Our Story

Tumaini La Maisha (TLM) is a Tanzanian non-governmental organisation dedicated to ensuring that every child with cancer in Tanzania has access to timely, high‑quality and completely free care, regardless of where they live or their family’s financial status. Our name means Hope for Life and hope is at the centre of everything we do.

TLM was officially registered in 2011, inspired by the courage of children with cancer, the determination of their parents and the commitment of healthcare workers serving on Tanzania’s first children’s cancer ward at the Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI). What began as a small, urgent response to overwhelming need has grown into a nationally coordinated movement for childhood cancer care.

Today, TLM works hand‑in‑hand with the Ministry of health and hospital partners across the country to reduce preventable suffering and deaths from childhood cancer and to prove that cure is possible, even in low‑resource settings.er in Tanzania – together we can! Please consider supporting our efforts.

An estimated 4,000–4,500 children develop cancer in Tanzania every year. For most families, the costs associated with diagnosis and treatment such as transport, accommodation, nutrition, investigations, and medicines are far beyond reach. Historically, fewer than 10% of children ever accessed care, and survival rates were below 10%. A childhood cancer diagnosis was, for almost every family, a death sentence.

To address the barriers of distance, cost, and limited specialist capacity, TLM helped establish and now supports the National Childhood Cancer Network (NCCN), a collaborative, government‑aligned model of care.

From a single ward in Dar es Salaam, the Network has grown to 21 treatment sites across multiple regions, including Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, Mwanza, Dodoma, Mbeya, Zanzibar, Morogoro, Lindi, Tanga, Manyara, Iringa and beyond. Our goal is ambitious but clear: to expand to more than 30 sites nationwide, ensuring that no child is more than a four‑hour journey from life‑saving care.

Through this network, TLM funds, sources and coordinates:

  • All chemotherapy for every child with cancer in Tanzania
  • Centralised cancer diagnostics (including advanced leukaemia flow cytometry and pathology)
  • Rapid transport of patients, samples, medicines, and cold‑chain items
  • National health insurance for all enrolled patients
  • Sub‑specialist training for doctors, nurses and pharmacists
  • Nutritional support, accommodation, psychosocial care, education and family support

All services are provided entirely free of charge to children and their families.

Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) in Dar es Salaam is the national referral hub for paediatric oncology. In partnership with MNH, TLM supports the Upendo & Dr. Mwamtemi ward, a purpose‑built 65‑bed facility opened in 2013 with support from the Rotary Clubs of Dar es Salaam and inaugurated by the late Dr Jane Goodall.

At MNH, TLM has helped establish:

A nationally integrated paediatric oncology electronic medical record system, designed specifically for African settings

A modern paediatric oncology ward

Ujasiri House, a 22‑bed “home away from home” hostel for children and caregivers

Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care Units (PICU & NICU)

High‑quality nutritional programmes and access to clean drinking water

Comprehensive psychosocial services including play therapy, schooling, support groups and skills shop.

The results of sustained collaboration, local leadership, and donor generosity are clear:

  • Children treated annually increased from 120 in 2005 to 990 new cases in 2025
  • Overall survival rates have improvedfrom less than 10% toover 50%
  • Access to care has expanded from 1 site to 21 nationwide
  • More than 2,000 children are supported each year across the Network (new and ongoing treatment)

Every life saved has been made possible through charitable support, at no cost to families.

The opening of the first Children’s Cancer Ward in Tanzania, at the Ocean Road TLM is committed to strengthening systems for the long term. We support:

  • Local postgraduate training through MUHAS, including Tanzania’s MSc and fellowship programmes in Paediatric Haematology & Oncology
  • Ongoing participation in international collaborative research trials
  • The development of innovative digital tools, including CleverCharts enabling secure, standardised national data collection

These innovations are designed not only for Tanzania, but to be shared across Africa and other low‑resource settings.

Our vision is bold—and achievable:

  • Reach every child with cancer in Tanzania, wherever they live
  • Achieve cure rates approaching those in high‑income countries
  • Expand the National Network to 30+ fully supported sites
  • Strengthen national transport, diagnostics, nutrition and psychosocial systems
  • Build a sustainable base of committed monthly and annual donors

Curing childhood cancer in Tanzania—together, we can.

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