Rajabu Saidi Makungu

My name is Rajabu Saidi Makungu. I was born on Chole Island and I grew up on the Island. Here I would like to say something on my studies journey - how it started up to now.

My journey started at Chole Kindergarten when I was 4 years old. At that time life was so good because the education was provided for free with meals, so we studied with no pressure of school fees. All was made possible by the Chole Mjini Trust Fund, established by the investors of Chole Mjini Lodge that are Anne and Jean de Villiers.

When I was seven years old, I started my primary education at Chole primary school. I studied there for seven years and then I got a chance to pass my final exam that lifted me to secondary school on Mafia. This forced me to live far away from my family. The life of secondary education was so very tough because you have to pay for everything like food and school fees, and school was so far I needed a bike to help me to get to school on time. But for that time the Chole Mjini Trust Fund was very good and helped me a lot to pay for those things, because as we know our life situation is not good so our parents can not afford everything for us. I don't know how to explain how good the Trust is to the Chole community.

After I passed my secondary education in 2017, I joined for advanced education on the mainland, in the Ruvuma region. I was out of Mafia, so I met with new people that were different in behaviour, and who wanted me to adopt the new environment that is very different to Mafia Island. Here the education became so expensive because I had to pay for everything, but even this time the Chole Mjini Trust Fund was on my side because the money that I got from the Trust helped me buy everything that was needed in school so I could study without pressure. Then in 2019 I finished advanced education with good results that gave me a way to University.

In 2019, I joined University of Dododoma, and life actually became much tougher because you have to depend on yourself and the school fees are very expensive to compared with all levels of education. I thank God for enabling me to have Chole Mjini Trust Fund because I had enough money to pay for everything that was needed. Without this Trust I could not manage to get my University education. I got a Bachelors degree in Sociology, and I graduated in 2022. I am so happy to have this degree!

When I finished my studies, I went back to Chole Island and I began to teach English to the children of Chole, and then I got a chance to work at Chole Mjini Lodge. I started with an internship working with Anne and Jean, and then they gave me a contract to be manager. It was a good moment to work with these two people because we are as family at that moment and they are so happy to see people from Chole Island work with them. Then I went to the different interviews looking for the jobs in the government and I got a job as social welfare officer in Manyara region.

All these achievements I got through Chole Mjini Trust Fund. This Trust fund is very important to us. I hope Chole Mjini Trust Fund continues to help the community of Chole Island for future generations because the kids of Chole are very brave and everyone has a dream in education. Without support from the Trust they can not make it happen. I would like to thank Anne and Jean de Villers for this Trust Fund and the donors that helped us a lot to achieve our dreams.

I am one of ambassadors to keep this Trust alive regardless I am not at Chole at the moment, so I take this opportunity to welcome all donors who are willing to support us and to make education possible for the people of Chole.

THANKS CHOLE MJINI TRUST FUND