Classroom and Sanitation Facilities Renovation in Arusha [COMPLETED]

A Grassroots Initiative That Inspired COPELI’s Founding

Before COPELI officially existed, our story began with a simple but powerful mission: to make schools in rural Tanzania safer and healthier for children. In 2021, while volunteering in Arusha, COPELI’s founder Yannis Sliman launched a fundraising campaign (GoFundMe) with a goal of €5,000 to renovate unsafe classrooms and unhygienic toilets at one public primary school. The response was overwhelming. Within 24 hours, the target was reached — and by the end of the campaign, €12,000 had been raised. This achievement made it possible to extend support from one to three schools: Ilkidinga, Loruvani, and Olchoki. This initiative became the foundation of COPELI’s values today — transparency, trust, and community-led action.

Ilkidinga Primary School

Total investment: €6,300

Ilkidinga was the first public school we supported — and the reason this campaign began. The classrooms were collapsing, ceilings were broken, and toilets were unsafe and without water. Children attended lessons under damaged roofs that could fall at any moment. With the first €5,000 raised, we started by restoring the roofs and ceiling boards of three classrooms, ensuring a safe environment for more than 600 students. As donations grew, we expanded the project to include a complete renovation of the school’s toilets and the installation of a 3,000-litre water tank — giving the school access to running water for the first time since its establishment.

Works completed:

- Full renovation of three classrooms (roofing, ceiling, wall and floor repairs)
- Complete toilet restoration, new water pipes, and tank base construction
- Installation of a 3,000L water system
- Installation of a long water pipeline linking the school to the Ilkidinga community’s main water line, ensuring a reliable and sustainable water supply to the 3,000L tank

“The school had no water since its first year of operation. Now, every child can use clean, safe toilets.” — Jackline Idd Mpakani, Head Teacher, Ilkidinga Primary School

Loruvani Primary School

Total investment: €2,900

After Ilkidinga, our team continued to Loruvani, another public primary school in Arusha facing severe sanitation challenges. The toilets were in critical condition and lacked a water connection, exposing students to health risks. Together with local builders, plumbers, and tilers, we renovated and tiled the entire facility, and built an underground water pipe system to ensure a consistent flow of water into the toilets. This project also created a powerful opportunity to educate children on basic hygiene routines and disease prevention — ensuring that the improvements went hand in hand with awareness.

Works completed:

- Complete toilet renovation and tiling
- Installation of a 3,000L water system
- Construction of an underground water pipe system
- Permanent connection to a steady water source

Olchoki Primary School

Total investment: €2,300

The final stage of the campaign took place at Olchoki Primary School. Here, we restored and sanitized the school’s latrines and then focused on addressing the biggest challenge of all — the lack of water access. The school’s tank was filled only once a month, leaving the children without water for many days. To fix this, we launched a water drilling project that included the following works.

Works completed:

- Groundwater drilling and installation of a pump system
- Piping and electrical connections
- Construction of a reinforced well cover for long-term safety

This project ensured that the students of Olchoki would have permanent access to clean water, turning a short-term renovation into a sustainable infrastructure improvement.

Our Impact At A GLAnce

Metric	Result
Total Funds Raised	€12,000
Schools Supported	3
Classrooms Restored	5
Latrines Renovated & Supplied With Water	3
Students Reached	2,000+ children

From a Volunteer Project to a Vision for COPELI

The Tanzania renovation project was more than an act of charity — it was a practical lesson in sustainable impact. It showed that trust, clear communication, and local partnerships could turn donations into tangible results. This experience inspired the creation of COPELI — an organization built to scale this model of impact, ensuring that every project, big or small, is guided by transparency, empowerment, and measurable results.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers who helped make this happen, and to the children and local communities who welcomed us with their warm smiles and kind hearts. Asante sana!