Ustinov-Day-Care-Centre, Kigamboni Community Centre

A safe place to learn, play and grow up.

The goal

The Ustinov-Day-Care-Centre is a free pre-school for children from extremely poor backgrounds, i.e. people who have to live on 1.90 US dollars a day.

With the Ustinov-Day-Care-Centre, a place was created where disadvantaged children were supported in their reading and learning development at an early age – for a successful start in primary school.

A caring, supportive and creative world without poverty – with this vision in mind, Nassoro Mkweso and three friends founded a community centre in 2007 in Kigamboni, a district of the megacity of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.

The four young men had themselves suffered from poverty, abuse and homelessness in their childhood – and especially from a lack of educational opportunities. They were supported by the community then and now want to give something back.

The Sir Peter Ustinov Foundation supported the Community Centre's education and talent development from 2016 to 2021. Since the beginning of 2022, special support has been given to the protected development of the very youngest children in the community.

At the beginning of 2022, new construction of the Ustinov-Day-Care-Centre started. As the sole sponsor, the Sir Peter Ustinov Foundation is providing significant support for the construction work.

The goal is to double the size of the old building so that up to 100 children between the ages of four and seven can be cared for here in the future.

The outdoor area will also be designed in a child-friendly way: with plenty of space and equipment that invites children to play and discover.

In addition to looking after the children, providing meals is also an important aspect of the Centre's work.

In August 2022, the time had come: The Ustinov Day Car Centre was inaugurated during a joyful celebration. The mayor of Kigamboni, future pupils, children, parents and many helpers who made the new building possible joined in the celebration.
The registration phase for the admission of children to the preschool has already begun, and the rush is overwhelming. Currently, a" Pre-program" for future preschool children is offered at the Ustinov Day Care Centre as part of an after-school program.
Starting in January 2023, at the beginning of the new school year, the new preschool will officially launch. From 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., preschool knowledge will be taught in two instructional blocks, and there will be a breakfast break, as well as a hot lunch at 1 p.m.
With the new construction, the ownership of the building was transferred from the government to our partner Kigamboni Community Centre.

With your donation, you will help us to accomplish many more important projects for children in need.