Kilimanjaro Blind Trust Africa

21/08/2026

Twenty years ago, eight blind people summited Mt. Kilimanjaro alongside our founder, Paul Polman. When they came down from the mountain, their journey took them to a school in Longido, near Arusha, Tanzania.

What they found there would change the course of a story.
Inside a storeroom were Braille machines — stacked away, deteriorating, and no longer being used. Machines that could have opened doors to education for learners with visual impairment were simply sitting there, without hope of being restored.
An idea emerged: what if these machines could be repaired and put back into the hands of learners who needed them?
And from that simple idea, Kilimanjaro Blind Trust Africa was born.
Fast forward 20 years. We recently returned to Longido. And the transformation is remarkable.

The school that stood at the beginning of our journey has grown into a large, inclusive learning community of more than 3,000 children, including 60 learners with different disabilities.
And our work has evolved too.
Today, we are working with the school in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation to develop a fully equipped computer lab — creating opportunities for learners with visual impairment to access ICT, develop digital skills and participate more fully in an increasingly digital world.

There are currently 14 learners with visual impairment at the school.
For us, this is more than a computer lab. It is a continuation of a promise that began two decades ago in a storeroom in Longido.
From Braille machines to computers. From one school to a growing inclusive learning community. From an idea born at the foot of Kilimanjaro to a journey across Africa.
Twenty years on, we are proud to return to where it all began, and even prouder to see how far the journey has come.
The mountain inspired the beginning. The learners continue to inspire the journey.



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12/08/2026

Funding often favours the visible unit: a device handed over, a classroom equipped, a cohort trained. But lasting change depends on the less visible connective tissue: teacher retention, maintenance networks, accessible materials, university partnerships, and employers prepared to turn this work into jobs and economic independence.

That is why KBTA is seeking long-term corporate, philanthropic, and development partners prepared to support the whole system, rather than isolated parts of it.

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Companies everywhere complain of a shortage of talent. Yet 1.

11/08/2026

Habari gazetini! The Guardian Tanzania | Monday 10 August 2026

06/08/2026

How do you teach geometry to a learner who cannot see the shapes? How do you explain graphs and equations without relying on what is written on a chalkboard?

For many learners with visual impairments, these are everyday challenges. Mathematics is often one of the most difficult subjects to access—not because learners lack the ability to understand it, but because the methods and tools used to teach it are rarely designed with accessibility in mind.
Mathematics is a gateway to careers in STEM. When learners cannot fully access the subject, they risk missing opportunities to pursue further education and future careers.

In our attempt to explore solutions for this problem, a team from Kilimanjaro Blind Trust Africa is conducting an Adapted ICT and Mathematics Training at Kibos Special Secondary School in Kisumu, bringing together 10 teachers to strengthen their capacity to deliver accessible and inclusive Mathematics lessons.
Through hands-on sessions, teachers are learning how to integrate adapted ICT into Mathematics instruction using screen-reading software, the Windows Calculator, and other accessible digital tools. These technologies work alongside Braille, giving learners more ways to solve mathematical problems independently and engage confidently with concepts such as algebra, geometry, trigonometry, measurements, financial mathematics, and data handling.

We are not introducing new technology. We are equipping teachers with practical skills that can transform how learners experience Mathematics by removing barriers, building confidence, and ensuring that blindness is not a limitation to learning or pursuing STEM opportunities.
Every teacher trained has the potential to impact hundreds of learners throughout their career. By investing in teachers today, we are creating more inclusive classrooms tomorrow, where every learner has the opportunity to learn, participate, and thrive.

05/08/2026

A key highlight this week at Kilimanjaro Blind Trust Africa(KBTA) was the graduation of Cohort 2 of our Employability and Entrepreneurship Skills Programme in Tanzania.

We celebrated 20 young graduates from the Employability Skills Programme and 15 young people from the Entrepreneurship Skills Programme, all of whom have completed their training with the knowledge, practical skills, and confidence to pursue meaningful livelihoods.

Implemented by Kilimanjaro Blind Trust Africa in partnership with Tanzania Federation of Organizations of Persons with Disability (SHIVYAWATA and the Mastercard Foundation as part of the strategy, the programme is creating pathways to economic inclusion for young people with visual impairments.

