement.

 

Our Values Drive Our Mission.

SUSTAINABILITY IS NOT A CHOICE. 

 It is a way of doing business which can no longer be ignored. Therefore, we have to prepare young people adequately to maintain sustainable development.

WE OWN THE IMPACT.

We are committed to delivering sustainable results and recognize learning and growth, as well as community collaboration, are at the heart of the work we’re doing.

EDUCATION CHANGES THE WORLD.

Education equips children to make positive changes in their homes, communities, and the world.

WHAT MAKES NEEMA DIFFERENT

Large scale international-aid organizations tend to invest in top-down, macro-blanket-solutions that focus on the quantity of individuals served, instead of the quality or relevance of the services being delivered. Tremendous amounts of time, energy and money have been wasted on ineffective solutions that in the long run have further hindered the communities they were trying to help.

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By using a grassroots, bottom-up approach, we not only allow members of the beneficiary community to serve as their own agents of change, but also ensure that the project being implemented serves the true needs of the community at hand, rather than what the West perceives that need to be.

Instead of being a voice for the voiceless, hand them the microphone.

 

Our Unique Approach in Uru

Neema International works to stop the cycle of poverty before it begins, by investing in the lives of children as young as six months old and supporting them all the way through the completion of their university years.

Through a multi-lateral holistic approach, we ensure these children are supported from all angles including safety and security, a quality education, positive adult-child relationships, and adequate health and nutrition.

We further extend this level of support to our students’ caregivers and the community in which our students live, by investing in infrastructure projects, human capital development, parenting support classes, and the creation of local jobs.

Where We Started

 
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It all began with Mandy Stein, a Jewish girl from Houston, Texas had a dream to make a difference in the lives of children in Tanzania. Mandy first traveled to Tanzania in the summer of 2011 when she was 19 years old, and within one week of being there, she had met the children who would change the course of her entire life. Mandy founded Neema International in 2012, which was her pathway to making a sustainable impact.

 
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Neema has grown significantly in recent years, helping just a few children in 2012, to now fully supporting the education, healthcare and basic needs of over 250 children and families and providing jobs for over 45 local men and women who are now able to independently provide for their families.

We are advocates, partners, teachers, and parents who believe in the transformative powers of love and education.

Leadership Team

  • Mandy Stein

    FOUNDER/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

  • Izackbrian Patrick

    ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

  • Ali Hanson

    CANADA DIRECTOR

  • Nobert Urio

    OPERATIONS MANAGER

  • Clara Daniel

    HEAD TEACHER

  • Alex Mmbaga

    ACADEMIC MANAGER

Meet The Interns

  • Shufaa Hame

    NIESP Coordinator