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Altoona nonprofit Selfless Solutions celebrates first graduating class

Selfless Solutions sponsors education for Tanzanian children

By Colette Costlow 4 min read

Selfless Solutions recently celebrated its first student group to graduate from primary school since the nonprofit's inception.

Founded in 2019 by Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic High School alumnus Patrick Irwin, the program relies on donations from across the country to sponsor education for young children in Tanzania, East Africa.

Graduate Faith Simon, one of the first children enrolled in the program's nursery school, said she dreams of becoming a doctor.

"I want to say thank you to my sponsor for sponsoring me, and God bless you," she said. Program manager Aneth Massawe told the Mirror that Faith's mother was happy, excited and grateful to watch her daughter graduate.

"The quality of education we offer increases their chances of success," Massawe said. "We are more focused on making sure we prepare good adults who are not only going to depend on employment but also self-employment and create opportunities for other people."

The Renie International Schools' graduation ceremony on Sept. 18 was an all-day affair, Irwin said, starting with breakfast, then moving into the student performances, the award ceremony and the graduation procession.

He said Selfless Solutions sponsored 13 of the 39 graduating students at the Renie International Schools ceremony, many of whom received awards, including top student and top performers in specific subjects.

"I felt proud to see the kids come so far, and I was lucky enough to be there and meet their families and parents."

The nonprofit recently conducted a study comparing the test scores of its students attending private, English-medium schools versus the test scores of students attending public schools in Tanzania.

"The scores are significantly higher," he said. "The scores are 30% higher than compared to public schools, and attendance levels are always above 95%."

Public schools in Tanzania typically teach students Swahili -- Tanzania's native language -- so students don't know much English when they eventually attend secondary school, where subjects are taught in English. As a result, there's a high student dropout rate in Tanzanian secondary schools.

"Even if you're a good student, you'll most likely struggle because you don't understand the language or the subjects being taught," Irwin said.

After removing that language barrier, he said students can start attending a secondary school selected by the nonprofit in January, as their school year runs from January to December.

It's been challenging to find a suitable school that's in Selfless Solution's price range, he said. With school tuition rising, sponsorships may have to increase.

Sending more than 200 kids from nursery to primary school, he said there's not much left in their budget to cut, other than sending the kids home.

"Their families' hopes get really high; they see a path out of responsibility, and I can't imagine taking that away," he said.

He said at least 50% of overall sponsorships come from Altoona, noting that the program's biggest fundraisers are held in the city. While sponsors weren't present at graduation, he said they received photos and video footage from that day.

"A lot of them (sponsors) have been supporting these kids for eight years now," he said.

No matter how big or small a contribution is, he said these sponsorships change the lives of young children living in Tanzania, setting them up for successful careers post-school.

"We're literally building pathways for these children to get out of poverty," he said.

Brothers Jonathan Solomon, 14, and Sara Solomon, 12, also started in Selfless Solutions' nursery school before graduating primary school in September.

After their parents left, Selfless Solutions took in all three Solomon boys, including their older brother and now university student Samson Solomon, Massawe said. Now all three boys have continued their educational journeys.

"I'm feeling happy," Sara said.

With primary school behind them, Sara said he wants to become an engineer when he grows up, while Jonathan wants to train as a pilot.

While many schools in Tanzania provide difficult learning environments, Samson, 21, said that Selfless Solutions has made his educational journey possible.

"So far, Selfless Solutions has impacted me so positively in my educational career," he said. "They also provide support for my basic needs, especially a favorable learning environment."

Those interested in donating can visit Selfless Solutions' website at http://selflesssolutions.org.

Mirror Staff Writer Colette Costlow is at 814-946-7414.

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