2015

Pioneering Minds Scholarship Program: We accepted two new girls into the program this year, Anitha and Oliva, who completed their first year of secondary school. We were also so proud to have ten of our students graduate from primary, secondary and vocational training schools this year. Sharifa and Neema finished Class 7 and begin secondary school in January. Bazilla, Romani, Evance, Evarist and Schola completed Form 4 and the rigorous set of national exams. Angelo, Amadeus and Hosea completed 3-year vocational training certificate courses in electricity management, mechanics and construction, respectively.

Chipuka Livelihoods: We are seeing significant impact among our loan recipients. Most impressively, Emertha has been building a new, brick home to replace her old and crumbling mud home. A few have also fully paid back their loans months in advance and are now reaping the benefits of their new businesses.

Medical Missions: Knock continued our ongoing medical missions with another trip to Nicaragua in October, with one of our doctors working in pediatric urology in Managua. Dr. Durkee has made numerous trips to Nicaragua and Africa through Knock. We trained and worked with local doctors, donated life-saving medical equipment and fulfilled promises made from previous trips in 2013 and 2014. Our focus is on training and giving the equipment that hospitals do not/cannot get on their own; we work with their staff, ensuring that they can continue after we leave. To date, Knock has shipped over $1,000,000 worth of medical equipment and supplies to various countries. We are heading to Zambia in April 2016 to set up a permanent mission to hospitals based in Lusaka and Kateta and also hope to head to Bhutan sometime next year to set up a mobile urology clinic/OR that will travel the countryside providing much needed care.

Conscious Clubs: We implemented a brand new program, an after-school club, in four primary schools, teaching topics in life skills, reproductive health and family planning, drugs and alcohol and HIV/AIDS. Each club comprises 60 students across grades 3-7. Not only have the students been impacted through gaining significant knowledge, but the program has piqued the interest of the local government as well, with whom we hope to collaborate in the future.

School Lunch: Knock continued to provide daily school lunch to over 850 students in two Tanzanian primary schools. This year, Longuo Primary School's Class 7 scored highest in national exams in their ward, at least partly due to more engaged students and higher attendance rates.

2014

Pioneering Minds Scholarship Program: We added 7 more students to our scholarship program this year, bringing our total to 43 sponsored students in a variety of primary and secondary schools and technical training programs throughout northern Tanzania. Four students are entering great secondary schools and we are anxious to watch their success continue. Edwardi, Salome, Caroline and Joyce all joined advanced level programs (Form 5) in pursuit of their professional goals. Joyce, who is studying a Physics, Chemistry and Biology track in hopes of going to medical school, ranked first in her class after the first semester. We are so proud!

Business Development and Livelihoods: This year we reinstituted our provision of access to capital for small business development. Focusing on agriculture and animal husbandry, Knock gave out an average of $1,000 each to several individuals earlier this year. We are anxious to see the results of these loans and how they help to propel lives forward.

Healthcare: Knock continued ongoing medical missions with another trip to Nicaragua in October, with one set of doctors working in pediatric urology in Managua and another at a regional hospital in Jinotega. As in past missions, we trained local doctors and donated life-saving medical equipment to both areas, and fulfilled promises made from previous trips in 2013. Our medical mission is unique compared to those of other surgical missions with whom we are familiar. Our focus is on training and giving the equipment that hospitals do not/cannot get on their own; we work with their staff, ensuring that they can continue after we leave. This is consistent with Knock’s mission of developing self-¬sustaining practices to assist the community. To date, Knock has shipped over $750,000 worth of medical equipment and supplies to various countries.

Lunch Program: Knock provided daily school lunch in Tanzania at Mrupanga Primary School for the sixth consecutive year and at Longuo Primary School for the third consecutive year, to a total of over 850 students. Student attendance and performance continues to be strong as a result.

2013

Scholarship Program: Our scholarship program grew to 36 students, ranging in ages from 7-18 years old. Edwardi, Salome, Caroline, Angelo and Joyce completed Form 4 this year, the equivalent of high school. They are awaiting exam results to determine their next steps. Oscar, Resti and Belinda, who entered our program in Class 1 (1st grade), are now entering their final year of primary school. It is incredible to watch all of our students grow throughout the years and begin to realize opportunities not otherwise easily available to them.

Lunch Program: Knock provided school lunch at Mrupanga Primary School for the fifth consecutive year and at Longuo Primary School for the second consecutive year, to a total of over 850 students. Student attendance and performance continues to be strong.

Healthcare: Knock continued our ongoing medical missions with trips to Ethiopia and Nicaragua. Our team of urologists treated patients, while training local doctors in the latest in medical care. As in past medical missions, Knock donated a shipping container full of equipment and supplies. To date, Knock has shipped over $600,000 worth of medical equipment and supplies.

This year, we also brought our Cure Cervical Cancer partners to Ethiopia to set up a sustainable clinic to screen and treat women for cervical cancer -- a leading cause of death for Ethiopian women.

