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Meet Eng. Albin Mathias, Country Director

This week, we want to introduce you to Powering Potential’s Country Director, Eng. Albin Mathias, in his own words.

Background and Introduction to Powering Potential

Albin briefing His Excellency Dr. Jakaya Kikwete,
President of the United Republic of Tanzania

I was born and grew up in Arusha in the north of Tanzania. I went to Tanga Technical Secondary School in 2002 and then to Old Moshi High School in 2006. After graduation, I worked as a physics and chemistry teacher at Banjika Secondary School. While teaching in Banjika, I spent my free time in the computer lab working on two laptops donated by Janice Lathen [Founding Director and President]. After a few months of practice by myself, I couldn’t believe the experience I was having and how useful the resources had become to my fellow teachers and students.

On her next trip to Tanzania, Janice met with me in the computer lab. Janice and I worked with the technology with Banjika students, and then I conducted a training at the Noonkodin and Oltoroto schools, introducing the computers to middle and high school students and their teachers.

Albin with Ross Wehner, World Action Team

I graduated from St. Joseph University in Tanzania with a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Information Systems and Network Engineering, and became Powering Potential’s Country Director in 2011.

Experience with Powering Potential

It has been a great honor to be part of the Powering Potential team. As part of this team, I feel proud and energized. It’s been an honor to meet and discuss our programs with High Government officials, especially to exhibit the programs to the President, Prime Minister, and other Ministers and Permanent Secretaries.

Albin with Zuberi Samataba, Deputy Permanent Secretary
(Education) PMO-RALG, and Walter Minja

I also very much appreciate collaborating with District Executive Directors (DED), District Education Officers (DEO), the heads of schools, teachers, and students. Besides the challenges of limited budgets, most schools have been very cooperative with Powering Potential in bringing the world of technology to their community.

Honestly, I enjoy working with different people, meeting different cultures, and travelling across the country. It has been a great experience for me. Powering Potential is very important to me: in addition to being an employment opportunity, it has really powered my own potential. Powering Potential is where I recognized my own potential.

Partnership with Hassan Maajar Trust at Shimbwe

Teacher Training

Powering Potential is partnering with the Hassan Maajar Trust to provide a computer lab and training to the Shimbwe Secondary School near Moshi, Tanzania. The Hassan Maajar Trust was founded by Ambassador Mwanaidi Sinare Maajar who is the former Tanzanian Ambassador to the U.S. and a Senior Partner at Rex Attorneys in Dar es Salaam.

From June 15-26, Powering Potential installed the RACHEL server and computer network, and provided training for school leaders. Those being trained included the Headmaster, Second Master, two teachers and the school secretary. All school representatives were enthusiastic about the training and took to the technology very well. Powering Potential trainer, Elibariki Magnus, led the sessions.

RACHEL Pi server and router

Hassan Maajar Trust provided 10 laptops, as well as the tables and chairs for the computer lab. Powering Potential is providing technology consulting services. At Shimbwe, Elibariki installed a RACHEL server with offline educational content. RACHEL (Remote Access Community Hotspots for Education and Learning) is produced by World Possible and includes Khan Academy educational videos, selected Wikipedia articles, medical reference books, ebooks of world literature from Project Gutenberg, and other materials.

Elibariki then provided training on the server content and Raspberry Pi system over a two week period. He was able to work with the faculty and staff at Shimbwe, who were all excited to have the new computer system.

Students using RACHEL

Everyone was very happy with the training, stating that it was “well conducted” and “the education program will be useful to students and teachers.” The teachers and students will use this system to access educational program content, teaching assistance, and reference materials. At the end of the training, the Headmaster remarked “I hope this new program to our school will motivate and encourage students’ learning.” We hope so too!

Major Leaps Forward

We’re pleased to announce that Powering Potential, Inc. has made great strides in recent months. In January 2015, we became a New York State Not for Profit Corporation and we are in the process of filing for our 501 (c)3 tax exempt status. This is just one exciting step for Powering Potential as we move onward and upward as an organization.

In March 2015, we held our first official Board meeting at the office of the presitigous law firm, Akin Gump in New York CIty. Supporting Powering Potential on a pro-bono basis, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Field LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 900 lawyers in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Our Board of Directors consists of Milton Finger, Chair; Janice Lathen, President; Denis Petrov, Secretary; and Matt Cohen, Treasurer. Akin Gump was represented by Miriam Foley, Zuza Savoff and Pat Gunn.

