Our Story
How a simple safari vist became a long-term commitment to education in Tanzania
MPJ Tanzania Projects began not with a master plan or a formal mission, but with a relationship.
After several trips to Tanzania, Doug and Marcy Wielfaert fell in love with the country — its landscapes, its wildlife, and most of all its people. During these travels they met Arnold Makinda, a Tanzanian safari guide whose professionalism, warmth, and integrity immediately stood out.
Over time, that relationship deepened. When Makinda launched his own safari company, Instinct Tours Tanzania Safaris, Doug and Marcy began helping him from the United States — rebuilding his website, assisting with marketing, and recruiting travelers. They soon became close friends and, in many ways, extended family.
On one of those early safaris, Doug and Marcy asked a simple question:
“Is there a school we could visit?”
Makinda suggested Unity Primary School in Arusha.
That visit changed everything.
A Visit That Became a Calling
Unity Primary School was small, underfunded, and struggling — but filled with dedicated teachers and resilient children. What began as a brief visit at the end of a safari quickly became the most meaningful part of every trip.
Doug and Marcy returned home unable to forget what they had seen.
On subsequent visits, they began bringing supplies, funds, and eventually organized small fundraising efforts among friends and safari guests. Each group that visited Unity School asked the same question:
“How can we help — long term?”
What started informally soon grew into something more structured
From Personal Giving to a Public Mission
As interest and donations increased, it became clear that this effort needed a more formal foundation — one that provided transparency, accountability, and long-term sustainability.
In 2025, Doug and Marcy incorporated MPJ Tanzania Projects in the state of Tennessee and were granted IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, effective June 27, 2025.
A board of directors was established, financial oversight procedures were put in place, and MPJ Tanzania Projects became a registered nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting grassroots education and community development in Tanzania.
Today, MPJ works through a trusted on-the-ground partnership with local leaders in Arusha, ensuring that donations go directly to real needs — not administrative overhead or distant programs.
Why We Do This
Doug and Marcy often describe MPJ Tanzania Projects as something they “found later in life” — a purpose that emerged naturally from relationships, not strategy.
They did not set out to start a nonprofit.
They set out to help people they cared about.
What began as a simple safari visit has become a long-term commitment to supporting children, teachers, and communities — one relationship, one project, and one school at a time.
MPJ Tanzania Projects exists to turn good intentions into lasting support — guided by relationships, rooted in transparency, and focused on real impact.