Dar es Salaam. The Rotary Club of Dar es Salaam, in partnership with international Rotary partners, including the Rotary Club of Vancouver, has begun handing over 640 school desks under its Gift of Education Global Grant Project.
The desks, valued at Sh192 million, are being distributed in phases, starting with Mbopo Primary School, followed by Mwananyamala B, Nakasangwe, and Mtongani primary schools.
Speaking during the handover, the President of the Rotary Club of Dar es Salaam, Mr Abdulkadir Hamid, said the initiative forms part of the club’s commitment to supporting education and improving learning conditions in public primary schools.
He explained that each desk is designed to accommodate three pupils, a move aimed at easing classroom congestion and ending the practice of pupils sitting on the floor.
“The project seeks to restore dignity to pupils while creating a more conducive learning environment,” said Mr Hamid.
Beyond providing desks, he noted that the Global Grant adopts a holistic approach to education, integrating classroom infrastructure, teacher capacity building, and environmental sustainability.
Under the project, 80 teachers from the beneficiary schools will receive ICT training focused on practical digital skills to enhance teaching and learning.
In addition, 1,200 trees will be planted within school compounds to improve the learning environment and offset timber use in desk production.
Since its launch in 2020, the Gift of Education initiative has delivered about 5,000 desks, benefiting an estimated 15,000 pupils across Dar es Salaam.
The programme has also contributed to environmental conservation, with 8,620 trees planted so far, transforming school compounds into greener, healthier learning spaces.
Mr Hamid added that the desks are manufactured using treated hardwood and reinforced steel frames to ensure durability and long-term use in public schools.
Mbopo Primary School head teacher, Mr Selestin Kindole, thanked the Rotary Club of Dar es Salaam and its international partners, including the Rotary Club of Vancouver, for the support.
He said the desks, combined with teacher training and tree planting, would greatly improve learning outcomes and restore pupils’ dignity.
He also pledged that the schools would take good care of the desks and nurture the planted trees to ensure sustainable benefits.
The Global Grant project will be implemented between January and March 2026 in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and local authorities, reaffirming Rotary’s commitment to creating learning environments where every child has an opportunity to thrive.
