Born and raised in Machame at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, Omega has a deep love for his community. As the youngest of six, he learned early the importance of helping others, often carrying water for elderly women and dreaming of improving life for those around him.

His education began at home with his mother, a kindergarten teacher who stressed community service. Omega studied Sociology focusing on rural communities, and later volunteered with the Women’s Foundation in Arusha, helping women and children through microfinance, hygiene, nutrition, and gardening. He then worked with a microfinance organization, learning about sustainable systems, while earning diplomas in Ecology and Tour Guiding.

During his studies, Omega saw rural struggles, particularly in Kagera, where children walked 25 km to school. Refusing to stand by, he and a friend built a local school providing children with a place to learn. The COVID pandemic brought Omega back to Machame, where he nowadays guides tours, while keeping up the community work.

Aiming to create lasting change through education, health, environment, and community empowerment, Omega created AgeWatch. His work is as vibrant and diverse as the slopes of Kilimanjaro itself, and Omega's efforts - from building schools to collecting plastic waste and planting trees - reflect his belief that small actions can lead to significant impact. With a strong connection to his roots, Omega believes that through determination and community spirit, real change is possible.

Founder, Local Liaison & Community Coordinator

Omega

Social Media Coordinator

Valy's involvement with AWTA is marked by commitment to social change, passion for community support and cross-border collaboration.

It all started when she spent a month in Tanzania in 2024, engaging in different community activities and teaching English at Uduru Primary School in Machame. She fell in love with this beautiful community and, as an engineer with a knack for problem solving, she identified the potential for multiple infrastructure improvements in the school grounds. She also believed that there would be more opportunities for improvement in the surrounding area's schools.

Motivated by her desire to improve situations and facilitate teaching and learning, she decided to use her passion, skills and experience to set up Project Uhuru - a project aiming to improve educational facilities and experiences in the Kilimanjaro area. Through rigorous collaboration, she helped bring AWTA to life by gathering people, resources and projects - and she can't wait to keep working on her dream.

Outside of AWTA, Valy is an electrical engineer working in the construction industry, involved with sustainability and renewable energy projects. She is an avid reader, a meditator, and a volunteer on different social causes. She is passionate about the outdoors and can be found camping, hiking, sailing or surfing. She is from Greece but her home for the last 6 years has been the UK.

Founder of Project Uhuru & Project Coordinator

Ander is a 28-year-old engineer from the Basque Country with over five years of experience in the electrical sector.

In 2023, he took a break from his career to volunteer in countries like Greece, South Africa, Mozambique, and Tanzania, traveling to the Kilimanjaro region to join a project led by Omega.

The experience reinforced his commitment to supporting education and community development.

Back in Algorta, Ander now manages AWTA’s social media while continuing his engineering career.

Julia is a 24 year old final year medical student from Germany. She travelled to Tanzania as part of a medical internship in 2023, where she worked in a hospital in Moshi, near Kilimanjaro.

During her time there, she was inspired by the resilience and passion of the local communities. When she met Omega, she was touched by his vision to improve access to education and healthcare. Together they created the crowdfunding platform which Julia now manages, while overseeing the financial planning and donation process.

Finance & Logistics Manager

Fundraising Coordinator

Alexia Vasdeki is an Entrepreneur, a Trainer, and a Podcaster, born and raised in Athens, Greece.

For the past 12 years, she has enjoyed traveling the world while combining it with volunteer work in countries such as Nepal, Vietnam, Tanzania, and Brazil.

In 2022, for her honeymoon she chose to visit Tanzania and volunteer. There she met Omega and got inspired by his vision and passion to support local communities and help them live a much better life. Since then they work together focusing on the enhancement of education of young children with a promise of a much better future. Alexia is now the Fundraiser Coordinator, supporting the creation, strategy and execution of Fundraising campaigns for meaningful projects regarding education.

Alexandros is born and raised in Athens, Greece, and brings a unique blend of science, creativity, and cross-cultural experience. He began his academic journey studying Veterinary Medicine in Greece, later shifting to complete a degree in Biology in the UK, where he connected with people from around the world and developed a deeper appreciation for cultural exchange and shared purpose. His path then took a creative turn, as he studied and worked as a footwear designer, exploring design thinking and innovation. He is now beginning a new chapter by studying Psychology, driven by his interest in understanding people and supporting community wellbeing.

Volunteering has always been central to Alexandros’ life — from assisting zookeepers at Athens Zoo at the age of eight, to rebuilding homes in Nepal after the 2015 earthquake, and contributing to community projects in Tanzania in 2022. In January 2025, he met Omega and was inspired by his passion and vision. Since then, he has supported the team’s communication efforts — helping to share stories, raise awareness, and connect people globally with the work taking place in rural Tanzanian communities.

He believes in a future where the next generations can grow up without facing the same challenges the world struggles with today.

Communications Coordinator

Valy

Ander

Alexia

Julia

Alexandros

Board of trustee / advisors

Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) consist of 17 goals and 169 targets that the UN is working towards by 2030, aiming for lasting positive change in the areas of People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnership. Below are the goals addressed by our projects.

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