Longido Primary School pupils happily enjoy their new beds on Wednesday. Below, the school’s dining hall, which was destroyed by strong winds in January, this year. The damage has left the school struggling to provide pupils with a suitable place to sit and eat their meals, particularly during unfavourable weather. (Photos by David Chikoko)
FROM DAVID CHIKOKO IN LONGIDO
Smiles, excitement and a sense of renewed hope filled Longido Primary School as dozens of new beds and mattresses arrived on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, to improve living conditions for its boarding pupils.
For many of the children, including pupils with special educational needs, the donation means more than simply receiving new furniture. It promises safer, cleaner and more comfortable nights after long days in the classroom.
Mondo Tanzania, a non-profit organisation affiliated with Mondo UK, donated 35 double-decker beds, 68 mattresses and pillows valued at TSh 14 million to the school.
Longido District Commissioner (DC), Mr Salim Kalli, received the donation from Mondo Tanzania Chairman David Kinisi during a handover ceremony attended by members of the school community.
The assistance will support the school’s boarding facilities, which accommodate about 120 pupils.
Longido Primary School has specialised units for pupils who are deaf and those who are blind, operating separately from the mainstream section of the school. The donation is expected to improve accommodation for pupils in these units as well as other children living at the school.
Mr Kalli praised Mondo Tanzania for responding to an important need at a time when the government had recently completed the construction of a modern boys’ dormitory and a washroom designed to accommodate pupils with special needs.
He said the donated beds and mattresses would help ensure that the newly constructed facilities provide pupils with the comfort, safety and dignity they deserve.
For the school community, the handover marked another step towards improving conditions at one of Longido District’s oldest educational institutions.
Established in 1947, Longido Primary School has grown into a large co-educational institution serving approximately 2,000 day and boarding pupils.
Despite the progress, the school still faces significant infrastructure challenges. It urgently needs a new dining hall after the previous structure was destroyed by strong winds in January.
The loss has left the school struggling to provide an adequate place where pupils can sit and eat their meals, particularly during unfavourable weather.
Mondo Tanzania’s contribution has therefore brought relief to pupils, teachers and parents while demonstrating how partnerships between the government and charitable organisations can transform the daily lives of children.
As the new beds were handed over, the joy on the pupils’ faces reflected the significance of the occasion: A good night’s sleep, greater comfort and a better environment in which to learn and grow.