From left: Milton Finger, Miriam Foley, Zuza Savoff, Matt Cohen, Pat Gunn, Denis Petrov
(Janice took the photo)

Powering Potential’s day-to-day operations are now being run by the management team of Albin Mathias, Janice Lathen, V. Ena Haines and Rich Segal.

In April, 2015, we moved into office space at The Yard, New York City’s premier office space and coworking community. With a dedicated desk, 24/7 access and conference rooms, the new office is proving to be the perfect, affordable home base for operations in the United States.

Janice Lathen at her dedicated desk
at The Yard

Janice in a conference room at The Yard
with Administrative and Fundraising Consultant
Sarah Benvenuti

Recently, we installed a solar energy system at the office in Karatu! This exciting project will allow our team to continue working even when the electricity goes out which happens too often. This solar expansion will be crucial as we implement the $112,000 grant from the Raspberry Pi Foundation and the Segal Family Foundation in support of the installation of 56 Pi-oneer systems in Tanzania.

Solar panels on
Powering Potential’s Karatu Office

With this exciting new growth, Powering Potential is moving onward and upward towards achieving our mission: Use technology to enhance education and stimulate imagination of students in Tanzania while respecting and incorporating values of the local culture cooperation over competition, community over the individual, modesty over pride and spirituality over materiality.

A ‘Thumb Up’ from H.E. Dr. Jakaya Kikwete, President of Tanzania, at Education Week

Powering Potential had the honor of briefing His Excellency Dr. Jakaya Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, at this year’s Education Week in Dodoma the capital of Tanzania. President Kikwete visited the Powering Potential exhibit during the closing ceremony and gave our work a thumb up, saying “Kazi nzuri! Hii ni tekinolojia tunayohitaji vijijini.” (“Good work! This is the technology which we need for the rural areas.”). This is the second time His Excellency was briefed on Powering Potential; the first time was at the DICOTA convention in 2011.

“Kazi nzuri! This is a good solution”

Briefing His Excellency

When asked what it was like meeting President Kikwete, Country Director Albin Mathias said, “So excited!…especially when he talked to us and gave a thumb up in appreciation of our solution. I feel energized and very honored. It was my first time meeting the president and shaking hands. I hope you can feel how this was. Just after the move Prof. Mchome [Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Education and Vocational Training] was watching from distance and he saluted to us three times. That was great appreciation!”

From left: Hon. Shukuru Kawambwa,
Minister of Education;
Walter Minja; and Albin Mathias

Tanzanian national TV stations ITV and TBC conducted interviews with Albin which aired that night on the 8:00pm news and The Citizen, a Tanzanian newspaper, published an article about our work.

This year’s Education Week motto was “Elimu bora ni haki ya kila mtoto” (“Quality education for every child”). As part of Powering Potential’s commitment to this motto, we will be distributing 56 Pi-oneer units (mobile projector/Raspberry Pi computer) to 56 rural secondary schools that lack electricity and technology. This project is funded by the Raspberry Pi Foundation and the Segal Family Foundation, and will be implemented in collaboration with the Prime Minister’s Office-Regional Administration Local Government (PMO-RALG).

Albin and Hon. Kassim Majaliwa,
Deputy Minister of State PMO-RALG

From left: Albin; Zuberi Samataba,
Deputy Permanent Secretary (Education) PMO-RALG;
and Walter Minja

We had a number of visitors throughout the week. A group of students were surprised to see that a computer could be so small and run on such a small solar power system. They all wanted to try out the Rapsberry Pi! One woman, Miss Angelika (below) stopped by the booth full of emotion, saying “Nyinyi ni watu wa haki, mnasaidia wanafunzi wa vijijini waliokosa fursa kama wanayopata shule za mijini” (“You are the people of human rights. You give equal opportunities to rural students who miss the opportunities that urban students receive.”). We were honored by her stories and the excitement of the students and all involved.

Walter showing students the Raspberry Pi computer

Miss Angelika and Walter Minja

We thank Professor Eustella Bhalalusesa, Commissioner of Education, for inviting us to participate in Education Week. It is a privilege for us to be partnering with the Tanzanian government to provide quality education for every child. We hope the Pi-oneer program is just the beginning!

