About Us

In line with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, we’ve been providing scholarships to hardworking youth from disadvantaged backgrounds and creating innovative educational programs and facilities around the globe since 2008.

From the Silicon Valley to Africa

Make A Difference (MAD) Now was founded in 2008 by Theresa Grant. While working in the Silicon Valley, Grant felt a deep calling to give back and make a difference in the world. The calling was so strong, that within a month she sold everything she had and left.

The Journey

She moved to Africa for many years, starting with sending many kids to government schools in Zambia. While many children were being helped, Theresa felt she wasn’t making the real difference she wanted to make. She wanted to figure out how to offer quality support that helped children change the course of their lives and become empowered and self-sufficient. A sustainable difference.

After talking with locals in the community, Theresa learned that quality education played a huge role in helping children get themselves out of poverty. Government schools were lacking in some of their offerings, where private schools had running water, consistent teaching staff, English classes and the environment students needed to be successful in life. The organization shifted to focus on providing private education for children in need, especially those who had been orphaned.

Recently, Make A Difference added a second program focused on skills and business training for young women. This program has proven to be more sustainable for growth.

Make A Difference’s largest presence is in Tanzania, where Theresa lived and where the program started. However, it also has programs in Latin America with the goal to be on every continent except Antarctica. Eventually, Make A Difference would like to become a training hub, where schools and vocational centers can come learn Make A Difference’s sustainable model focused on teaching business and entrepreneurial skills and then bring that model back to their country with support from Make A Difference.

Our mission is to provide quality education to disadvantaged youth and women so they have the tools and skills to become self-sufficient, contributing citizens of the world.

Our Core Values

Creating a culture of quality education, well-being, and sustainable giving.
Being resourceful and efficient.
Communicating the impact made.

Our Mission

Our Methods

Providing ongoing access to educational opportunities for youth.
Minimizing expenditures and simplifying processes.
Offering opportunities to see who you are helping and the impact you are making.

Our Impact

Through our entire community of donors and friends, we have been able to help young people all across the world. View our reports below.

Annual Report

Student Impact Report

Our History

2005

Our founder arrives into Africa and starts paying school tuitions for orphaned children.
2006-2008

Our founder commits to fully supporting twenty-two children at an orphanage in Tanzania then registers MAD as a 501c(3) by Dec 2008.
2009

Leadership & Immersion Scholarship and environmental and literacy programs are created in India and Tanzania. A science lab to benefit 500 students is built in Tanzania.
2010

MAD helps rebuild a technology room after the earthquake of 2010 in Haiti and establishes its first office in downtown Moshi, Tanzania.
2011

MAD launches a sports program for the orphaned children in Tanzania. They are taught how to swim, ride a bike, ride a horse, play tennis, rope climb and play basketball.
2013

MAD finishes a 700,000 square foot library to serve 50,000 people in the Kilimanjaro community.
2014

MADNow builds a technology center and donates 40 iPads, 20 computers, two slide projectors and a larger printer to a rural school.
2015

All twenty-two children from the orphanage have graduated from primary school and are in boarding. Neema and Omega graduate from secondary school & MADNow provides Internet to a rural school.
2016

Students Innocent, Christina, Benny, Jonasi and Exuper graduate from secondary school and MAD starts supporting students in Syria, Burundi and Tanzania.
2018

MAD celebrates its 10th anniversary, receives the GreatNonprofits 2018 Top-Rated Nonprofit award and launches its first pilot Computer Certificate Program to 50 impoverished youth throughout Tanzania.
2019

MADNow launches a Computer Certificate Program for Girls and commits to sending 1,000 impoverished girls through program by 2020.
2020

MAD creates a COVID-19 Youth Task Force to keep students, families, and communities safe in Tanzania.
50 vulnerable young women enroll in MAD’s Business Entrepreneur Program for Young Women in Tanzania.
2021

MAD expands globally to help young women in Guatemala with career development training and in the USA by providing hard working youth with scholarships for college.
2022

120 students go through our BE Program
2023

MAD celebrates its 15th birthday!