July 2026
The dream of the Maasai community of Ilkandururo, Tanzania, to have a quality school providing younger generations with genuine access to education has become a reality.
Elewa-Africa has experienced an intense year, filled with hard work and many challenges.
On 13 July 2026, Alakira School officially opened its doors.
All these efforts have been worthwhile: Alakira has risen in the heart of the African savannah, and every day, the children in its first four classes bring the school to life.
Discover the school in pictures...
The six primary school classes
The two nursery classes
The kitchen and dining hall
The administration block
The teacher's office
The teacher's houses (4 apartments)
Since 13 July 2026, the school has come to life...
One of the two nursery classes
Meal
preparation
Standard 1
Lunch
Morning porridge
Friday sport
Alakira Today
Thanks to the invaluable support of BCV Solidarité, the Jack Guberan Foundation and many other donors, the school now has 8 classrooms, an administration building, a kitchen and dining hall, 17 toilets and 4 apartments for teachers.
As the Tanzanian school year runs from January to December, Alakira opened four classes in July 2026 for an initial six-month start-up period. Two additional classes will open in January 2027, marking the beginning of the school’s first full academic year.
The final two classes will open in January 2028. Alakira will then reach its full capacity of 280 pupils.
A project that still has room to grow
Two additional houses for teachers still need to be built, bringing the total number of staff apartments to eight. In a rural and isolated area such as Ilkandururo, providing accommodation is essential to attract and retain qualified and motivated teachers.
The outdoor areas still need to be developed, including the creation of play areas, planting of vegetation and the organisation of pathways and circulation areas.
In the long term, the aim is for the school fees paid by families to cover the school’s operating costs and ensure its financial independence. However, this transition needs to take place gradually, allowing families time to adapt to this new financial commitment.
During the first few years, Elewa-Africa will therefore continue to support the school and the community on their path towards financial independence.
SUPPORT ALAKIRA
Whatever the amount, your donation makes a tangible contribution to keeping Alakira running.
Here are a few examples of what your donation can provide:
CHF 15.–
School supplies for one child for a year
CHF 50.–
Meals for one child for one semester
CHF 150.–
A contribution towards one child’s school fees for a year
Your donation is used according to the needs of the school as a whole.
SPONSOR A CHILD
Would you like to make a long-term commitment?
CHF 250.– per year
Your sponsorship is linked to the educational journey of one child.
Each year, you will receive news about the child, together with a photo and information about their schooling.
Sponsorship is a multi-year commitment and helps ensure continuity in the child’s education.
To sponsor a child, please contact us via WhatsApp at +41 76 324 99 87 (Krysia Cinelli) or by e-mail at contact@elewa-africa.org.
By TWINT
By bank transfer on our Raiffeisen account
Alakira, a name chosen by the Ilkandururo community, means “star” in the Maasai language. It was chosen in the hope that this star will continue to shine for many years in the African savannah.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your trust and support.