$112,000 for the Pi-oneer Planting Project

Powering Potential is honored to have received $56,000 from the Raspberry Pi Foundation with a generous match of $56,000 by the Segal Family Foundation.

These grants will fund Powering Potential’s efforts to place the Pi-oneer, an innovative teaching tool, in 56 schools in rural Tanzania. The Pi-oneer is a portable unit which includes the Raspberry Pi computer loaded with offline RACHEL educational content and Khan Academy videos, a mobile projector, screen, and solar recharging unit that supports the entire package. Teachers can use the Pi-oneer in their classrooms to display visual representations of concepts being taught. We believe this project will plant potent seeds in fertile ground and yield a fruitful harvest of engaged and informed young people.

Country Director Albin Mathias demonstrates the Pi-oneer

The Raspberry Pi computer is an energy-efficient, low cost, credit-card sized computer. The idea behind a tiny and affordable computer for kids came in 2006 from the University of Cambridge’s Computer Laboratory in England.

Country Director Albin Mathias presents the Pi-oneer at Rigicha Secondary School in Serengeti District

Potential has also been featured in the Raspberry Pi Hacks book, which helps readers turn the Raspberry Pi into the centerpiece for a variety of electronics projects. You can find more information about this in a previous blog post. Powering Potential has already placed the Pi-oneer in three schools in Tanzania, including one remote school in the Serengeti. The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training has asked to partner with Powering Potential on this new project, which will reach over 20,000 students across Tanzania. We thank the Raspberry Pi Foundation and the Segal Family Foundation for this generous support.

Powering Potential Consults on Karagwe University College Project

Powering Potential provided consulting services to Educate Tanzania in assessing the technology needs for a new college being built in Tanzania. Educate Tanzania and Evangelical Lutheran Church Karagwe Diocese have partnered to build the Karagwe University College (KARUCO) in the Karagwe District/Kagera Region near Lake Victoria in northwest Tanzania. KARUCO will focus mainly on agriculture and environmental studies. The team at KARUCO reached out to Powering Potential to assist in establishing the technology for the school.

From left: Rev. Dr. Benson Bagonza, Bishop ELCT Karagwe Diocese; Albin Mathias, Powering Potential Country Director and Prof. Jan Hansen President/CEO Educate Tanzania.

The team was on site from January 26th through the 29th, 2015 to assess the feasibility and requirements of various systems of water harvesting, storage, treatment, filtering, distribution and re-use. Albin advised on how to ensure access to technology at the University.

Karagwe ELCT Bishop, Karagwe District Commissioner, Karagwe District Official and
KARUCO task force onsite visit.

The KARUCO task force team and Educate Tanzania are working hard to open the University by January 2016. Powering Potential is pleased to be a part of this task force.

Prof. Jan Hansen, President/CEO Educate Tanzania; Rev. Dr. Benson Bagonza, Bishop Karagwe Diocese,;John Mongella, Kagera Regional Commissioner; and Ms. Rwegasira, Karagwe District Commissioner

Country Director Albin Mathias Participates in the Ericsson Global Perspectives Program

From January 19-23, 2015, Powering Potential’s Country Director, Albin Mathias, was delighted to have the opportunity to participate in the Ericsson Global Perspectives Program, held this year in Karatu, Tanzania. Thirty-five Ericsson Leaders and eight NGO leaders from Karatu attended the program, which was organized by World Action Teams. Held at the Farm of Dreams Lodge, the program included excursions, sessions with Executive Coach Richard Leider, and opportunities to work closely with other participants.

Participants at the Farm of Dreams Lodge

During several excursions in Karatu, Ericsson leaders took the time to learn more about NGO leaders’ programs in Tanzania. A number of the participants visited Florian Secondary School and the Powering Potential offices as part of the program. Additionally, all participants visited FAME Hospital in Karatu, as well as the Ngorongoro crater.

Participants at Ngorongoro Crater Safari

We are thrilled that Albin and Powering Potential could benefit from the experience of this powerful leadership development program. During one exercise, the NGO leaders were asked to identify their own leadership talents from a list of options. Albin learned that he brought to the Powering Potential team his natural talents in problem-solving, creating trust, bringing joy, and making things work. We would like to thank Ross Wehner and the World Action Teams for this great opportunity to learn and shard experiences with the other Ericsson Global Perspectives Program leadership training participants.

