We want to see indigenous communities contribute to the social and economic fabric of African society on an equal footing with everyone else.

There are a lot of great development projects out there, especially in Africa.  Indigenous people often face extra barriers to participation in these projects, so they miss out on a lot of their benefits.  They may not have the foundational skills necessary to participate in projects targeted at the broader community.

This is where Testigo come in.  We tailor our projects to meet the specific needs of a given indigenous community.  We believe that local problems need locally conceived solutions.  We don’t just apply a recipe we came up with ourselves – we believe development should happen from the ground up.  We place a premium on what the community tells us is important.  We invest a lot in finding out about the critical challenges they face, and then come up with a solution in partnership with the community.

What we have achieved so far:

• 12,500 Masai have access to clean drinking water
• 37 subvillages in Masai land in Tanzania have been trained in permaculture techniques
• 700 Masai women and men have learnt how to grow their own food for the first time and are eating and selling their home grown produce
• 584 school students from four primary and secondary schools have been trained and are now growing, harvesting and eating the produce from their Testigo school gardens
• 6 villages now have household dams for rainwater collection
• 100 Masai women and men are now engaged in rural chicken breeding
• 100 Masai women and men have learned Swahili and English through our adult school
• 10 Masai women are making and selling beaded jewellery for export to the US

Mount Kilimanjaro

Join us in August 2025 on a Testigo charity climb up Mount Kilimanjaro

Join Testigo’s founder and director Tracey Sawyer in making a difference!

We arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport on 31st July 2025, commencing our eight day trek on 1st August on the Loshomo route.  Following our climb we visit Testigo Africa’s school and Masai permaculture communities, where you’ll experience the Masai culture firsthand.

Safari We have an amazing optional safari to the Great Rift Valley’s Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater (UNESCO world heritage site) and Tarangire National Park (famous for its elephants) to experience Africa’s stunning wildlife and landscapes, finishing with an overnight visit to Longido to meet the Masai family that inspired Testigo’s water and permaculture projects.

Zanzibar We offer an optional trip to the beautiful spice island of Zanzibar, where you’ll visit historical Stonetown, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and explore Zanzibar’s beaches.

Mt Kilimanjaro climb.  This exhilarating climb will challenge you physically and spiritually, all while contributing to the vital work of charity Testigo Africa.  At an altitude of 5,895 metre, the trek is rated from moderate to challenging.  Your luggage is carried by porters (you only carry your day pack) while experienced local guides lead our group.

Why Support Charity Testigo Africa?  Testigo Africa focuses on food, water, and education in Tanzania.  We tailor our projects to meet the specific needs of a given Masai community or school, as we believe local problems need locally conceived solutions.  We place a premium on what the communities tells us is important and co-design in partnership with them.  We’ve been doing this for 15 years.

Your participation helps fund:

• Training remote Masai boarding school students and teachers in permaculture
• Culturally sensitive permaculture training projects for Masai communities
• Water projects in Masai villages and schools including water access, pipelines, water tanks, water rehabilitation and dams
• Vocational and school sponsorship of Masai students
• Micro enterprise entrepreneurial and start-up support

Email us at info@testigo.org and visit www.testigo.org/journeys to register for the climb and indicate your interest in the wildlife safari and Zanzibar visit.

Testigo's project in Loiborsoit 'A'

Permaculture Project (Short Version)

See more films and documentaries here.