Why I started Karibu

I have worked in hospitality for ten years and I am now a general manager in London. My career has moved quickly, and I know that is not only down to me. I was given real opportunities early on, and I worked with managers who took the time to coach me and challenge me.

I feel privileged to have had that support, and I am now in a position to help others who have not.

I have always been inspired by the warmth of the people I have met in East Africa. Through Pangani Cliffs Lodge, on the Tanzanian coast, I have met many young people with a real talent for hospitality. They are warm, hard-working and eager to learn, but they do not have the privileges and opportunities I had. A good hospitality education is far beyond what their families can afford, and without connections it is very difficult to secure a first job at a good hotel.

That is why I started the Karibu Hospitality Foundation.

What I want to achieve

Each year, Karibu will fund a talented young person from Tanzania to complete the three-year Diploma in Hospitality Management at Kenya Utalii College in Nairobi. I chose Kenya Utalii because I believe it is the best hospitality school in Africa, and these young people deserve the best education. The scholarship covers everything they need, including housing, food and English language classes where needed, so they can focus fully on their studies.

My commitment does not end at graduation. Every scholar will have a mentor from their first day at college, and I will continue to support them throughout their careers through my professional network.

Karibu is starting in Pangani, and my ambition is to expand to other areas of Tanzania and across Africa. In the long term, I want Karibu to help develop the future leaders of Africa’s hospitality industry: managers and general managers who grew up in the communities they now serve, and who will open doors for the next generation.

I will keep every supporter informed about how the scholars are progressing and how donations are being used. If you would like to be part of this from the start, I would be delighted to have your support.

Thank you,
Martijn Zengerink
Founder