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An independent voice for evidence

LearnImpact is a Tanzanian non-governmental organisation built on more than a decade of rigorous research and programme delivery. Independent since 2026 — and accountable to the children, teachers, and government partners we serve.

Our story

A decade of evidence, now standing on its own.

LearnImpact was born from a simple conviction: that Tanzania's public education system can deliver world-class learning outcomes — and that the evidence to get it there already exists, if we are willing to build it patiently.

For over ten years, the team behind LearnImpact has run programmes — most notably KiuFunza — that pair frontline implementation with randomised controlled trials. The work has been published internationally, replicated, costed, and scaled. In 2026 we became an independent NGO so that the institutional weight of that evidence base could stand behind a single, focused mission.

We are not a consultancy. We are not a research lab. We are an evidence-based learning systems organisation — and our partner of first resort is the Tanzanian government.

M. KamukuluExecutive Director, LearnImpact
1400×800 · ED portrait
900×500 · field visit · Mtwara
2026
Year of independence
What guides us

Mission, vision, and the way we work.

Mission

Generate the evidence that lets public education systems scale what works.

Every programme we run is designed from day one to be transferable — to government, at government cost, with government people running it.

Vision

A Tanzania where every child, in every school, learns to read and reason.

We are unapologetic about the level of ambition. The evidence base says it is possible. The work is to keep proving it, school by school.

Approach

Pilot rigorously. Cost honestly. Hand over fully.

We do not run parallel systems. Our success is measured by how much of our work is no longer ours — adopted into the public system and removed from our books.

Our values

Eight commitments we make to every partner.

01

Evidence over advocacy

We are willing to be wrong in public, on paper, with our methodology disclosed. Pre-registration is non-negotiable.

02

Government as primary partner

We design for adoption, not autonomy. Every operational decision is filtered through “could the Ministry do this next year?”

03

Costed at scale

No intervention leaves our pilot stage without a per-child cost, an operational manual, and a budgeting playbook.

04

Long horizons

RCTs take years; replications take more. We resist the urge to declare victory on midline results.

05

Teachers, centred

Every programme starts and ends with the classroom teacher. We motivate, equip, and celebrate them — not bypass them.

06

Funder-aligned

We treat funders as research partners, not customers. Our reporting is the reporting we would want if our money were on the table.

07

Open by default

Data, methodology, and operational manuals are published unless there is a specific reason not to. The default is open.

08

Bilingual, biased local

Kiswahili and English. Tanzanian leadership. Decisions made in Dar es Salaam, not the capitals of our partners.

Our people

A small team, deeply rooted in Tanzanian education.

LearnImpact is led by Tanzanian researchers, programme managers, and education specialists. Some of us have been on this work for a decade. Some are newer. All of us are here because the evidence base demands it.

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M. Kamukulu
Executive Director

Twelve years on KiuFunza. Co-author of the QJE paper.

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K. Expellah
Director of Research

Leads RCT design, pre-registration, and methodology.

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S. Yusuph
Programmes Director

SOMA pilot lead. Mtwara field operations.

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A. Mwambungu
Senior Researcher

Cost-effectiveness analysis. Open-data steward.

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R. Kileo
KiuFunza Lead

Manages incentive rollouts across 180+ schools.

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J. Mhagama
Mwalimu Kinara Lead

Designs the annual recognition cycle nationwide.

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P. Nkonya
Government Liaison

Ministry of Education and regional councils.

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F. Lugendo
Head of Finance

Donor reporting, audit, and grant management.

Board & governance

Trustees who hold us to the evidence.

Dr. E. Mwita
Chair

Former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Tanzania.

Prof. L. Onyango
Vice-Chair

Professor of Economics, University of Dar es Salaam.

N. Kibwana
Trustee · Governance & risk

Independent director. Former World Bank country director.

Dr. T. Mosha
Trustee · Research

Senior fellow, J-PAL Africa. RCT methodology specialist.

G. Sanga
Trustee · Finance & audit

Partner, Sanga & Associates. Chairs the Audit Committee.

F. Bwana
Trustee · Community voice

Headteacher, Mtwara primary school network.

Registration & legal

An independent NGO,
registered in Tanzania.

LearnImpact is a Tanzanian non-governmental organisation registered with the Registrar of NGOs. We operate independently from any former host organisation. Our financial statements are audited annually and published with our annual report.

Download 2026 annual report
Legal name
LearnImpact Tanzania
Registration
00NGO/R/8931
Registered office
Plot 350, Ali Bin Said Street, Msasani, Dar es Salaam
Founding year
2026 (independent)
Audit
Sanga & Associates · annual
Tax status
NGO under Tanzania NGO Act 2002