The results speak for themselves. From Cohort 1, 18 out of 20 graduates secured internships, while three have already transitioned into long-term employment. For our entrepreneurship graduates, mentorship has already begun to support them as they grow and expand their enterprises.

To employers across Tanzania: the talent is here. If you're looking for skilled, motivated young professionals with visual impairments, we'd love to connect. We also invite organizations to reach out for a workplace disability inclusion audit as we work together to build more inclusive workplaces.

Together, we're creating opportunities, changing perceptions, and proving that disability is never a barrier to talent.

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04/08/2026

Sometimes, the most important work happens when we pause.

Last Friday, the Kilimanjaro Blind Trust Africa team stepped away from our daily routines for a Team Away Day—a chance to reconnect, reflect on the past financial year and reimagine what comes next.

Beyond the strategies and planning sessions, it was a reminder that behind every programme, partnership and success story is a team of passionate people committed to creating opportunities for persons with visual impairments across Africa.

But beyond programmes and projects, the day was filled with stories of resilience, collaboration and commitment. Team members reflected on the partnerships they have nurtured, the communities they have walked alongside, the challenges they have overcome and the moments that reminded them why the work matters. It was a celebration of the effort, passion and purpose that often goes unseen but is woven into every training, school visit, stakeholder meeting and success story.

As we look ahead to a new financial year and our 2026–2031 Strategic Plan, we're carrying forward renewed energy, stronger connections and a shared purpose.

Here's to another year of learning, collaboration and impact.

29/07/2026

Representation matters—especially in AI.

Kilimanjaro Blind Trust Africa is proud to have contributed to Microsoft's Community Library Creator initiative, ensuring that persons with visual impairments help shape how AI represents their lived experiences.

Inclusive AI starts with inclusive participation. When communities have a voice in the data that powers AI, technology becomes more accurate, accessible, and equitable for everyone.

Proud to be part of building a more inclusive digital future.

A new Microsoft research project helps communities shape how they're represented in AI-generated images and future AI systems.

21/07/2026

Not every young person with visual impairment follows the same educational path, and that's why opportunity should never be one-size-fits-all.
The Entrepreneurship Skills Program in Tanzania, delivered by Kilimanjaro Blind Trust Africa (KBTA) and SHIVYAWATA in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, opens pathways to dignified work for young people with visual impairments — including those whose route to a livelihood does not run through a diploma or degree.
To date, 30 young people with visual impairments have graduated across two cohorts, gaining practical skills in business, financial literacy, customer service, and entrepreneurship that prepare them for self-employment and economic independence.
Those skills were on full display at the recent 49th Saba Saba International Trade Fair in Dar es Salaam. Selected graduates from the program were allowed to run their own stalls, showcasing products, engaging customers, and building business networks. In contrast, others welcomed visitors, registered new members, and supported operations at the Tanzania Women Chamber of Commerce (TWCC) booth.

By investing in entrepreneurship alongside employment, the programme is helping young people with visual impairments become business owners, job creators, and contributors to Tanzania's economy, on their own terms.

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17/06/2026

The first Employers Roundtable in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, marked an important step forward in strengthening inclusive employment systems for persons with disabilities.

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The first Employers Roundtable in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, marked an important step forward in strengthening inclusive employment systems for persons with disabilities. Convened with our implementation partner SHIVYAWATA, the roundtable brought together more than 25 employers and HR professionals co...

08/06/2026

Last Friday, we celebrated the graduation of Cohort 11 of our Employability Skills Training Program in Nairobi.
For many young people with visual impairments, the journey from education to employment is filled with barriers. Talent, qualifications, and ambition often exist, but access to opportunities and workplace readiness support can remain out of reach.

Through the program, these young graduates gain practical workplace skills, confidence, and job readiness to support their transition from education into employment. The impact is already visible as 2 participants have secured internship opportunities even before graduation.
This is more than a graduation. It is a step forward in building pathways to inclusive employment for young people with visual impairments.

Kilimanjaro Blind Trust Africa is committed to connecting education and employment and to creating inclusive workplaces where young people with visual impairments can thrive.

To any employer out there who is looking to build an inclusive workplace and open opportunities for persons with visual impairments, we would love to walk this journey with you. Get in touch with us.