STANBIC BANK AND UWEZO LAUNCH 45 SCHOOL LIBRARIES TO BOOST FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING IN LUDEWA

Senior Manager for External Affairs, Communication and Reputation at Stanbic Bank Tanzania, Dickson Senzi (right), and Uwezo Tanzania Executive Director, Baraka Mgohamwende (left), jointly handed over books funded by Stanbic Bank to Ludewa District Executive Director, Sunday Deogratius, for the establishment of 45 school libraries in primary schools across Ludewa District. The brief ceremony was held in Dar es Salaam.

In a major step toward strengthening foundational education in Tanzania, Stanbic Bank Tanzania has partnered with Uwezo Tanzania to launch a transformative library programme that will establish 45 school libraries across primary schools in Ludewa District, Njombe Region.

The initiative is expected to benefit an estimated 33,619 children every year, equipping young learners with the tools they need to master literacy and numeracy at the most critical stage of their academic journey.

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Strengthening the Foundations of Learning

At the heart of the programme is a simple but powerful belief: Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic (RWA) form the bedrock of a child’s entire education journey.

When children acquire these foundational skills early, they move confidently through school. Without them, they risk falling behind from the very beginning.

The libraries will be stocked with:

• Curriculum-aligned learning materials
• Age-appropriate literacy and numeracy books
• Storytelling and extracurricular reading materials

The goal is to improve classroom engagement while also encouraging reading at home — creating a culture of learning that extends beyond school walls.

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Aligned with National Education Priorities

This initiative directly supports the National Scientific Strategy for Building Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic (RWA) Proficiency, launched in January 2026 by H.E. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the Tanzania.

Implementation will follow Uwezo Tanzania’s My Village (Kijiji Changu) model, a community-based approach that promotes:

• Village-level library access
• Active parental engagement
• Community ownership of learning outcomes

By embedding libraries within schools while encouraging family participation, the programme ensures education becomes a shared responsibility.

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Phase I: Investing in Human Capital

Under Phase I, Stanbic Bank Tanzania is funding the acquisition of curriculum-aligned and storytelling books designed to increase learner engagement both in classrooms and at home.

According to Dickson Senzi, Senior Manager for External Affairs, Communication and Reputation at Stanbic Bank Tanzania:

“This partnership reflects Stanbic Bank’s commitment to investing in human capital in line with Tanzania’s Vision 2050. By expanding access to quality learning resources in underserved communities, we are strengthening the foundation for a skilled, productive and innovative generation capable of driving inclusive national growth. Tanzania is our home, and we are committed to driving her growth.”

The message is clear: education is long-term economic infrastructure.

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Strong Institutional Collaboration

Beyond the primary partnership, Uwezo Tanzania is working closely with:

• Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE)
• National Library of Tanzania
• The Njombe Regional Office

Teachers participating in the programme will receive literacy and numeracy booklets, while library attendance will be systematically recorded to track impact. Schools are also encouraged to contribute additional books, reinforcing sustainability and ownership.

Importantly, the model encourages children and parents to visit libraries together — strengthening both academic performance and family engagement in learning.

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A Broader Mission: Equity in Education

For Uwezo Tanzania, this initiative aligns with its broader mission of improving education quality across the country. The organization focuses on:

• Literacy and numeracy
• Early childhood development
• Mental health awareness
• Essential life skills
• Digital literacy
• Climate change education
• Gender equity

Derived from the Swahili word meaning “capability,” Uwezo continues to design and scale evidence-based interventions that empower communities and improve learning outcomes nationwide.

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Banking on Tanzania’s Future

As a member of the Standard Bank Group — Africa’s largest bank by assets — Stanbic Bank Tanzania continues to position itself as more than a financial institution. Through strategic partnerships and sustainable investments, the bank is helping build the human capital required to power Tanzania’s long-term economic growth.

This library programme in Ludewa is not just about bookshelves and reading materials. It is about:

• Building confidence in young learners
• Closing foundational learning gaps
• Strengthening community participation
• Investing in Tanzania’s future workforce

In essence, it is about ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive.

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Kitomari Banking & Finance Blog Insight:
When financial institutions move beyond traditional banking and invest directly in education, they are not merely fulfilling corporate responsibility — they are shaping the country’s economic destiny. Initiatives like this demonstrate how private sector leadership can complement national policy to deliver measurable, community-level impact.