Introducing Tukaone Projects Limited

Updated April 3, 2018

In the summer of 2016, Walk Around the World, LLC became a 49% shareholder in Tukaone Projects Limited, a Tanzanian company established to promote economic, agricultural, and educational development in Tanzania.  As a result of my experiences with John Mansur Mwakalinga and the Gift of Language School, and John’s tireless efforts to help his country over the last fifteen years, beginning in late 2015, we began to discuss ways to work together on a new development project.   After much discussion, planning, and research, we agreed to create TuKAoNe Projects Limited.

The Mission and Purpose of TuKAoNe Projects Limited is to promote economic development and create self-sustainable communities through agricultural projects, educational projects, and by offering financial assistance to local businesses.

The first project is an agricultural project, specifically a rice farm in the area of Wami-Dakawa, Tanzania.  Wami-Dakawa is  located about 40 km north of the city of Morogoro on the road to Dodoma (Capital City of Tanzania).   The village is found in Mvomero District, in Morogoro Region.  The name Wami derived from the existence of a large river flowing through the area called “River Wami.”

The predominant tribe living at Wami-Dakawa Village are Maasai people to a great extent.  This is because the Late Prime Minister, Mr. Sokoine, who was from the Maasai tribe, died in the area, and and so his fellow tribal men had to come and start living in the village where their Maasai warrior had lost his life.  But as the years passed, the Gogo tribe followed, and later on Sukuma tribes and Wamburu from Lake Manyara arrived in the area.  Now the Village is occupied by Maasai, Gogo, Sukuma and Mburus.  The population size of the area is about 2,050 people.

TuKAoNe Projects Limited has just purchased a 15 acre farm near Wami-Dakawa.  The land is located close to the Wami River.  It is approximately  100 to 150 meters from the river to the rice fields.

Below are images of John Mansur Mwakalinga surveying the property with the seller:

amzing-rice-fields-wami-johnny Showing-borders-of-the-Fields 

proposed-location-for-TuKAoNe-Farms2 proposed-location-for-TuKAoNe-Farms1

The Wami-Dakawa Agricultural Project Objectives are:

  • Purchase the farm land
  • Develop the rice farm and begin rice production
  • Develop the means of stocking and selling rice products
  • Use profits to grow the farms and to promote educational and economic development in the area

The Wami-Dakawa Agricultural Project will have many social and economic benefits, including:

  • Employing local Tanzanians;
  • Investing profits to help grow the company by buying more land and expanding to processing rice, establishing and assist schools, and improving lives of the locals by providing them with farming and other micro-business loans;
  • Local health and nutrition will be improved.

TuKAoNe Projects Ltd. will approach the Wami-Dakawa Agricultural Project in six phases:

  • Phase 1 (Winter 2016-17): Create and register the Company – this phase involves creating, and registering the business, and planning and drafting a business plan.  A Memorandum of Association, Articles of Association, and Registration Certificate from Brella (A registering body in Tanzania) have been prepared, submitted, and approved.  The company business plan has been drafted. 
  • Phase 2 (Spring 2017): Purchase and receive title to farm land – the former owner of the land, Mama Sara, has agreed to sell TuKAoNe Projects Ltd. 15 acres of land near the Wami River for 16,500,000 TZS (approximately $8,000).  TuKAoNe Projects entered into a purchase agreement with a down payment of $500 US.
  • Phase 3 (Summer – Fall 2017): Develop fixed assets/farm infrastructure –  building a storage building/office, installing solar power, installing a water pump and irrigation piping, purchasing safety and chemical equipment,etc.
  • Phase 4 (Fall 2017 or Spring 2018): Begin production of Paddy – this will entail seasonal, materials, and labor costs, including purchasing seeds, chemicals, fertilizers, gunny bags, plastic bags, transportation, diesel, and labor involved in preparation for planting, planting, tending the fields,  harvesting, drying, and selling paddy.
  • Phase 5 (2018 – 2019): Rice processing – after some successful harvests, the project will seek to begin processing the paddy into processed rice to increase profitability of the operation.  Alternatively, more land will be purchased if in the best interest of the Company.
  • Phase 6 (2020 and beyond): Expansion – grow the company by using profits to buy more land, expand to establishing schools, providing micro-loans to local businesses, etc.

Walk Around the World, LLC will be a primary source of funding for the project until it is self-sustaining and profitable.

Please check the blog posts to follow developments!

Some photos of the village area:

Wami-Sokoine-Pastoralsim2 School-Students-at-Wami-Sokoine-Village

Wami-River-Bridge

Updated: Due to titling issues for the first property, pursuant to the Land Sale Agreement, the sellers located other family property not far away, northwest of Dakawa, near the village of Hembeti.  Below is an updated timeline to reflect the current status of the farm and Project.

TuKAoNe Projects Ltd. will approach the Hembeti Agricultural Project in six phases:

  • Phase 1 (Completed Winter 2016-17): Create and register the Company – this phase involved creating, and registering the business, and planning and drafting a business plan.  A Memorandum of Association, Articles of Association, and Registration Certificate from Brella (A registering body in Tanzania) have been prepared, submitted, and approved.  The company business plan has been drafted.  TuKAoNe Projects Ltd. received its Certificate of Incorporation on January 5th, 2017. 
  • Phase 2 (Spring 2018): Purchase and receive title to farm land – the former owner of the land, Mama Sara, sold TuKAoNe Projects Ltd. 15 acres of land near Hembeti on Dizingwi River for 16,500,000 TSH (approximately $8,000US).  TuKAoNe Projects entered into a purchase agreement with a down payment of $500 US and the final Land Sale Agreement was signed on March 10, 2017 and the land paid for.  Due to title issues, the purchase of the original property, near the village of Dakawa, was not able to be finalized, and alternate property was purchased near Hembeti.
  • Phase 3 (Summer – Fall 2018): Develop fixed assets/farm infrastructure –  building a storage building/office, installing solar power, installing a water pump and irrigation piping, purchasing safety and chemical equipment,etc.
  • Phase 4 (Winter 2018 or Spring 2019): Begin production of Paddy/Corn – this will entail seasonal, materials, and labor costs, including purchasing seeds, chemicals, fertilizers, gunny bags, plastic bags, transportation, diesel, and labor involved in preparation for planting, planting, tending the fields,  harvesting, drying, and selling paddy.
  • Phase 5 (2019 – 2020): Rice/corn processing – after some successful harvests, the project will seek to begin processing the corn and paddy to increase profitability of the operation.  Alternatively, more land will be purchased if in the best interest of the Company.
  • Phase 6 (2020 and beyond): Expansion – grow the company by using profits to buy more land, expand to establishing schools, providing micro-loans to local businesses, etc.

 

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