About St Jude's
In 2002, The School of St Jude opened with just one volunteer teacher and a handful of sponsored students. Today, St Jude’s provides 1,800 students in primary and secondary with free, quality education across three schools.
Following St Jude’s first high school graduation in 2015, the school established the Beyond St Jude’s (BSJ) Program, to support graduates to attain their first university qualification. The two-part program includes a Community Service Year (CSY), through which graduates have taught more than 85,000 government school students.
The school’s BSJ Program supports participants to undertake a CSY. During that year, a graduate volunteers teaching core subjects in government (public) schools in the Arusha region where students would otherwise be without teachers, or provides support on St Jude’s campuses. Through the CSY, volunteers have taught more than 85,000 since 2015.
After successfully completing the CSY, volunteers may apply for a BSJ Tertiary (university) scholarship to attend higher education in Tanzania. Other graduates earn external scholarships for studying worldwide - several are at universities in the US!
More than 50% of BSJ Tertiary scholars are studying degrees in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math).
The first BSJ Tertiary scholars graduated from university in 2019 and are now emerging as intellectual and moral leaders fighting poverty in Tanzania. In 2021, the school celebrated a huge milestone when the first seven BSJ scholars graduated from university as doctors.
An educated community of moral and intellectual leaders; fighting poverty in Tanzania.
St Jude’s mission is to give bright, poor students a free, quality education so that they can lead their families, communities and country with Respect, Responsibility, Honesty and Kindness to growth and prosperity.
Tanzania has a young, growing population, yet only 30% of Tanzanians of secondary age are enrolled in secondary school. In addition, many Tanzanians live in poverty and three-quarters live on less than US$3.20 per day.
To combat this, St Jude’s offers scholarships to students who are bright and at risk of not completing their education due to financial pressures.
Since 2002, St Jude’s has provided academic scholarships to students who come from considerably poor backgrounds, yet demonstrate academic promise and a great attitude towards studies.
An academic scholarship at St Jude’s covers much more than tuition. It provides everything a student needs for a successful education including boarding, meals, health checks, transport, uniforms, school supplies and equipment. At the heart of this approach is the belief that St Jude’s is educating the future leaders of Tanzania.
Additionally, St Jude’s knows the importance of local involvement and sustainability. The vast majority St Jude’s approximately 300 staff are Tanzanian, including all teachers.
Sisia Campus provides educational facilities for students attending both St Jude’s Primary School and St Jude’s Girls’ Secondary School.
This 10-acre campus was established on the initial land that was gifted to St Jude’s Founder, Gemma Sisia. It is home to two schools each equipped with modern classrooms, sports fields, playgrounds, science and computer labs, well-stocked libraries, dining and assembly halls.
St Jude’s Head Office and Visitors Center and accommodation are also located on this campus.
Smith Campus is home to St Jude’s Secondary School. This includes single-sex educational facilities for boys in Form 1 to Form 4 (the equivalent of 7th-10th grade) and co-educational facilities for girls and boys in Form 5 and Form 6 (11th and 12th grade).
All students at Smith Campus board in single-sex boarding houses and return home on school holidays.
Situated about 14 miles from Sisia Campus, on 30 acres at Usa River, Smith Campus is equipped with modern classrooms, science labs, a well-stocked library, a dining hall, an assembly hall, multi-purpose courts, sports fields and a five-acre farm.
Just a short walk from the Sisia Campus, our 10-acre boarding campus in Moivaro village is the home away from home for the students attending St Jude’s Girls’ Secondary School.
This modern boarding campus is equipped with a sports field, study rooms, dining and assembly hall, comfortable boarding rooms and everything our students need to focus on their life-changing education.
