Mr. Baraka was born in Kigoma, located in Western Tanzania, and relocated to Arusha in 1999 to work for a Swedish company as a Radio FM programmer. After spending five years in Arusha, he met Juliana, who was born in Sakala Village, Loliondo. Juliana had attended a public school in the area before moving to Arusha to study electrical engineering at a technical college. It was Juliana who introduced Mr. Baraka to the Loliondo region, and together they decided to rent a house. Inspired by their shared vision of helping others, they conceived the idea of establishing a private educational school and daycare for Maasai orphans and the most vulnerable children in the region. This vision led to the founding of Bright English Medium School (BEMS) in 2009.

Between 2010 and 2012, Mr. Baraka and Juliana purchased additional land to construct proper school facilities. By 2012, the school had grown to accommodate approximately 100 students. During this time, Juliana was also actively involved in an NGO focused on HIV/AIDS education, which brought her into contact with international volunteers. In 2012, the school received its first volunteer from the USA, marking the beginning of ongoing international support. This collaboration introduced new ideas and resources, which contributed to the school’s development and expansion.

From 2012 to 2016, Mr. Baraka, Juliana, and volunteers from around the world concentrated on constructing the school’s two main classroom buildings. The journey was challenging, as the government imposed numerous requirements that needed to be met. Despite these obstacles, the two buildings were completed in 2016. The first building comprises three classrooms, while the second contains two classrooms and a teacher’s office. That same year, the school achieved official registration, enabling students to move in. Initially, some students slept in the classrooms, while others resided in the home of Mr. Baraka and Juliana.

In 2017, the school celebrated its first graduation of Class 7. The following year, in 2018, a kitchen house was constructed with the help of four German volunteers, and the student population grew to approximately 200. At that time, boys slept on the school grounds, while girls were housed in various buildings near the home of Mr. Baraka and Juliana.

By 2019, all students had relocated to the school premises. Temporary structures were erected to accommodate the growing number of students, as classrooms were primarily used as dormitories, with two classes often sharing a single room. In 2020, the girls’ dormitory was finally completed, allowing them to move out of the classrooms and into dedicated housing.

Although we have made tremendous progress, much work remains. Our commitment to providing quality education and improved living conditions for the children of this area continues to drive us forward every day.