Saturday School at IISM provides free weekly education to 100 children from our local community around Isamilo and across Mwanza city. Saturday School allows our children many opportunities that they would never get to experience at a local school, such as art lessons with watercolours and pastels, basketball, rounders and tag rugby using the correct equipment and on suitable pitches.

Most importantly, the children receive a weekly swimming lesson in our school pool, taught by qualified swimming instructors and supported by IISM students.

Their first week at Saturday School is often the first time that our children have been fully submerged in water and is always the first time that they have had any form of swimming teaching. Over the time that they spend with us, children become confident in the water and able to keep themselves afloat and swim. The tragic events of the recent ferry disaster within our region of Tanzania further highlighted the importance of empowering these young people with the skills to save themselves and others in the water if the situation ever arises.

IISM allow us to use the school‘s facilities free of charge every Saturday and dedicated staff, pupils and parents provide support every Saturday morning.

We fundraise throughout the year to buy resources, provide our children with a snack and drink each week and to support our children with books, stationary and clothing that they need to provide themselves to be able to attend their free local schools.