We couldn’t do what we do without our great partners!
Tanzanian Government
MSG works closely with the Tanzanian government at all levels: district, regional, and national. Relevant offices include Community Development Offices (district and regional), Medical Office (district and regional), Education Office (district and regional), Health Office (district and regional), Ministry of Health (national), Ministry of Education (national), and Ministry of Community Development Gender, Women, and Special Groups (national).
- WASH Pillar: MSG participates in nationwide update meetings with the Ministry of Health and other WASH stakeholders on a regular basis. These meetings focus on providing updates on progress related to various disease outbreaks and allow stakeholders to share their initiatives.
- Local Government Authorities (LGAs): MSG works closely with LGAs to provide services at the village and community level. LGAs are paramount to gaining community access, understanding community priorities, and providing valuable services. All programs are implemented hand-in-hand with community leadership and authorities.
- RUWASA: MSG’s partnership with the Tanzania Rural Water and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA) is critical for implementing and growing rural water supply and access across the Rorya District. In 2024, MSG specifically launched a partnership with RUWASA, whereby the MSG WASH Hub supplies water to surrounding communities managed and operated by RUWASA.
- WASH HCFs: MSG started its WASH in Health Care Facilities focus area in 2021 with the mission to improve community health outcomes through partnership with local health institutions (hospitals, clinics, and dispensaries). To date, MSG partners with 14 HCFs in the Rorya District.
- School Health Clubs: MSG started its School Health Club programming in 2013 with the mission to improve community health outcomes through hygiene and health education at the student level. To date, MSG partners with 39 schools in the Rorya, Butiama, and Bunda Districts.
World Health Organization
The WHO has donated cholera emergency response materials to MSG during cholera outbreaks in the Mara Region. Supplies were used to teach community members about cholera prevention and preparedness.
Shirati KMT District Hospital
MSG was founded as a pilot program under the Shirati KMT District Hospital in 2012. Since then, the KMT has been a seminal partner with whom MSG continues to grow and share support. Today, the two organizations especially partner on running Disease Prevention Centers and providing nutrition education as well as schistosomiasis prevention and treatment.
Shirati KMT Nursing School
The Shirati KMT Nursing School partners with MSG to provide field work and practicum experience to local nurses. Nurses work alongside MSG’s Community Health Educators to provide community health education.
Rotary International
Rotary International is a member-driven organization and network made up of over 1.4 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change. MSG is fortunate to partner with two Rotary chapters: the Rotary Club of Denver Southeast (US-based) and the Rotary Club of Northwest Spirit (Canada-based). These two chapters have supported MSG’s focus in Menstrual Hygiene Health and WASH in Health Care Facilities with multiple grants.
mWater
mWater is a women-owned small business provider of data-driven project management. The MSG team uses the mWater platform to track project data collection, monitoring, and evaluation.
Tanzania Water and Sanitation Network (TAWASANET)
TAWASANET is a network of Tanzanian civil society organizations in the water and sanitation sector. MSG has been a member of TAWASANET since 2014 and is the Zonal Coordinator for the Lake Zone. MSG participates in annual general meetings and provides advocacy and leadership in the network.
Menstrual Health Projects
- Women’s Choice TZ: Women’s Choice is a social enterprise that manufactures and distributes low cost, affordable menstrual hygiene products – especially, reusable Salama pads.
- AnuFlo: AnuFlo is a Tanzania-based social enterprise that manufactures reusable menstrual products. MSG utilizes AnuFlo products in our Menstrual Hygiene Health programs.
- Saalt: Saalt is a global company that provides reusable solutions for menstruation. Their products are donated to MSG to support our Menstrual Hygiene Health programs.
- Relief Pads: Relief Pads supplies reusable pads to support MSG’s Menstrual Hygiene Health programs.
- Afya Plus: Afya Plus is a supplier of reusable pads to support MSG’s Menstrual Hygiene Health programs.
- Ree Pads: Ree Pads is a supplier of reusable pads to support MSG’s Menstrual Hygiene Health programs.
MHH Coalition
The Tanzanian Menstrual Hygiene Health Coalition is a network of Tanzanian governmental, non-governmental, and civil society organizations working to improve MHH in Tanzania. MSG was a seminal organizer of the original coalition in 2018. The mission is to increase knowledge sharing between MHH stakeholders and combine efforts to increase policies and services at the national level. Current collaborations include organizing the annual National Menstrual Hygiene Day celebration and increasing awareness of MHH issues.
