P.I.T. FOUNDATION

CHANGING LIVES.
BUILDING FUTURES.

Empowering children in Tanzania with education, care, and opportunity,

What We Do ....

... Positively Impacting Tanzania Foundation (P.I.T. Foundation) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming the lives of children and families in low-income and vulnerable communities throughout Tanzania. Founded in 2025 and based in Arusha, our mission is to provide access to education, healthcare, and safe housing through child sponsorship and sustainable community projects.

About Us

 PIT Foundation's Focus/Goals

Child Sponsorship

Help a child attend school, receive meals, and gain access to healthcare.

Learn More

School Construction

We're building Matolo and Lavella Visionary Leadership Academy, a private primary boarding school.

Learn More

Future Orphanage Center

A safe and nurturing place for children without homes or stable family environment.

Learn More

Volunteer Opportunities 

Join us on a life-changing trip to Tanzania and experience firsthand the impact of your support

Learn More

GET INVOLVED!

HOW TO HELP

There are multiple ways to help!

DONATE TODAY

Different Ways You Can Help!

Sponsor a Child

Your sponsorship for of $775/year provides a child with everything they need for the year! Choose your payment plan: one-time, annual, quarterly, or monthly.

Sponsor a child

Donate to Construction

Your one time donation helps us with construction cost to get us closer to our goal to building a safe and supportive space for the children.

Donate Today

Join a Volunteer Trip

Your time and energy is one of the greatest gifts you can give. Join us on a life-changing trip to Tanzania and experience firsthand the impact of your support

Learn More

Meet the Hearts Behind the Mission

Our team is made up of passionate changemakers dedicated to uplifting orphaned children in Tanzania. Get to know the people turning compassion into action.

Thomas Lavella

President & Founder | Positively Impacting Tanzania Foundation

Thomas Lavella is the founder and president of the Positively Impacting Tanzania Foundation, created from his passion for educational equity and community empowerment in East Africa. His first trip to Tanzania in 2022 left a lasting impression, inspiring him to take action to improve opportunities for underserved communities through access to quality education.

Prior to starting the foundation, Thomas co-founded Physical Industry Training, a successful personal training and Olympic-style weightlifting facility in Pennsylvania. With over a decade of experience in health and fitness, he brings the same discipline, leadership, and vision to his nonprofit work.

Together with business partner and Vice President Mark Matolo, Thomas helped launch the Matolo & Lavella Visionary Leadership Academy in Arusha. Under his leadership, the foundation has already sponsored 12 children and is laying the groundwork for long-term growth, always with the belief that investing in children is the most powerful way to build a brighter future.

Ernie Huff

Founding Member | Positively Impacting Tanzania (PIT)

Ernie Huff became a founding member of the Positively Impacting Tanzania (PIT) Foundation after his first trip to Arusha in August 2024. Moved by the people he met and inspired by Tom Lavella’s passion and initiative, Ernie knew he wanted to be part of something larger than himself—something that not only gave back in a meaningful way, but also had the potential to grow and evolve over time.

For Ernie, joining PIT wasn’t just about volunteering; it was about building a movement alongside someone he shared a personal history with. The opportunity to support a cause that connected both to global impact and personal roots made the experience especially meaningful. Being part of PIT from the ground up—and helping shape its values, vision, and future—was something he felt deeply called to do.

In addition to his work with PIT, Ernie serves as a Workplace Safety Specialist at Penn State University, where he focuses on creating safe, healthy environments for employees and students. He brings that same level of care, structure, and compassion to his role in PIT.

Ernie is excited to continue helping PIT grow and reach more lives—believing strongly that to give back while you're here, and to do it in collaboration with others, is one of the most rewarding things a person can do.

News Letter

Be part of something meaningful. Hear the latest on our mission, the children we support, and the incredible change made possible by people like you.