Tanzania Early Childhood Education and Care (TECEC)

Tanzania Early Childhood Education and Care (TECEC) is a national, community-rooted organization dedicated to ensuring every child reaches their full potential during the critical first five years of life. Founded to respond to gaps in early childhood services in low-income Tanzanian communities, TECEC works hand-in-hand with families, local leaders, and government partners to prevent and address developmental delays in children aged 0–5.

Our model focuses on practical, sustainable solutions shaped by the real needs of the communities we serve. Current activities include:

Establishing community-based ECD centers within public or community structures.

Creating early stimulation corners in health centers to support pregnant women and newborns during their first 1,000 days.

Delivering weekly parenting sessions on early stimulation, responsive caregiving, nutrition, mental health, and livelihood support.

Equipping adolescent and single parents with income-generating skills, such as nutrition-focused agribusiness and tailoring.

Training youth and community health workers to provide quality ECD services in centers and early stimulation corners.

Operating a community-based maize fortification mill to combat hidden hunger and strengthen family resilience.

Over the past three years, TECEC has reached more than 20,000 children across Mwanza, Mara, and Rukwa, while supporting thousands of parents and caregivers. Looking ahead, we aim to scale our integrated ECD model to underserved regions and deepen our focus on parental wellbeing, nutrition, and inclusive learning environments, ensuring that even the most vulnerable children can grow, learn, and thrive.