About Us

Community Development Watch  ·  Established 2015

A Child's Place of Birth
Should Never Determine
Their Destination.

We are a community-led organisation working with vulnerable children and youth in Tanzania. Since 2015, we have addressed education, health, mentorship, digital skills, and climate action together, because no child should be supported partially when they need support fully.

Support Our Work Partner With Us
📚 Education 🩺 Health 🌟 Mentorship 🌱 Climate Action 💡 Youth Skills
160,000+
Youth Reached
10+
Partner Schools
10+
Years of Impact
5
Programme Pillars
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Who We Are and What We Stand For

Built on a Belief. Driven by Purpose.

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Our Vision

A Tanzania Where Every Child Can Achieve Their Dream

To build a Tanzanian society where every child and youth is inspired and empowered to achieve their dreams, regardless of where they were born or what they were born into.
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Our Mission

Knowledge, Skills and Support to Overcome Every Barrier

To provide children and youth with the knowledge, skills, and support they need to overcome challenges, achieve their aspirations, and contribute meaningfully to their communities.
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Our Core Values

The Principles That Guide Every Decision We Make
Excellence Equality Diversity Transformation Integrity Learning Transparency Accountability Collaboration Dignity for All

"We don't just provide school kits, we restore dignity. We don't just plant trees, we grow future guardians of our planet."

CODEWA  ·  Community Development Watch  ·  Tabora, Tanzania

Context and Strategy

From Challenge to Turning Point

Understanding the context that shaped CODEWA and the research pivot that changed everything.

The Urgent Reality

Only 52% School Enrollment in Tabora

The Challenge in Tanzania

Across Tanzania, education is too often a luxury. In the Tabora region, the cycle of poverty is reinforced by high rates of stunting and anaemia. For thousands of adolescents, financial barriers like school kits and transportation are not just inconveniences — they are the walls that stop a child's future before it begins.

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Missing School Materials
A uniform or exercise book costs a full month's income
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Distance and Danger
Girls walk up to 15km on isolated roads before sunrise
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No Healthcare Access
One illness becomes a permanent dropout without insurance
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The Invisible Barrier
Poverty writes a story of limitation that supplies alone cannot rewrite

Our Strategic Evolution

A Turning Point: The 2018 Discovery

In 2018, our research partnership with Dr. Pierre Rialland, PhD in Economics (University of Essex) and Industrial Policy Consultant at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), confirmed what our teachers had observed for years: trauma, low self-esteem, and social isolation were the primary hidden barriers blocking student potential — not lack of supplies alone.

"We realized that giving a child a pen without giving them a vision for their future is only half the battle. Our seminars became the missing link that turned supplies into success."

CODEWA Strategic Framework, 2018

What Changed After 2018

✓
Launched Mentorship and Inspiration Seminars placing role models at the heart of the mission
✓
Moved beyond basic charity to address the psychology of aspiration
✓
Grew to reach 160,000+ youth across 85+ schools and institutions nationwide

A Message from Our Founder

Born from Lived Experience

"

"If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough."

My journey with CODEWA did not start in an office. It started in a small village where my first question every morning was not "what will I learn today?" but "will I eat today?" Raised by a single mother with no income and no certainty, we survived by planting vegetables just to pay my school fees. That small garden was my first classroom. It taught me that dignity grows from the ground up.

Then a teacher looked at me, hungry, without books, and invisible, and said three words: "You can do this." Those words changed the entire direction of my life. I realized then that a kind word and a role model can make a child forget their hardships and start imagining a future.

When I became a teacher myself, I looked into the eyes of my students and saw my own reflection. I saw brilliant minds held back by empty stomachs, missing books, and untreated illness. And I learned a painful truth: you cannot teach a starving child. Education is the key out of poverty, but it means nothing without food, healthcare, safety, and hope.

In 2015, I founded CODEWA to be the bridge I once needed. We treat every child not as a "beneficiary," but as a future leader. I will only be satisfied when I see these children happy and able to support their communities. This is my responsibility and the meaning I give to my life.

I was that hungry child. And I refuse to leave the next generation behind.

Sadath Mwamsema
Sadath A. Mwamsema
Co-Founder and Executive Secretary, CODEWA
Registered NGO No. 00NGO/R1/00579  ·  Operating since 2015
Sadath Mwamsema, Co-Founder of CODEWA, with students in Tabora
"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."

Mahatma Gandhi

That is not just a quote. It is the path we are living every day through CODEWA.

Our Theory of Change

Poverty Does Not Come
From One Direction.

Poverty doesn't push a child out of school with one problem it comes from every direction. A child may lack school supplies, access to healthcare, confidence, practical skills, or even daily nutrition. And addressing just one of these challenges is never enough.

