Our Story: Problem & Solution

We are a grass-roots, women-led civil society organization operating year-round in rural Northern Tanzania partnering with three remote villages living in extreme poverty which total ~4,200 people. Our six programs are strategically designed to respectfully collaborate and support three Maasai communities in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania to help break the cycle of extreme poverty (>$1.90/day).

We partner with Maasai women and girls in order to improve access to education, nutrition and employment opportunities. Together Lalafofofo and Amka Sasa (Lalafofofo-Amka Sasa) are sister organizations based in the U.S. and Tanzania, respectively.

100% of the funding for these programs comes through Lalafofofo, our US-based 501(c)(3) that was started in 2015 with $15,000 by two women – a Tanzanian (Gaudencia Mtunga) and an American (Laura Vaughan) – in Moshi, Tanzania. Lalafofofo-Amka Sasa was accepted as an international partner of Girls Not Brides in 2020.

In order to best respond to the immediate and enduring needs of our partner communities, our work is divided into three separate stages: year-round programs, pilot programs and construction projects, as outlined below. The following graphic depicts how our programming supports our Maasai partners throughout their lives, from girlhood to elder.

Year-Round Programs

1. Child Marriage Prevention (14 girls)

2. Women’s Craft Cycle (32 women)

3. Free School Meals (1,600 primary students)

Seasonal Programs

1. Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (48 girls)

2. Reproductive Health Education (50 girls)

3. Internship (23 students)

Construction Projects

1. School Improvements (1,600 students)

2. Solar Technology (>100 villagers)

3. Public Bathrooms (2,000 villagers)