I am pleased to announce that the School of St Jude, established in 2002 by Australian teacher Gemma Sisia, has been listed as a Deductible Gift Recipient for taxation purposes under the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997.
As from yesterday, donations made to the School of St Jude by Australian taxpayers will be 100% tax deductible.
This school gives the poorest and most gifted children in Tanzania a rare opportunity to get a quality education. Thousands of Australians already donate money to the school annually through their local Rotary Club. Now direct donations to the School of St Jude will be tax deductible.
The Tanzanian/Australian school started with three children in 2002. The school now educates 1,800 students, many of whom are boarders, who receive a free education from Kindy equivalent to year 12. Only one child per family is entitled to attend school and they must be exceptionally poor to qualify for attendance. These students can go on to university to be doctors, teachers and engineers.
Mrs Sisia, who grew up in the New England, established the East African Fund in 1997 to build and operate the School of St Jude. That fund now has 4,000 donors, who provide 90 per cent of the school’s costs.
“We are overwhelmed at today’s decision. It is recognition of the efforts of our supporters, staff, volunteers, donors, the Rotarians and of course Joe and his colleagues that have helped to get us where we are today,” Mrs Sisia said.
“To be recognised by our own government is the culmination of 12 years of the efforts of many, many people both in Australia and in Tanzania.”