The Problem

A Child Held Back From Every Side

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No School Supplies
A uniform or exercise book costs a month's income
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No Healthcare Access
One fever becomes a permanent dropout
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No Confidence
Poverty writes a story of limitation from birth
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No Digital Skills
The digital economy grows and passes them by
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No Nutrition
You cannot teach a hungry child
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No Safe Path
A two-hour walk in the dark ends education before it begins

Our Response

Five Pillars. One Integrated Response.

That is why CODEWA works across five integrated pillars so each child is supported fully, not partially. Because removing one barrier while leaving the others in place is not enough.

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Pillar 1
Holistic Education
Kits, bicycles, scholarships, ECD
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Pillar 2
Health & Dignity
Insurance, MHM, health literacy
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Pillar 3
Mentorship
Resilience Circles, Inspiration Seminars
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Pillar 4
Digital Skills
AI, coding, career readiness
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Pillar 5
Climate Action
Trees, gardens, Climate Clubs

How Change Happens

From Input to Generational Change

IF  ·  The Holistic Input

Children and youth in Tanzania's highest-dropout communities receive education support, mentorship, healthcare, digital skills, and climate action, all five pillars together, not partially.

THEN  ·  The Behavioural Shift

They stay in school, access healthcare, gain confidence and practical skills, and begin to believe their background is a starting line, not a ceiling.
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LEADING TO  ·  Generational Change

A generation of empowered leaders emerges: self-reliant, employed, and community-minded, breaking the cycle of poverty for themselves and for the generation that follows. Every graduate becomes the role model for the next child in line.
500,000
Young people by 2030

Our 2030 Vision

500,000
Young People

By 2030, CODEWA Aims to Reach 500,000 Young People.

Not as beneficiaries. As future leaders who will support their own communities and prove that where you are born should never determine how far you go.

5
Integrated Pillars
2030
Target Year

Ten Years of Impact

Our Journey of Impact

From two students and a teaching salary, to 160,000 young people reached across Tanzania. This is how CODEWA grew.

CODEWA beneficiaries in Tabora, Tanzania
160,000+
Youth Reached Since 2020
Est. 2015 · Tabora, Tanzania
2015
Year Founded
85+
Partner Schools
4
In University
150K+
Trees Planted
2015 to 2017 🌱

Personal Sacrifice

Started with just 2 students and a commitment from our founders to dedicate a portion of their teaching salaries to school materials and health insurance. Every shilling was personal.

2018 Key Pivot 🔍

The Hidden Barrier Insight

We realized that material aid alone was not enough. Our research revealed a vital truth: children from vulnerable backgrounds face invisible barriers including trauma, low self-esteem, and social isolation. We shifted strategy and launched Mentorship and Inspiration Seminars, placing local role models at the heart of our mission.

2020 to 2024 📈

Scaling the Vision

The results were transformative. As academic performance and leadership skills soared, demand from institutions grew. CODEWA partnered with over 10 schools and universities, reaching more than 160,000 youth with life skills and employability training.

2025 Milestone Year 🎓

Realized Dreams

A milestone year: our first students graduated in Agriculture and Community Development. Currently, 4 beneficiaries are in their 2nd year of Bachelor's Degrees. As we expand into Early Childhood Education and Climate Action (planting 150,000+ trees), we remain guided by one belief: a better future for every child is possible when we remove the barriers to their potential.

What We Do

Our Pillars of Impact

A holistic and sustainable strategic framework designed to transform communities and empower the next generation in Tanzania. Each pillar addresses a specific barrier. Together they build a complete path.

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Pillar 1

Holistic Education

From Early Childhood (ECD) infrastructure to University scholarships, we remove the physical and emotional barriers to learning. Children from low-income families don't just attend school, they thrive and lead.

✓ School kits, uniforms and bicycles

✓ Scholarships and exam fee coverage

✓ ECD spaces and caregiver training

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Pillar 2

Youth Futures and Mentorship

We build the mindset and the skill set for independence. Inspiration Seminars and Resilience Circles launch youth into self-reliant futures by rebuilding the self-belief that poverty quietly destroys.

✓ Resilience Circles (monthly mentorship)

✓ Large-scale Inspiration Seminars

✓ Life skills and employability training

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Pillar 3

Health and Wellbeing

We ensure students stay healthy through community health insurance and comprehensive reproductive health support. A fever should never end a child's education.

✓ Toto Afya Card (CHF health insurance)

✓ Menstrual hygiene kits for girls

✓ Community health literacy workshops

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Pillar 4

Environmental Stewardship

We empower youth to become the architects of a greener Tanzania. School-based Climate Clubs, fruit tree planting, and sustainable gardening nurture a lifelong culture of environmental stewardship.

