Talents of Tanzania
About Us
We are devoted to the empowerment of Tanzania's youth. This is our story.
The Vision
The House of Talents was created when Godlisten, a master acrobat and artistic performer from Tanzania, and Astrid, a physiotherapist and photographer from Switzerland, decided they wanted to harness their own talents to support those most affected by the rural poverty, like the people of Chanika.
Both saw the potential of acrobatics and performing arts to give children and adolescents confidence and to empower them through the development of new skills. At the House of Talents, they could provide them with an environment where their talents are recognized and valued; it could be a place that also supports children in their education and provides a secure environment for focused training, learning, as well as joy.
The purpose of the House of Talents is to have a lasting impact on the spirit and future of Tanzania's youngest generation. We support them as they forge a path towards a future that holds more stable, prosperous livelihoods by fostering their sense of community and autonomy.
Founding the NGO
This shared vision led to the foundation of the Children and Youth Community Organization (CYCO) in 2021, which is a certified non-governmental organization in Tanzania. Later that year, Astrid founded a sister-organization in Switzerland, the Förderverein für Tansanias Junge Talente (FTJT), which is devoted to raising funds for the NGO. It is officially recognized as a charitable organization (meaning donations are tax-exempt.)
With the help of their communities, they built the House of Talents, where children began gathering for training even before construction was done. The CYCO team began building a network of support, recruiting professional acrobats to become resident trainers at the House of Talents.
So far, the founders and team members have invested their own means to build and grow this project; in this next phase, we hope to raise the funds to make sure the House of Talents' mission and potential can be sustained and the children can thrive.
Our Team in Switzerland
Our volunteers in Switzerland are Justine Keller (Admin, Communication, & Fundraising) and Morgane Ghilardi (Member of the Board, Communication).