May Higher Learning Fund

Shalon, 31 years old

‘’Jifundishe and Shalon’s Unstoppable Pursuit of Education’’

Born in Mwanza, Tanzania, in Ukerewe district, Shalon was the seventh of ten siblings—three brothers and seven sisters. Her family depended on farming for sustenance, and none of her siblings had progressed beyond secondary school.

From a young age, Shalon dreamed of pursuing higher education, but her journey was filled with hurdles. In 2002, he began primary school at Bwassa, where her passion for learning drove her forward despite the daily seven-kilometer trek to school. In 2008, she completed primary school with a grade C, allowing him to continue to secondary school at Igalla in 2009.

However, secondary education brought financial challenges. Her parents couldn’t afford school fees, so he was frequently sent home for unpaid dues, missing critical lessons. In 2012, he completed secondary school but did not achieve the grades needed to continue. Still, he refused to give up.

In 2014, Shalon moved to Dar es Salaam to help her aunt care for her children. With her support, she enrolled in a Qualified Test (QT) program to study the first and second years of secondary school in just one year. She performed well, but when his aunt fell ill, she could no longer afford her tuition. Shalon’s education was halted once again.

Her sister in Arusha informed her of Jifundishe, an organization offering free education to students unable to afford tuition. In 2019, after four years of academic stagnation, Shalon joined Jifundishe’s Independent Study program and pursued her Private Candidate (PC) exams, eventually passing. In 2021, he advanced to upper secondary studies through Jifundishe, successfully graduating in 2023 with excellent results.

Determined to reach university, Shalon enrolled at the Institute of Rural Development and Planning in Dodoma in October 2023, studying Urban Development and Environmental Management. Thanks to Jifundishe’s May Higher Learning Fund, she was able to continue her education. Now in her second year of university, Shalon is no longer dependent on her relatives—her dreams of self-employment and supporting those in need, just as he was once supported.

Reflecting on his journey, she said, “If I hadn’t received a scholarship, I wouldn’t have been able to continue my education, because I had no financial support.”