Tanzanian Menstrual Hygiene Management Task Force
The Tanzanian Menstrual Hygiene Management Task Force is a network of a wide variety of Tanzanian governmental, non-governmental and civil society organizations working to improve MHM in Tanzania. MSG was part of bringing together this consortium of organizations in 2018 to increase sharing between MHM stakeholders and combine efforts to push MHM services and policies forward at a national level.
Together Women Rise
Together Women Rise is a powerful community of women and allies dedicated to achieving global gender equality. They have hundreds of local chapters across the U.S. where members learn about and advocate for gender equality issues, give grants to organizations that empower women and girls in low-income countries, and build community to forge meaningful connections that increase our strength and collective impact.
LUSH Charity Pot
The LUSH Charity Pot offers grants to grassroots organizations that are in an optimal position to make a difference with limited resources. LUSH has been a committed partner of MSG since 2018, supporting a diversity of programs, including cholera prevention, home health visits, and WASH in health care facilities.
Touro University, Program of Public Health
Touro University California is a non-profit institution of higher learning and professional education with programs in Public Health. In partnership with MSG, Touro is conducting research and mapping in the Rorya District to determine the prevalence of and need for increased services in non-communicable disease treatment and education.
First Foundation
Since 2016, The First Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Michigan, has provided funding to MSG’s After School Program, Health Screening Program, and Male Hygiene Program through its First Foundation. Current funding provides MSG with the opportunity to expand our reach with our Singing and Dance Group by focusing on peer-to-peer teaching.
Beyond our Borders
Beyond our Borders is a group-advised fund under The Women’s Foundation of Colorado. Its mission is to strengthen families and communities, while advancing and amplifying opportunities for women to reach economic self-sufficiency. BOB has supported MSG’s Female Hygiene Program.
Project C.U.R.E.
Project C.U.R.E. is a US- based nonprofit dedicated to addressing the shortage of medical resources around the world. MSG and Project C.U.R.E. partner to provide critical medical supplies for clinics and hospitals in the Rorya District.
AllPeopleBeHappy
AllPeopleBeHappy is a US-based foundation which supports projects that address the root causes of poverty and increase prospects for happiness and better livelihoods. MSG partnered with AllPeopleBeHappy to extend female hygiene health education to the Butiama District in 2022.
Center for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology (CAWST)
The Center for Affordable Water and Science Technology (CAWST) is a Canadian charity and professional engineering consultancy dedicated to teaching people how to bring safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene to their homes, schools, and clinics via simple, affordable technologies. CAWST supports MSG with capacity building in a training-of-trainers model. Together, we are increasing the capacity of MSG’s staff to provide critical WASH education and training across East Africa, including in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia.
Swiss Midwife Project
Since 2021, MSG has been hosting midwifery students from the Bern University of Applied Sciences in Switzerland. The nurses come to learn and help at the Shirati KMT District Hospital’s maternity ward and support MSG’s Menstrual Hygiene Health program.
Friends of Tanzania
Friends of Tanzania (FOT) is a non-profit charitable organization that has provided funding to grassroots organizations in Tanzania since 1991. FOT was started by former Peace Corps workers in Tanzania (or Tanganyika at the time). FOT has supported MSG since 2018 and has provided funds for multiple projects, including an Arborloo Toilet pilot project, SAFI toilet construction, and Menstrual Hygiene Health Labs.
African School Assistance Project
African School Assistance Project (ASAP) is committed to increasing access to quality public education in East Africa, especially for girls. MSG and ASAP became partners in 2018 when we received an International Collaboration Grant from the Posner Center in Denver. Together, we have trained the 96 young women in ASAP’s Kupanda Project as Junior Community Health Educators. These secondary students then go out to primary schools and teach about the importance of WASH and Menstrual Hygiene Management.
REACH Shirati
REACH Shirati runs Tina’s Education Center (TEC) for primary school students in Shirati. When MSG started, REACH Shirati was our parent organization. Together, we have made TEC a stronghold for students to learn and grow through our programs. Today, MSG and REACH Shirati collaborate on the Binti na Shule (Girls in School) program, a mentorship program to improve girls’ performance in schools.
