The Usambaras lie in the North East of Tanzania and form part of the Eastern Arc Mountains. Different from the classic picture of East Africa, savannah, this is a lush and green area. The natural vegetation of submontane forest supports a wide variety of flora and fauna, much of which is endemic and for which the area is renowned both nationally and internationally. It is considered an international ‘hot spot’ for bio-diversity. The Usambaras are particularly well known for bird life, with over 350 recorded species.
The Climate of the Usambaras differs from much of the rest of Tanzania. Rain can and does fall at any time of the year although there is a seasonal pattern. Tanzania has a hot, dry season in December-March, and a cooler, dry season in May to October. The 'short' rains occur in November and 'long' rains in April-May. The climate on the coast can be hot and humid, however, because of the altitude (800-1400m), the Usambaras are cooler and wetter than the surrounding lowland. The rainfall averages over 1,500mm a year with an average temperature of 20C.
The Usambaras are fairly densely populated, and lie within the more densely populated North of Tanzania. The population is growing rapidly through a combination of natural increase and in-migration.
The problems that Tanzania's education system faces are evident within the Usambaras and increased by the remoteness of the area. Standards fall well below the national minimum recommendations in terms of numbers of teachers, schools and classrooms. Pupil - teacher ratios are extremely high, with many classes of over 50 children.
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Projects & Destinations 