Ross Wehner, World Action Teams, and Albin Mathias, Powering Potential

The Season of Giving Back

Read article below or click here for online article.

The Season of Giving Back
Posted: 12/19/2014 3:09 pm EST Updated: 12/19/2014 3:59 pm EST

A Guest Post by Rich Segal, Segal Family Foundation Board Member

The holiday season is all about giving. It reminds us to be thankful for what we have and to give back to those in need. Surrounded by friends and family, it’s easy to feel a strong sense of gratitude and a desire to be philanthropic.

With all of life’s demands, sometimes volunteering our time and making donations to worthy charities fall off our radar. As a Board Member of the Segal Family Foundation (SFF), a charitable foundation my father founded to help grassroots NGOs in Sub Saharan Africa achieve their vision of development in their communities, I am fortunate to be able to make a positive impact all year-round. Basic needs, such as educating children and medical care, require continual attention, money and time.

Through my years on the Board of the Segal Family Foundation, I have leveraged my skills and interests as a computer scientist to help communities in need. At SFF, I was introduced to one of our partners, Powering Potential, and I found my way to give back throughout the year.

Janice Lathen, founder & executive director of Powering Potential, two Tanzanian scholars and myself.

Powering Potential works with government secondary schools to build solar-powered computer labs in rural Tanzania. Bringing technology to rural schools is no easy task. The schools targeted by Powering Potential have no electricity, the teachers have minimal to no computer experience, and cellular service is spotty at best. Each Powering Potential computer lab consists of twenty Raspberry Pi computers, a local area network, a projector, a web server with a local copy of the RACHEL educational content from worldpossible.org, and the solar-power required to run it all.

The energy-efficient Raspberry Pi computers with monitors require just 10 watts of electricity each and provide a fully capable computer suitable for viewing Khan Academy videos, running Libre Office, and teaching computer programming. The Raspberry Pi is perfect for rural Tanzania as it has no moving parts. The Pi’s use SD cards for storage and are passively cooled with no fans to break down.

Students using the Raspberry Pi computers with RACHEL educational content powered by solar energy.

Powering Potential puts a world of knowledge in the hands of teachers and students. What impresses me most is how its team of volunteers and professional staff engage with each school district, making them a partner in building and deploying the computer lab. To participate in the program, each school must provide a secure, dedicated classroom and desks for the lab. The computers are delivered in two phases. In the first phase, a solar-powered lab with five computers is installed, and the teachers and students are trained. Before the full lab of twenty computers is installed, the school is required to hire a full-time computer instructor and to commit to offering the national Information and Computer Studies (ICS) four-year curriculum. In addition to teaching the students how to use computer technology, the ICS courses helps ensure the computers have a purpose and are continued to be used years after they are installed.

The Powering Potential computer labs motivate teachers to take a new interest in their work. Science teachers are using the Khan Academy videos to help students learn advanced subject matter. Schools participating in Powering Potential’s Educating-Through-Technology program report both increased student enrollment and substantial increases in the number of students passing the Form V entrance exams, which determine who qualifies for upper-level classes.

Working with a student in a solar-powered computer lab in rural Tanzania.

With the holiday season upon us, I remain thankful for what I have. I am extremely thankful for my dad, Barry Segal, and Powering Potential for giving me the opportunity to make a positive impact on others. For NGOs like Powering Potential with tight budgets, I marvel at all the good it does with such limited resources. I am honored and privileged to be a part of this organization as it grows and improves the lives of children in Tanzania.

Letter from Board Member

Dear Patrons and Friends,

At this time of year, we want to thank all our Powering Potential supporters and share some thoughts about the year ahead. 2014 was a very good year for Powering Potential. With the support of our patrons, we increased the number of schools with computers from six to ten.

We have developed plans to expand to two additional districts in the next few months. In anticipation, we have hired Neema Lyimo to work on technical support and training with our Country Director Albin Mathias. Word of the program has spread so that we have a long list of schools wanting to participate. We are thus poised to scale up to achieve our vision: bringing technology to rural secondary schools across Tanzania.

