Through this fundraiser, you can help cover the full operational cost of Satino, ensuring smooth operations and that every child receives two nutritious meals every single day. The different donation amounts correspond directly to the budgeted costs for each period.

The cost of operating the pre-school is budgeted to be around $20 per child per month, based on modest assumptions for food , salaries, and other utilities.

Satino distinguishes itself from other pre-schools in Arusha by being better organised. This is based on Satino volunteers exchanging experiences with volunteers at other schools in Arusha. Satino has a 100% rating by 100+ volunteers. Satino enrolls boys and girls equally, uses non-violent teaching methods, and follows an official curriculum. The school has successfully delivered past projects through fundraising. It has an international board and support from volunteers, ensuring transparent operations and the skills to grow further together with the team at Satino.

Satino currently has the capacity to welcome 150 children, yet due to limited funding, only 58 are enrolled. The largest expenses are teacher salaries and daily meals for the children.

To ensure full transparency, Satino has created a detailed 5-year budget model covering both the existing pre-school and the planned primary school. For 2025, the fundraising goal is USD 12,000 - this would cover the entire operational cost, assuming modest operations.

You can review the full budget and a list of other fundraising activities in the Google Spreadsheet linked below:

Satino Google Spreadsheet

One-pager business plan Satino:

Business Plan Satino:

What is Satino?

Satino is an NGO that provides daycare and pre-school education for around 50 children between the ages of 3 and 6. The children are divided into three groups: Baby Class (3–4 years), Middle Class (4–5 years), and Pre-Primary Class (6 years).

Daycare at Satino means children receive two daily meals: usually porridge in a cup for breakfast, and spiced beans with brown rice for lunch. The main subjects taught are English and Mathematics, along with Swahili grammar, following the official Tanzanian curriculum. The academic level is impressive—some children can already do three-digit addition with carrying and communicate effectively in English.

The kids show up 07:30 with a morning routine of songs and games before lessons begin 08:30. Breakfast is served at 11:00 and lunch at 13:30, when the children gather at tables set up outside the classrooms, prepared by volunteers. The day often ends with singing and dancing, after lunch.

On Fridays, there is a “Playday”: after 1–2 hours of lessons in the morning, the rest of the day is filled with fun games and activities, often with candy as rewards. The atmosphere is full of joy and excitement among the children.

The children do not have printed workbooks—only notebooks. Teachers write all exercises into each child’s book for classwork and homework, and then correct them afterward. This is time-consuming, so volunteers often help.

The children wear school uniforms and even have their own football team, which organizes training for both younger and older kids. The team has performed well, and one player even made it onto the Tanzanian U13 national team.

Facilities

The school consists of:

An office that also serves as a storage room for supplies.
Three furnished classrooms.
A kitchen.
A sleeping area for the younger children.
A fenced compound decorated with drawings and murals (with English captions).
A small playground with a slide, swings, and a trampoline that the children love.

Visitors are always impressed by the children’s discipline, enthusiasm, and skills.

The compound also includes papaya, mango, lemon, and banana trees, as well as vegetables that the children learn to grow themselves, plus chickens for eggs. The idea is to provide healthy, home-grown food.

Cover Operation Cost 2026 (Food & Education)

Fund Satino for a chosen period of time

Team Members