From classrooms and toilet blocks, to tools to help low vision children lead a more normal life, the local community will be the real winners from this year’s Dar es Salaam Charity Goat Races set for May 30.
Dar es Salaam Charity Races Committee Chair, Karen Stanley, said on Thursday the races have quickly become Dar’s premier charity event.
“We say that just one goat can make a difference and when you think about how the money raised from just one goat can go and buy school textbooks or uniforms or fund a rural health clinic, you realise how one goat and, indeed, the Goat Races, can make a difference to someone’s future,” she said.
Based loosely on the UK Royal Ascot horse race, except with the horses replaced with the racing goat, the first ever Dar Goat Races raised 21m/- and last year the event raised over 190m/-.
Now in their 15th year, the Dar es Salaam Charity Goat Races have raised over 1bn/- for local charities, with the money going towards a variety of projects throughout Tanzania.
This year money raised from the races will support CCBRT, The Daughter’s of Mary Immaculate and Collaborators, Kidzcare Kerege Children’s Home and Pre-School, Matumaini Day Care Centre for Disabled Children, Tumaine la Maisha, Tupendane and St. Paul’s English Medium Primary School. Wilfred Muhogolo from St. Paul’s English Medium Primary School at Kibaigwa, says the Goat Races are providing the school with funding to build classrooms.
“The support we have received from the Goat Races over the years has really helped up build up the school and provide the local community with a quality kindergarden and primary school education option,” Muhogolo said. Each year a number of sponsors provide significant cash and in-kind support to ensure the Goat Races take place.
One of this year’s sponsors is Tigo, who are sponsoring a race and providing a prize for one of the race day competitions. Tigo’s Corporate Communications Manager, John Wanyancha, says events like the Charity Goat Races are an important way for business to be able to give back to the local community.
The 2015 Dar es Salaam Charity Goat Races will take place from noon, on Saturday, 30 May at The Green on Kenyatta Drive. Tickets are 10,000/- for adults and 5,000/- for children under 12.
