Ezekiel Kwilla lives with his wife and two sons in accommodation on the school premises in rural Tanzania. He works tirelessly to improve the lives of his students and believes that by sharing his difficult life experiences he can be a role model to show what happens if you work hard.

Kwilla has benefitted from working with Warwick in Africa Volunteer Teachers in his school and also from attending the Warwick Study Programme in 2015.

“My father passed away when I was 8 years old and so as the oldest of three brothers I became very responsible in our household. We struggled financially and I had to skip school to ensure my family could eat.

After school I wanted to go to university in Dar but I could not afford the fees so I worked for a year bottling up tap water and selling it from a cart to save up. I would walk for hours every day, it was emotionally and physically challenging.

After university I became a teacher and was quickly promoted. In the last 5 years I have also won prizes for being the top teacher in the region and have been recognised by both the district and regional education officers for my work. I now teach English Literature to 300 students, it’s a real challenge with just 5 copies of the book for all these students.

The Warwick teachers are brilliant and have a great impact at the school. I have learnt from them and my time at Warwick a passion for teaching; a passion to help the learners, to be committed and to use different teaching techniques. I have learnt that it is important to provide different games and materials to ensure that all learners engage."