2004

The Mondo Foundation was set up as a charity.  The initiative was taken by a group of ex MondoChallenge volunteers who were keen to support the projects where they had worked.

2005

Shortly after the formation of the charity, we were given a real challenge when the tsunami hit Sri Lanka, where we had several programmes running.  We were able to spring into action and immediately raised substantial funds from various sources including ex volunteers, charitable trusts and corporate donors.

With the confidence of dealing effectively with the Sri Lanka situation, where we focused on education and livelihood programmes, we expanded our operations into Tanzania where we launched the HIV Grants programme in partnership with a local HIV support group near Arusha.

2006

Expansion of the HIV Grants programmes to Moshi and launch of an HIV training and awareness project in the Arusha region.

A programme of vocational training was introduced, sponsored by Rotary International.

In NE India, we developed a support programme to help the small local schools where MondoChallenge volunteers worked in the Himalayas around Darjeeling and Kalimpong.  The aim was to pay half the cost of the teachers’ salaries in these schools, thus making them accessible to even the poorest children in the region.

2007

Nepal was added to our list of countries as we helped support teacher salaries in schools near Kathmandu.

The Tanzania programmes expanded with the launch of a major classroom building scheme in the Arusha Mt Meru region.  This was accompanied by an initiative to install water tanks in several schools where children had no access to running water.

2008

A major development was the setting up of a computer and internet centre in Longido, Tanzania, sponsored by a London based company.  The centre has been training primary school children in computer skills ever since.

A major expansion of the Tanzania HIV Grants programme took place and micro loans were introduced.

The Foundation started building a brand new 8 classroom school in the Kalimpong region of NE India. Costing just £24,000, it will enable the local children to move straight through to secondary education.

2009

Nepal took centre stage as we were awarded a major grant to assist 10 small rural primary schools in the Helambu region, NE of Kathmandu.  We built several new classrooms, recruited additional teachers and provided libraries and games equipment.

The Tanzania HIV grants programme now has seven partners in Arusha, Moshi and Usangi.  Over 300 HIV positive women now have small businesses thanks to this imaginative scheme.

The Education project in the NE India Himalayas was expanded to nine schools and two of these were able to make a start in developing secondary education.

2010

The Tanzania programme has won a major additional grant to enable more HIV affected women to set up businesses.  This time, however, we have money to provide top up loans so that the most successful recipients can borrow money to expand their businesses.

Also in Tanzania, we have launched the Yogurt Mamas scheme to enable a cooperative group to set up a yogurt making business.  Using a patented pro-biotic yogurt from University of Western Ontario, the scheme is based on the successful Yogurt Mamas operation in Mwanza.