Mtakuja Secondary School

About an hour outside of Moshi is Mtakuja Secondary School. This school is under the authority of the Northern Diocese of the Kanisa la Kiinjili la Kilutheri ya Tanzania (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania). Currently there are 196 students (43 day students, and the rest are boarding) in Forms I, II, III, and IV.

This is the main road leading from the gate to the classrooms and offices.

The school was started by Marianne Von Zastrow. She was married to a German, and together they owned a large coffee farm. In 1973 Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere nationalized all foreign-owned businesses and ordered all foreigners to leave Tanzania within 48 hours. Marianne and her husband went to America, where he passed away in 1991. After the death of her husband Marianne returned to Tanzania, where she started the school. She died in 2012.

This is Marianne Von Zastrow's house. It now serves as housing for some of Mtakuja's single male teachers.

The Headmaster is Mr. Immanuel Lyatuu. This is his office.

The area for the school's secretary just outside the Headmaster's office.

The Form III and IV classrooms, alost with one of the water storage tanks.

Inside the Form III and IV classrooms. From the pictures it can be seen that the floor is deteriorating.

A view of the school's soccer field.

The school's bell, which is rung by hitting it with a metal pipe.

The staff room at Mtakuja.

The girls' dormitories. The unfinished brick building in the first picture on the right is the chemistry lab

The planned site for toilets and baths near the girls' dormitories.

The Headmaster's daughter Debora, who is a student at Mtakuja.

To reduces expenses schools in Tanzania usually grow some of their own food. Here is one place where Mtakuja cultivates some vegetables.

These containers can be used to store mahindi (white corn) and beans grown on the school grounds.

Mtakuja is on a large plot of land. The road leading from the classrooms and girls' dormitories to the boys' dormitories.

The boys' dormitory and bathroom/shower. These are outside the dormitory.

Inside one of the dorm rooms.

The school kitchen, which cooks food for students and staff. Currently there is no dining hall - students must eat outside when the weather permits, and inside the classrooms when it rains. Any food left in the classrooms almost always attracts ants - either the chungu (large black army ants) and the smaller yet fierce siafu (red ants).