Our Story

Our Story: From Vision to Impact

Aid Tanzania began as a dream shared between Wantay and Tina Irmakesen. They founded Aid Tanzania, a registered 501(c)(3) organization in 2007, driven by Wantay's deep connection to his homeland—he is Maasai from Tanzania's stunning Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA).

A Focus on Service

In late 2010, the Irmakesen family made a life-affirming and enhancing decision. They packed their bags and moved from Colorado with their infant daughter to Karatu, Tanzania, where they would spend the next nine years in service to the pastorlists of Ngorongoro. Together they founded Kiretono Resource Organization (KRO), a local NGO that would establish programs aligned with Aid Tanzania's mission to promote health, income generation and access to education for pastoralists. With Aid Tanzania's funding and support, Kiretono became a force for empowering women and girls within the pastoralist Maasai community.

Empowering Women

Kiretono built a successful social enterprise giving pastoralist women the tools and training to build sustainable incomes. The successful venture became a model for other organzations to follow and Kiretono's group leaders provided training and support to other Maasai communities within the 3,200 sq mile NCA. Today, the venture is entirely run by Tanzanians having transitioned to the next phase of longer term sustainability.
Nurturing Young Minds

An after-school tutoring and residential program run by Kiretono opened its doors for girls to pursue their educational dreams. Once the girls grew beyond Kiretono's residential program, Aid Tanzania committed financial support to see those who qualified, through post secondeary education. Today, we have more than a dozen young women pursuing post secondary certificates and degrees.

Caring for Community Health

Hundreds of Ngorongoro residents were served through free vision and dental screenings organized by Kiretono, bringing vital healthcare and referrals directly to those who needed it most. Kiretono conducted SAFE water workshops for hundreds of pastoralists and then distributed locally made ceramic pot filters providing access to clean drinking water for hundreds of people during the five year life of the filters. In tandem, efficient, low-smoke wood-burning stoves sourced in the US by Aid Tanzania, and distributed to residents made everyday tasks easier and life healthier for pastoralist families.
Full Circle
Today, Aid Tanzania's story has come beautifully full circle. The organization now proudly partners with the very women they once trained—purchasing their handcrafted goods and selling them in the US. Every sale creates a ripple effect of hope: the proceeds sponsor girls' secondary and post-secondary education, ensuring the next generation can reach even greater heights. What started as one family's vision has grown into a thriving network of empowered communities, educated girls, and sustainable change.