Why Tunajali ?
Elisante Shirima — From Materuni, Back to Materuni
Dear friend,
My name is Elisante Shirima, and Materuni is my home. I grew up in this village on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, the youngest of four children raised by our mother, Mama Agnes.
We had very little. We lived in a mud house, collected water from natural streams, and kept cows, goats and pigs. As a child, I cut grass for the animals and walked long distances to school. These daily responsibilities taught me how hard families in rural Tanzania work to meet their basic needs.
I was fortunate to have the opportunity to continue my education. After secondary school, I moved to Dar es Salaam and later studied Tourism and Cultural Heritage at the University of Dodoma. I then worked in Tanzania’s tourism industry, gaining experience in mountain trekking, safaris, customer service and leadership, and meeting travellers from around the world.
When I returned to Materuni, I saw my village with new eyes. The challenges were still there, but I also recognised how much we had to share: our waterfall, coffee farms, Chagga traditions, local food and beautiful landscape. Above all, I saw the possibility of creating more opportunities for the people who call Materuni home.
That idea became Materuni Village Experience, welcoming visitors into village life while creating work for local guides, women, farmers, cooks and families. Together with Mama Agnes, and later my wife, Consolata, we developed our family homestay into Materuni Homes. Over time, our work expanded to Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru trekking, safaris and other tourism activities.
Yet I came to understand that tourism alone could not address every challenge facing our community. There was a need for support that reached beyond the opportunities tourism could provide.
This led me to create Tunajali Tanzania, a non-profit initiative connecting tourism, volunteers, donors and partners with community projects. Our focus includes education, support for vulnerable families, clean water, livelihoods and environmental conservation.
My vision is for Materuni to grow while preserving what makes it special: its Chagga heritage, natural environment and community spirit. I want ALL people to have access to education and employment, and for tourism to contribute responsibly to our future.
Please let me invite you to become part of this journey. You can support Tunajali as a donor, volunteer, guest, partner or just as a friend. Please visit our website to learn about our work and find a way to get involved.
Tunajali means “we care.” With your support, we can turn that care into practical opportunities for our community.Asante sana — thank you very much.
Elisante Shirima