About Ms. Faraja Nyalandu:
Faraja Kotta Nyalandu is a well-known social entrepreneur and advocate for quality education in Tanzania. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Shule Direct, a pioneering social enterprise that provides digital educational content to students and teachers through web and mobile platforms. This initiative focuses on increasing access to quality learning resources, particularly for underserved communities, offering interactive lessons, tutorials, and assessments developed by expert educators.
Academic and Professional Background:
Faraja holds a Master’s degree in Law from the University of East London, where she also earned her Bachelor’s degree. Her legal studies centered on Labour Migration, Citizenship, Human Rights, and Refugee Law, giving her a solid background in social justice advocacy. She first gained public recognition as Miss Tanzania 2004, using her platform to advance her advocacy work in education and youth empowerment.
Leadership and Impact:
In addition to her role at Shule Direct, Faraja serves as the Board Chairperson of the Tanzania Education Network/Mtandao wa Elimu Tanzania (TEN/MET), where she advocates for inclusive, quality education nationwide. She is also a board member of Ubongo Learning and a member of the Global Future Council on Education, Gender, and Work at the World Economic Forum.
Faraja’s dedication to education and social impact has earned her multiple awards, including the Leading Woman in Technology in Africa award. She has also authored two Swahili books, “Faraja ya Usichana” and “Mbinu ya Kumudu Masomo Yako,” aimed at inspiring and empowering young learners.