About Us

Small Team, Big Impact

Our Story

Inuka began in 2019 as a one-person volunteer initiative in Maeve's bedroom. Today, it is a registered Australian not-for-profit organisation that has changed thousands of lives.

The name Inuka, meaning “rise up” in Swahili, reflects our belief in collective uplift and that real change is possible when communities lead their own solutions and we stand beside them with partnership, resources and support.

We prioritise long-term collaboration with local educators, community leaders and families to ensure every project is culturally informed, ethically delivered and truly sustainable.

Today, Inuka supports programs across:

Safe water access
Educational resources
Student sponsorship
Women and youth empowerment
Menstrual hygiene and girls’ wellbeing
Cultural exchange and global citizenship
Community-led infrastructure development

Every step we take honours the people who welcomed us into their community and trusted us to walk alongside them.

Read About Our History

Our Approach

Locally Informed

Our Tanzanian partners identify needs, shape programs and drive implementation. We commit to building together

Trust

Through our 100% model, donors can trust that every donation goes directly to our programs on the ground.

Holistic Support

We work across multiple areas; water, education, empowerment, understanding that sustainable change requires addressing the whole system.

Sustainability

Working hand in hand with the community, we do our best to ensure the projects we deliver are sustainable and have an impact that will last a lifetime.

We are driven by a philosophy of community-led, sustainable impact. This means:

Our Values

Our values are rooted in empowerment, integrity, collaboration, connection and sustainability.

Because every child deserves access to education, safety, clean water and the opportunity to rise.
Because every school deserves the resources to support their students and for teachers to feel empowered.

Because every woman deserves the opportunity to support their family through financial independence.
Because community-driven change is powerful.

Inuka exists to help create an environment where all of this, and more, is possible.

Meet The Team

Maeve Turner

Founder & CEO of Inuka

Zuma Mtui

Founder & Director of CHETI NGO

Mathew Iyere

Director of Partnerships & Community Engagement, Inuka

Brady Tipping

Events and Content Coordinator

Gina Krohn

School to School Program Officer

Charlz Calvin

Community Outreach Officer (based in Arusha)

Meg Rodgers

Student Sponsorship Program Officer

Sarah Chlala

PR & Media Officer

Want to make a difference?

Join our team of hard working volunteers!

Inuka is a grassroots organisation with no government funding. Our dedicated team generously volunteers their time to ensure operations and project delivery.