The Zanzibar Education Development Plan II has transformed the region’s education system, helping to enhance the quality and relevance of teaching across all levels. While significant progress has been made, the system still faces challenges, including a shortage of learning materials and digital resources. Rauf is on a mission to change this.
Born and raised in Kenya, Rauf witnessed the impact of IT shortages in East Africa first-hand. After retiring from a 25-year career in the IT sector, Rauf was keen to use his expertise to make a difference, and so turned his focus to improving digital access in schools. Now, he is working closely with Government officials to ensure that every secondary school on the island has a functioning computer lab.
To expand access to digital learning, Rauf relies on support from charities like us to supply equipment to schools. As an organisation committed to making digital learning accessible for all, we were thrilled to partner with him to support more schools across Zanzibar.
Inspiring future innovators
After being contacted by Rauf, we donated 60 refurbished laptops to help combat the schools’ shortage of IT equipment – but that was only the first obstacle. Whilst having access to computers is vital, quality teaching is key to ensuring students reach their full potential.
Recognising the need for proper training for teachers, Rauf partnered with the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, where he came to work closely with Ramadhan, who, after completing his own studies in the STEM field, is keen to share his knowledge and inspire the next generation of innovators.
To ensure every student has access to quality training and education, a new STEM initiative was launched, offering specialised computer training for lower secondary school students.
The programme is designed to not only help students develop essential digital and problem-solving skills through a range of hands-on practical sessions, but also to encourage them to explore STEM subjects by tackling real-world challenges and future-focused topics.
Bringing learning to life
The first step of bringing the new STEM initiative to life was establishing a dedicated STEM Programme Team, bringing together professionals from the Ministry of Education, school teachers, and representatives from district education offices.
With the programme team selected and trained, and devices shipped and ready for installation, all that was left to do now was to find a school to bring the programme to life.
At the end of 2025, with support from Neil, a volunteer at the Turing Trust, Rauf and Ramadhan installed 46 of the donated computers at Hasnuu Makame School. The school, located in Kufile, a small, coastal village in the Kusini district, previously had very limited access to IT equipment, so this marks a huge step forward for both students and staff.
The addition of the computers and specialist staff training has not only enhanced teaching across the school, but has also allowed students to explore new subjects, including robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) programming.
The next steps
Following the success of the pilot, there are plans to expand the programme to support students in more schools across Zanzibar, focusing on those in rural locations that have not yet received computer services. This, in large, will be supported by the newly formed Zanzibar Education Support Trust, which will work alongside Rauf, the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, and the Turing Trust to make digital learning accessible for all students across Zanzibar.
Programmes like this rely on support from people like you. If you have any unwanted IT equipment, head over to our ‘Give computers’ page to discover how we can help to transform your old devices into new opportunities for students across the globe.
