Growing up in a poverty-stricken area of Arusha, Daniel dreamed about one day going a top international university and using his education to help his community.
Thanks to St Jude鈥檚 鈥� he has that opportunity.
Daniel has been selected into the African Leadership Academy (ALA), where he will complete the two-year pre-university program alongside some of the top scholars on the continent.
鈥淚鈥檝e always dreamed of going to Harvard, now it鈥檚 possible,鈥� Daniel said.
鈥淲ithout mini传媒 this wouldn鈥檛 have happened. I wouldn鈥檛 be ready for this opportunity without the education I have received.鈥�
He follows in the footsteps of former St Jude鈥檚 student Liston, who was granted an ALA scholarship last year and recently returned to guide his former classmates through a weekend workshop.
Their achievements prove St Jude鈥檚 is succeeding in its mission to break the cycle of poverty by providing a free, high-quality education to Arusha鈥檚 brightest and poorest students.
鈥淢y parents don鈥檛 have much money so they would have never been able to afford to send me to a school like St Jude鈥檚,鈥� Daniel said.
鈥淚 would have gone to a government school and it would have been very hard to pass Form 4.鈥�
Schools in Tanzania are under-resourced and most students face an uphill battle graduating from high school.
Of the 1.63 million Tanzanians that started school in 2002, fewer than 39,000 graduated from Form 6 this year. That is just 2.4%.
鈥淎t St Jude鈥檚 you are given a better opportunity,鈥� Daniel said.
鈥淵ou are given everything you need; food, quality teachers, plenty of books and resources.鈥�
Daniel has become a shining example of the values St Jude鈥檚 teaches. He started a microfinancing program which helped 30 women in his local village and became a key part of his ALA application.
鈥淚t helped them raise money to get their kids through school and pay for their homes,鈥� he said.
鈥淲e structured it in such a way to help everyone involved, not just one person.鈥�
Daniel hopes to do similar projects when he returns to Tanzania after completing his schooling.
鈥淲hen I finish I will come back to Tanzania,鈥� he said.
鈥淲here else can I go? This is my home. People look up to me. In my village people are looking up to me. They know I have a very great opportunity to help my village.鈥�
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