#GivingTuesday marks its seventh year on December 3, 2019. It is a day that is important to nonprofit organizations such as Brighter Tanzania Foundation for ways measurable and immeasurable.

#Giving Tuesday Outcomes

First, the measurable. What began in 2012 with $10 million donated to charities has grown into a goliath global movement. In 2018, donors gave $380 million to various philanthropies online in a 24-hour period. Here at BTF, we earmarked our 2018 #GivingTuesday campaign for library improvement. The $615 in donations enabled us to purchase two new bookshelves, 30 new books for the children and six new books for the teachers.

Donations for education have stolen the global show. Back in 2017, nearly 40% of contributions went to supporting educational causes. It is clear that many align with our beliefs here at BTF - education provides a solid pathway towards eradicating poverty and inequality. At Saving Grace School in Arusha, Tanzania, 340 impoverished children have received a pre-primary education that they otherwise would not have been able to access.

Now, let’s talk about the immeasurable. In a previous blog, “Early Education Influences Adult Success,” I wrote about not only the benefits of early education but its far reaches. In a well-known study called the Perry Preschool Program, researchers studied 123 at-risk, low-income preschool students in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The results demonstrated that children with an early education are more likely to grow into adults who are employed, raise their own children and own a home or car. 

The children of the study’s initial participants are now being studied, and it has been reported that they also have benefited from their parents’ education. Theparticipants’ childrenhave better social and emotional skills, are more likely to be healthy, earn more, graduate from high school and go on to college. The benefits of early intervention have been passed on to the next generation. 

In short, investing in education has a multiplier effect. The $615 that was donated to BTF in 2018 didn’t just benefit children such as Emmanuel, Caren and Abu, it is improving the chances that these children will grow into adults that escape the cycle of poverty, have healthy, stable families, and help build more resilient communities.

#MyGivingStory

On the #Giving Tuesday website, people are invited to share their stories of giving. Some write about organizations to which they have donated their time. Others write about family members who have been on the receiving end of valued and even life-saving services. This year BTF has shared the story of Abu, one child who has received an education, medical care and love through Saving Grace School and BTF.

Read our story! If you vote for it (daily through Dec. 10 if you are so inclined), it could help BTF move on to a judged competition. Stories that receive the top 20 votes become eligible for judging and a chance to win up to $10,000! Following is the direct link to our story where you can both read and vote: https://binkd.co/n3KHH

Of course, we urge you to support us through donations to our own #GivingTuesday campaign, too. Giving comes in many forms, whether it is becoming a volunteer, providing a monetary donation or spreading the message of our mission by word of mouth or through social media.

Update on Abu

Finally, for those of you who have followed Abu’s story, we have updates. This fall Abu participated in the children’s HIV clinic at Selani Hospital. He learned about health, nutrition and medication.   The following day he received liver function lab work and received good news.  All tests were within normal limits. Grace also reports that he is continually improving academically, his behavior is positive, and he has lots of friends.