Paul Horton Visuals
Paul Horton Visuals is a creative company focused on providing digital and print media solutions. They support MSG with video and media content.
The Generous View Studio
The Generous View Studio is a privately owned meeting space in Boulder, Colorado, dedicated to spreading awareness of global issues in general and MSG’s work in Tanzania in particular. Through professionally taught art classes and informal gatherings, the studio supports the creative community in Boulder and generates revenue for non-profits.
Posner Center
MSG is a member at the Posner Center in Denver, Colorado. The Posner Center convenes, connects and catalyzes the international development community to collaborate for greater impact. In 2018, MSG and the African School Assistance Project (ASAP) received an International Collaboration Grant from the Posner Center.
Whittier International Elementary School
Since 2014, MSG has conducted an annual read-a-thon at Whittier International Elementary to support our After School Program. Participants spread awareness and raise contributions for MSG by recruiting sponsors for each book they read. This grassroots fundraising partnership with Whittier benefits youths in the US and Tanzania by promoting reading and providing school supplies for our After School Program.
Heatherwood Elementary School
MSG starting conducting read-a-thons at Heatherwood Elementary to support our After School Program in 2018. Participants spread awareness and raise contributions for MSG by recruiting sponsors for each book they read. This grassroots fundraising partnership with Heatherwood benefits youths in the US and Tanzania by promoting reading and providing school supplies for our After School Program.
Roddenberry Foundation
The Roddenberry Foundation is a global foundation that supports bold ideas. MSG is a proud recipient of the Roddenberry Catalyst grant.
Washington University in St. Louis
Since 2013, MSG has partnered with the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis by providing practicum opportunities for graduate students studying Social Work and/or Public Health. In 2017, MSG hosted Professor Carolyn Lesorogol and twelve graduate students focusing on participatory development tools.
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado is the alma mater of co-founder Bruce Pelz and home to the Mortenson Center in Engineering for Developing Communities. MSG has participated in the Center’s annual WASH Symposium since 2015 and has hosted several CU students in Tanzania. In 2016, MSG hosted professor Beth Osnes; together, we conducted research on the vocal empowerment of women.
World Learning
Both MSG founders were once students in World Learning programs. In 2013, we reignited our relationship with the organization after winning a World Learning Advancing Leaders Fellowship. Their generous contributions have strengthened our programs and given MSG some of its first funding. MSG also offers World Learning students the opportunity to do their independent study projects in Shirati.
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is co-founder Max Perel-Slater’s alma mater and awarded him and fellow student Otis Posson the Christopher Brodigan Fund Award (2011, 2012). Max Perel-Slater has been a Senior Fellow of the Wesleyan College of the Environment since 2013. MSG has hosted several volunteers from Wesleyan, and their dance troop, Terpsichore, has supported MSG’s Singing and Dance Group through their performances.
University of Dar es Salaam
In 2017, MSG worked with Bertha Mhepela, a graduate student from the Sustainable Sanitation in Theory and Action (SUSTAIN) Program at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) to test menstrual cups as a potential solution to Menstrual Hygiene Management barriers in rural areas. This research helped lead to the start of the Tanzanian Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) Task Force, and we continue to work closely with Adjunct Professor Sara Gabrielson on MHM issues.
Grow and Know
In 2009, Grow and Know launched the very successful Vipindi vya Maisha, a book about female puberty. The book received positive responses from girls, women, mothers, teachers – even fathers and male peers. MSG’s Community Health Educators use this book as a resource in our Female Hygiene Program.
AFRIpads
AFRIpads are washable cloth sanitary towels designed to provide effective menstrual protection for a full year (12 cycles). They are comfortable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly sanitary pads that are promoted as a sustainable and affordable option for girls in the areas where MSG’s Female Hygiene Program operates.
Population Services International (PSI)
MSG works with Population Services International (PSI) as the Mara Regional Distributor for products like Salama condoms and WaterGuard, a chlorine water treatment product. The product is an alternative to boiling water, thus avoiding the use of firewood. WaterGuard is a staple of the water treatment methods MSG promotes in the Mara Region.
The LEGO Foundation
Based in Denmark, The LEGO Foundation provides charity boxes with their world-famous blocks to MSG for our youth programs. The LEGO blocks delight the children and promote creative thinking and hands-on learning.