In 2003, ADEA was established as an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) in Mtwara,
Tanzania, by Douglas McFalls (from the United States) and Philipo Lulale (from Tanzania). The initial intent of ADEA was to provide business education, training, and design assistance to artisans in the region. The founders’ and co-directors' multicultural backgrounds provided a valuable partnership representing the source (Tanzanian artisans and their work culture) and the goal (hand-crafted products and sales for the East African tourist industry). In 2008, ADEA launched the first of six MaKuYa Traditional Culture and Performing Arts Festivals. This festival brought together traditional performing dance and drumming groups from the three dominant tribes of the Mtwara region, the Makonde, Makua, and Yao. Our three-day celebration included dance, a cultural-life pavilion, and local games. In 2013, our office's front room served as a traditional artifact museum, which has since grown to a multi-room MaKuYa Traditional Culture Museum and Learning Center. Our cultural collection honors the local heritage of the Makonde, Makua, and Yao tribes with its artifacts and stories. At the same time, our learning center has rooms dedicated to exploring creative and culturally relevant play-based ways to help young learners in foundational literacy, math, and geography. In 2020, ADEA in Tanzania became a fully Tanzanian-led non-profit NGO (No.00NGO/R2/000660). It has now entered into a partnership with the USA-based ADEA Foundation, which is directed by Douglas McFalls.