President Samia Suluhu Hassan redirected this year’s budget to building dormitories for children with special needs.

Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has cancelled Independence Day celebrations scheduled for Friday and directed that the budget instead be used to build dormitories for children with special needs.

The 61st Independence Day event was to cost $445,000, money that will be used to build eight dormitories in primary schools around the country.