Giving Tuesday: For the first time ever, Knock participated in Giving Tuesday, a global effort to raise awareness of charitable organizations around the world. We set a goal of $9,000 to raise for our Longuo School Lunch Program. We were successful in raising over that amount, with the Microsoft Corporation matching most donations that day. It was an amazing experience to be one of the world wide charitable organizations that day as over 150 raised money through the Global Giving website campaign.

The Microsoft Association: In 2013 we were able to forge an alliance with another non-profit, Neema Foundation, founded and run by several dedicated and hard working Microsoft employees. They turned over their funds and repositioned their fundraising efforts to Knock. We launched a full-scale fund raising campaign at Microsoft during October, allowing employees to use payroll deductions for Knock donations as well as taking advantage of Microsoft’s donation matching. These efforts have raised thousands of dollars in only the first year. We are so pleased to have Katie Perez of the Microsoft Corporation heading up this work as she has become a valued member of the Knock Foundation family.

2012

December: Another successful year of school lunch programs is completed – the fourth year at Mrupanga Primary School and the first full year at Longuo Primary School.

November: Knock sends a team of Urologists on a medical mission to a Managua children’s hospital.

November: Lunch food purchased for over 800 students at Mrupanga and Longuo Primary Schools for the first half of the upcoming 2013 school year.

September: Five Matumaini children graduate from primary school and begin preparation for secondary school.

May: Kim successfully climbs Mt. Kilimanjaro and raises $14,000 for Knock Foundation.

March: Knock sends $250,000 of medical supplies to Ethiopia in advance of our medical mission there.

April: Knock Founders, David and Bruce, complete successful medical mission trip to Ethiopia.

January: 18 educational scholarships are renewed, and 13 scholarships added to help these students obtain quality education otherwise inaccessible to them.

January: Yearly medical exams conducted for Matumaini’s 35 children.

2011

November: Fourth Annual HIV/AIDS - Healthy Living Seminar conducted in a new location called Kikavu Village. About 160 people were in attendance.

October: Two Knock Co-Founders and Directors, Michelle and Bruce, complete major physical feats and raise a collective $20,000 for the organization.

October: Lunch program begins at Longuo Primary School, thanks to donations by the Insight Seminar teens who volunteered at the school in August.

August: The Kilimanjaro Education Foundation, in partnership with Knock, completes construction on the brand new latrines at Mrupanga Primary School.

August: 14 teens from Teen Insight travel to Tanzania where they volunteered at Mrupanga and Longuo Primary Schools. They conducted seminars and made physical improvements to the schools.

February: Kim Krowne and Edward Lyimo climb and summit Mt. Meru, raising $27,000 for Knock Foundation.

January: 16 educational scholarships are renewed, giving these children the wonderful and important opportunity of education.

January: Children excitedly move into their new home at Matumaini.

2010

December: Lunch food purchased for all 400 students at Mrupanga Primary School for the 2011 lunch program.

November: Construction on new Matumaini Child Care Center is complete!

August: Conducted third annual HIV/AIDS - Life Skills Seminar in Rau Village, Tanzania for over 200 young adults, women, and for the first time, men. Also conducted first ever seminar at the Kilimahewa Center for about 150 participants.

May: Construction on Matumaini buildings begins.

April: Two week medical mission to Kisumu, Kenya was a huge success and planning of next year's trip already underway.

April: Broke ground on construction of the new Matumaini Center. Fencing and gate installation complete.

2009

September: Six Mamas Project becomes entirely sustainable.

August: Barry Krowne, Knock Director, climbs and summits Mount Kilimanjaro, raising over $65,000 for the foundation.

August: 26 teens and adults from Insight Seminars volunteers with Knock at Mrupanga Primary School for two weeks, conducting seminars and completing construction on a kindergarten classroom.

July: Conducted Second Annual Life Skills - HIV/AIDS - Sex Education Seminar for 115 women and children in Rau, Tanzania.

June: 290 textbooks purchased for Mrupanga Primary School, bringing the student to textbook ratio to about 5:1

March: 1 acre of land purchased for the building of Matumaini Child Care's new home in Rau, Tanzania.

January: School lunch provided for all 316 students at Mrupanga Primary School. Money also donated to purchase oil, salt, and pay the cook's salary.

2008

July: Chicken coop at Matumaini Child Care Center completed and 40 chickens delivered for children to feed, raise and supervise.

June: Two-day Life Skills – HIV/AIDS – Sex Education seminar conducted for nearly 100 children and women in Rau Village in Tanzania

April: First phase of the Piggery Project completed in Tanzania.  50 pig pens built and pigs delivered to the homes of 50 needy families caring for orphans.

February: Six Mamas Project is funded. This project helps to build a chicken coop and pigpen to allow for income generation. Each woman is able to open a bank account to give them autonomy over their income.

January: Comprehensive budget of $20,000 per year for Matumaini Child Care Center completed with the first quarter fully funded for the first time in Center’s history.

2007

August: Completed construction of a new pipeline and outdoor spigot, bringing running water to Matumaini.

May: Six bunk beds constructed at Matumaini

April: Latrine reconstruction completed at Matumaini

January: Matumaini Child Care’s basic needs budget complete; food and school fees provided for 20 children in Tanzania