By Magreth Kimario | Project Director
Loni, 23 years old.
Loni was born in Musoma District, Mara Region, located in the northern part of Tanzania. He is the second-born in a family of seven children. He grew up with both parents, who relied mainly on small-scale agriculture for their livelihood.
In 2011, Loni began his primary education at Seka B School in Mara Region. When he reached Class Five, his family relocated to Bariadi District in Simiyu Region, within the Lake Zone of northern Tanzania. He continued his studies at Guduyi Primary School. In March 2017, his father passed away, a devastating loss since his father had been his greatest source of hope for education. Later that year, in September, Loni completed Standard Seven and received a Grade C in the national examinations.
In 2018, he joined Guduyi Secondary School. His secondary education journey was difficult, as his mother could not afford school fees and other necessities. Loni was forced to drop out in March due to financial challenges. Fortunately, his younger uncle stepped in to support him, enabling him to continue his studies until he completed Form Four in 2021. However, his national examination results were not strong enough to qualify for advanced level studies, as he earned Division III without a combination.
Determined to pursue further education, Loni sought a college in 2022 where he could study Theology. He found Arusha University, which offered the course he desired. He hoped his uncle would continue supporting him, but his uncle refused. Without financial means, Loni was unable to register and returned home to Simiyu. Later, he met a pastor who introduced him to Jifundishe. In November 2022, Loni registered there as a Private Candidate to retake his Form Four national exams.
In 2023, he began classes as an Independent Study student at Jifundishe. Unfortunately, he again struggled financially and could not register for the exams that year. He traveled to Dar es Salaam, on the eastern coast of Tanzania, to find work. Luckily, he managed to earn enough money to register for the national exams the following year.
In October 2024, Loni sat for the Form Four national exams once more. This time, he achieved a credit that qualified him for advanced level studies. In July 2025, he began his advanced level education at Jifundishe, with the goal of completing in May 2026. His dream is to join university afterward and pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Theology or Journalism and Broadcasting.
By Anande Mirisho Pallangyo | Managing Director
By Magreth Kimario | Project Director
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