The Meleka Foundation

The Meleka Foundation Empowering the Hadza hunter-gatherers of Tanzania through education, health and community support.

The Hadza are the last remaining hunter-gatherers in Tanzania, and one of the last in the world. Meleka is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization aimed to support the Hadza through initiatives that empower the community and improve livelihood.

A healthy future starts with access to quality care. Here, our sponsored students are visiting for regular checkups, he...
06/01/2026

A healthy future starts with access to quality care. Here, our sponsored students are visiting for regular checkups, helping them stay healthy so they can focus on school, play, and being kids!

From the archive….exciting news coming soon.
05/22/2026

From the archive….exciting news coming soon.

05/21/2026

Paji shares her favorite traditional song in Hadzane called “Hale Hale,” a song about a noisy bird that disturbs the honeyguide bird at night. In Hadzane, the halehale is known for flying noisily overhead and bothering the tiggilí-ko, the honeyguide bird.

Paji is from the Mang’ola region near Lake Eyasi in northern Tanzania, where many Hadza still live today and where our programs at Meleka are based. Like many Hadza in the region, Paji speaks Hadzane, the click-language of the Hadza, and some Kiswahili. Hadzane is considered a vulnerable language isolate still spoken in the area.

Songs like these are part of oral traditions passed down through generations. We are honored to share these moments. Follow our community-led work in education, health, and more. Click the link in our bio for more ways to connect and support!

05/18/2026

Ha!’a hammers away with the ’átho (honey axe) as //‘o//‘a and Ha!’a!’upu’u look on, discussing the strength and differences between old !hu!u (climbing pegs) and putting in new ones. Old !hu!u eventually need to be replaced. If the men return to the tree within a few seasons they can be used again, but very old pegs are unreliable.

05/14/2026

What’s the LARGEST animal you’ve hunted?

We asked the hunters at Msafiri Camp, and these are the biggest animals they’ve ever taken down. Each hunt is a story and a source of pride✨.

Which one surprises you the most?

05/14/2026

Since our last visit to N!oaota Camp, so much has changed ❤️ New babies, growing families, and new beginnings. Mother & infant care and birth essentials making a difference.

05/12/2026

//‘o//‘a shows his //‘anako a poison arrow carefully wrapped in leather for safety. 🏹 He made the poison in the Majiamoto area, where the Panjube’e desert rose plant grows. It’s a large succulent plant whose poison is made by cutting the plant, squeezing out its milky liquid, and boiling it down. This arrow will be used to hunt big game like kudu or buffalo.

Happy Friday from Gangida Camp ☀️ Spent some time with this mother and baby while visiting camp with friends. Supporting...
05/08/2026

Happy Friday from Gangida Camp ☀️
Spent some time with this mother and baby while visiting camp with friends. Supporting mothers and infants continues to be a huge part of Meleka’s work with the Hadza community. From healthcare resources, check-ins, care packages, and maternal + infant health education provided directly to women in camp alongside nurses and midwives, we’re grateful to continue helping however we can. The first year of life out in the bush is incredibly vulnerable, and every healthy mother and thriving baby feels worth celebrating

05/07/2026

At home with Meleka kids - Eliza spots her little brother digging up wild tubers 🌱 and shares how the Doay roots are full of water.

Doay, or hla’akeko, is a common tuber and an important source of food and water found in Hadzabe areas. It grows just 1–2 feet underground, shaped a bit like a sweet potato or yam with rough skin on the outside. It’s usually cooked for food, but can also be chewed raw for water. Rich in fiber and nutrients, it also holds moisture, and is an important source of food when rain is low and water is scarce.

We love seeing our students at home, where they are learning and sharing natural knowledge and skills!

05/01/2026

Collecting honey part 6 — Bee stings and sweet ba’alá-ko 🍯

Ha!’a helps remove bee stings from //‘o//‘a and himself, counting the number of times he was stung. He says he was stung on his ear, neck, cheek, and many times all over his body, but it’s worth it.

This wild honey is special because it’s been over five months since they’ve collected honey at their camp. The men eat their fill, and everything left will go back to camp to share.

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PO Box 74808
Los Angeles, CA
90004

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