✓ Fruit tree planting (1,500+ trees)

✓ Student-led Climate Guardian Clubs

✓ School gardens and eco-literacy

Explore Programme
CODEWA team and community in Tabora, Tanzania

Our Commitment to You

Trust Is Our Foundation

Reg. No. 00NGO/R1/00579

CODEWA operates with a robust governance system overseen by an independent Board of Directors. We provide measurable data so you see exactly how your trust creates change.

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Radical Accountability
Every euro tracked and reported
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Financial Integrity
Independent board oversight
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Community Collaboration
Led by the communities we serve
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Measurable Impact
Evidence-based programmes always

Transparency and Accountability

Radical Accountability. Measurable Impact. Community Ownership.

Trust is the foundation of every gift and every partnership. Here is what CODEWA's governance looks like in practice.

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Independent Board of Directors
A seven-member independent Board meeting twice yearly, including international economists, local community leaders, and programme specialists providing full strategic oversight.
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Evidence-Based Programming
Every programme is grounded in research, including a formal 2018 fieldwork study on invisible barriers to learning conducted in partnership with UNIDO.
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Monitored and Reported
All programme outcomes are tracked through internal monitoring systems and partner school records. Annual reports are publicly available on our reports page.
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Community Ownership by Design
From bicycle retention agreements to student-led Climate Guardian Clubs, every programme is designed for community ownership long after our involvement ends.
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Registered and Fully Compliant
Fully registered with the Tanzanian government under Reg. No. 00NGO/R1/00579. All national NGO reporting requirements met and financial records maintained transparently.
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Locally Led, Globally Aligned
Led by a founder who grew up in the communities we serve. Our work aligns with seven United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, grounding local action in global accountability.

Board of Directors

Seven Independent Directors

An international and local board providing independent oversight, meeting twice per year.

PR
Pierre Rialland
Chair, PhD Economist, UNIDO Consultant
SK
Shabani Kigumi
Vice Chair
SM
Sadath Mwamsema
Secretary and Co-Founder
MR
Marc Rialland
Senior Advisor, France
MP
Marisol Perez
Board Member, Spain
SJ
Sophia Juma
Board Member
JE
Jenipha Edephonce
Board Member

SDG Alignment

CODEWA's work aligns with seven United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, grounding local action in global accountability frameworks.

SDG 4 Education SDG 3 Health SDG 5 Gender SDG 8 Decent Work SDG 10 Inequalities SDG 13 Climate SDG 15 Land
Community Development Watch (CODEWA)
Reg. No. 00NGO/R1/00579  ·  Bonde Buildings, Zimamoto Street, Tabora, Tanzania  ·  Operating since 2015
 View Reports Contact Us

Join the Movement

Together for Change

At CODEWA, transformation begins with people. Children discovering their potential. Youth leading change. Communities standing together. Whether you are a donor, a partner, or a volunteer, there is a place for you here.

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Give to CODEWA

Every contribution reaches a real child in Tabora. Give to a specific programme or to our general fund and trust us to direct it where the need is greatest.

✓ From €5 to plant one tree
✓ From €25 for a health shield
✓ €155 for a full bicycle shield
Donate Now
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Partner With Us

Organisations, schools, companies, and institutions can partner with CODEWA to scale our reach, co-design programmes, and create lasting change in Tabora's communities.

✓ CSR and corporate partnerships
✓ Institutional and NGO collaboration
✓ School and university partnerships
Explore Partnership
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Volunteer With Us

When you volunteer with CODEWA, you bring hope, support, and opportunity to communities that need it most. Skills, time, and presence all create real impact.

✓ Field and programme support
✓ Digital and remote volunteering
✓ Mentorship and skills sharing
Become a Volunteer
CODEWA community and children in Tabora, Tanzania

Every Child Is Waiting

You Are the Bridge to a Child's Future.

Whether you give, partner, or volunteer, you are part of the answer. Let's transform lives together one child, one community, one generation at a time.

Donate Now See Our Reports
CODEWA community children, youth, and staff together in Tabora, Tanzania
Join the Mission

Together for Change

At CODEWA, transformation begins with people children discovering their potential, youth leading change, and communities standing together for a brighter future. We invite you to join us in building a Tanzania where every child can learn, dream, and thrive.

Donate Now Volunteer With Us
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Donation

Every donation counts help us change lives, one contribution at a time. Your gift reaches a specific child in Tabora with a specific solution.

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Fundraising

Turn your passion into impact by supporting causes that matter. Run a challenge, host an event, or rally your community for CODEWA's programmes.

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Volunteer with Us

When you volunteer with CODEWA, you bring hope, support, and opportunity to communities that need it most. Your time is a gift that lasts.

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Meet CODEWA Team

Committed to serve the community
View Team Members