Rafiki Australia Tanzania is part of the Australia Tanzania Society, an Australian and Tanzanian non-government organisation.

Rafiki's mission is to help Tanzania deal with its reconstructive surgery needs whilst at the same time assist in capacity building through the transfer of surgical, anaethestic, physiotherapy and nursing skills to medical professional in Tanzania.

In an effort to help alleviate severe shortages in medical and hospital equipment, Rafiki also aims to provide much-needed equipment to hospitals and medical facilities in Tanzania.

While Australians who are born with or develop disfiguring deformities, or those who suffer burns injuries can access treatment almost immediately, in Tanzania most sufferers can be forced to endure a lifetime of pain and alienation.

Working alongside our Tanzanian colleagues, our volunteer surgical teams are giving people the chance to access the treatment they need to live the best life possible.

Since 2004, Rafiki’s teams of volunteer surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses and allied health professionals have been travelling to Tanzania to perform up to 80 free operations during each visit. A baby’s cleft can be repaired to not only improve speech, but to alleviate the alienation they may have been subjected to. A burn injury on a young man that has contracted can be released to reinstate function and help them on the road to employment.

Training is a major focus for Rafiki and, in addition to transferring skills through hands on participation in surgeries, we have worked with Tanzania’s National Hospital and Medical University to deliver a Master’s Degree Course in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery; the first of its kind in the country. In 2022, our first students, the first fully qualified Tanzanian Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons to complete their study in-country, graduated with flying colours. With a new intake of new students this year, Rafiki is playing a major role in supporting Tanzania’s capacity building in this specialist area.

The Australian and Tanzanian teams work collaboratively across the health services and benefit from skill building in anaesthetics, nursing and allied health care, like therapy, to round out the holistic care needed for these complex cases.

Rafiki is a volunteer-run organisation with all administrative costs absorbed through the efforts of our volunteers and every dollar raised goes directly to our work in Tanzania. Our funding comes from a variety of sources, including sponsorship from organisations in Australia and Tanzania, personal and corporate donations, and of course through our annual fundraising event, the Rafiki Ball.

Download the Asante Book for more information.