About Black Rhino Academy in Karatu, Tanzania
Black Rhino Academy, a day and boarding school located in Northern rural Tanzania, is dedicated to providing exceptional and high-quality education to students in the surrounding communities and from across Tanzania from all economic and social backgrounds. With a focus on academic excellence, character development, and holistic growth, the school is committed to empowering young minds and equipping them with the skills they need to succeed in life.
Black Rhino Academy Foundation in the US provides support for the partial and full scholarship program in Tanzania. Recipients of the program are chosen based on financial need from the local community in Karatu and surrounding areas.
Situated amidst picturesque landscapes and serene surroundings, the school offers a unique learning environment that encourages curiosity, exploration, and a deep connection with nature. Black Rhino believes that the rural setting provides an ideal backdrop for students to develop a sense of appreciation for their surroundings and cultivate a strong bond with their peers and teachers.
Teachers and staff prioritize individualized attention and small class sizes, ensuring that every student receives personalized instruction and support. Black Rhino’s passionate Tanzanian educators are dedicated to nurturing each student's strengths, addressing their unique needs, and fostering a love for learning.
The school offer a comprehensive curriculum that encompasses a broad range of subjects, including english, mathematics, science, humanities, languages, arts, and physical education. By providing a well-rounded education, the school aims to cultivate critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, creativity, and effective communication skills among their students.
Beyond academics, Black Rhino believes in the importance of character development and instilling strong values in their students. Through various extracurricular activities, leadership opportunities, and community service initiatives, they encourage students to develop qualities such as resilience, empathy, teamwork, and a sense of social responsibility.
Meet the Black Rhino Leadership Team in Tanzania
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Nickson Mariki
Co-Founder
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Caroline Epe
Co-Founder
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Simon Murray
Head of School
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Lister Tulapona
Deputy Head of School
Black Rhino Academy’s History
The beginning
In 2013 Black Rhino Academy was just an idea.
Taking Shape
After years of being a dream, things started to take shape in May 2017 with funding from BRAF Germany. Black Rhino began building their infrastructure and their first classroom block of 5 classrooms, following soon after a second classroom block to secure the necessary school registration with the Ministry of Education.
The big opening
After a soft opening in the fall of 2017, Black Rhino Academy had their official opening in January 2018. The celebration was blessed with torrential rains just 1 hour before the event was supposed to start. With the help of staff and friends we recovered and celebrated Black Rhino Academy under beautiful sunshine. In attendance was the entire board of BRAF Germany to witness first hand what they support had accomplished.
2018 — 2019 Slowly growing
By June 2019, Black Rhino had started to grow. It started with a preschool class and expanded to include a first grade and second grade. Guiding this expansion was Macrina Mrukwamba, the school's first Head of School/Principal. Macrina, who had just returned from teaching in the US after a 12-year stint, played a crucial role in enhancing the skills and expertise of the Tanzanian teaching team. She spearheaded capacity building efforts and successfully implemented an international curriculum in English, mathematics, and science. Additionally, she ensured that other subjects were closely aligned with Tanzanian culture, creating a well-rounded educational experience for the students.
2023
2023 has been an exciting year so far for Black Rhino. The first Year 6 class took external exams through Cambridge Assessments International Education and will get results in late June. And in August 2023 Black Rhino will have its first secondary level class.
The Plan
In 2014 with the help of Nigerian architect Kunlé Adeyemi and his team at Nlé Works, our vision began to take shape.
2020 — 2022
Covid hit Tanzania just like the rest of the world in early 2020 and with 17% of Tanzanian’s GDP coming from Tourism, it had a significant impact on Tanzanians especially in our area near the main National Parks. Despite the departure of a number of foreign students, the school managed to continue grow and after a brief national school closure, Black Rhino reopened to full in person learning in August 2020. Students were able to continue their education and also participate in lots of fun activities such as full size self portraits in their art club seen right.
May 2023