By Business Insider Reporter
The Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) and Heart Team Africa Foundation (HTAF)have launched a nationwide fundraising and awareness campaign aimed at raising TSh 25 billion to support life-saving treatment and cardiac care for children suffering from heart diseases in Tanzania.
The initiative, branded Kutoa Ni Moyo, seeks to mobilize Tanzanians from all walks of life to contribute towards surgeries, treatment, early diagnosis, screening programmes, and heart health awareness initiatives targeting children born with heart conditions.
Launching the campaign in Dar es Salaam on May 25, 2026, JKCI Executive Director Dr. Peter Kisenge said the country continues to face a growing burden of childhood heart diseases, with thousands of children requiring urgent medical intervention every year.
“In Tanzania, over 16,000 children are born with heart problems annually. That means every single day, families wake up to news that could change their child’s future forever,” said Dr. Kisenge.
He said around 4,000 children in Tanzania urgently need heart surgery, noting that many families are unable to afford the high cost of specialized cardiac treatment.
“For many families, time is not just money — it is life. Through Kutoa Ni Moyo, we are calling upon every Tanzanian, institutions, corporate organizations and government agencies to become part of this life-saving movement,” he said.
The campaign is expected to draw participation from individuals, companies, development partners, diaspora communities, celebrities, sports stakeholders, and the general public as organizers seek to build what they describe as a national movement driven by compassion and collective responsibility.
Chief Executive Officer of HTAF, Dr. Naizihijwa Majani, said the initiative is not only focused on fundraising, but also on creating long-term national awareness around heart health and cardiovascular diseases.
“Tanzania has a long-standing culture of solidarity and community support. Kutoa Ni Moyo transforms small individual contributions into a national force for impact,” said Dr. Majani.
“Kutoa Ni Moyo is more than a fundraising campaign. It is a movement built on compassion, unity, and the belief that saving a child’s life is a responsibility we all share,” she added.
According to the organizers, funds raised through the campaign will help finance cardiac surgeries and treatment for children, support early diagnosis and screening initiatives, expand awareness and prevention programmes, and provide support services for affected families.
The initiative will also leverage digital technology and crowdfunding platforms to make it easier for Tanzanians both locally and abroad to contribute transparently toward the cause.
The launch comes amid increasing concern over the burden of cardiovascular diseases globally and locally. Organizers noted that cardiovascular diseases claim about 17.9 million lives worldwide every year, while approximately one in every 100 children is born with a heart defect.
Dr. Majani said many children continue to suffer silently due to limited financial resources among affected families.
“No parent should have to watch their child suffer simply because they cannot afford treatment,” she said.
Organizers expressed confidence that the TSh 25 billion target is achievable, citing recent fundraising efforts by partners and stakeholders that have already generated more than TSh 3.08 billion in cash and in-kind contributions. The campaign also highlights Tanzania’s growing capacity in specialized cardiac care through institutions such as JKCI, which has increasingly become a key centre for advanced heart treatment services in the country.