I saw first-hand what a difference our efforts are making when I visited the six Powering Potential schools in Tanzania with Founding Executive Director Janice Lathen last January. I came away impressed by how the program is truly collaborative, and how vital local effort is to its sustainability.
Our Educating-Through-Technology program continues at every school in which it has been installed over the last eight years, despite the many challenges faced by these chronically underfunded rural schools.

Powering Potential Advisory Board Member Ena Haines
addressing the students of the Baray Secondary School
January 2014

During our visit to one particularly remote school, the headmaster recited a sad litany of shortages, including teachers, books, classrooms, a dormitory and water. The school couldn’t pay the technology trainer after Powering Potential’s salary funding commitment ended. The computers were not in good working order. Then the assistant headmaster volunteered to take on the responsibilities of technology training and support. He was a recent graduate who had computer experience in college. Powering Potential sent a technical support person to train him and fix the computers. That school’s project is back on track because of local understanding of its value and our shared commitment.

We’re also excited by the interest shown in the program by Tanzanian government agencies, including the Rural Energy Agency, which has been funding the solar installations. The President’s personal assistant for education arranged for us to meet Professor Sifuni Mchome, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education. He has since initiated meetings with Janice in New York and invited a multi-year proposal from Powering Potential to eventually replicate the program across the nation. If this proposal is accepted, it will position us to fulfill our vision of working collaboratively with Tanzanians at the school, district and national levels.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry
of Education and Vocational Training Prof. Sifuni Mchome
and Founding Executive Director Janice Lathen
January 2014

We ask that you consider continuing to support Powering Potential when planning your year-end giving. Your donation will help both current and long term goals.

Our immediate need is for $20,000 to install 18 computers in three schools in Bunda, near Lake Victoria. This effort is already supported by the Tanzania Rural Energy Agency, the Bunda District government, and the IEEE Foundation (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). We need $20,000 more to accomplish the installation, and we’re hoping to raise it in December so that the work can take place in January for the beginning of their new school year.

Every donation helps. For example, $200 pays for one computer with monitor and keyboard; $500 pays for one projector; and $1,000 will buy the network equipment for three schools. Help us complete this project! To contribute, please visit the donation page on our website.

Donations to Powering Potential are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Our fiscal sponsor is International Collaborative for Science, Education and the Environment (ICSEE) – TIN: 22-31558263, a 501(c)3 non-profit public charity.

Wishing you a happy holiday season and a rewarding New Year,
Ena

V. Ena Haines
Powering Potential Advisory Board
Director of IT, retired
Teachers College, Columbia University

Powering Potential at MoEVT & Google for Education Conference

Powering Potential attended the Tanzanian Ministry of Education & Google for Education Conference 2014 at Protea Hotel courtyard in Dar es Salaam which was held November 17-18.

The Google for Education conference encouraged the Ministry to utilize Google Apps for Education as tools to facilitate teaching and learning. The deployment of Google Classroom would improve the educational process. The most challenging issue facing Tanzania and other developing countries, however, is electrification, Internet connectivity and infrastructure. To meet these challenges, Powering Potential has taken the initiative by installing efficient and affordable solar power paired with offline educational content (RACHEL) on energy-efficient Raspberry Pi computers.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training
Prof. Sifuni Mchome speaking to the audience

From left: Commissioner of Education Prof. Eustella Bhalalusesa
and Powering Potential Country Director Albin Mathias

Attendees at the Conference

Google Education Conference Facilitator Karen Walstra speaking to the audience

The facilitator did a wonderful job by providing an orientation to Google Apps. Google Apps can be an innovative solution to teaching and learning in schools while keeping them connected.

From left: Dr. Elia Kibga from the Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE)
and two conference attendees

From left: Powering Potential ICT Manager Neema Lyimo
with Mwakilima Subilaga from Ardhi University

For more information, visit the Google Apps for Education Deployment Guide.

We would like to thank Dr. Elia Kibga from the Tanzania Institute for Education (TIE) for inviting us to the conference.

Powering Potential continues to seek committed partners to implement our Educating-Through-Technology program in all regions of Tanzania in full cooperation with the national, regional and district government, as well as the Tanzanian business community. Join our efforts to fund projects in more schools. Make a contribution.

Kwa pamoja tunaweza tuanze sasa!

Together we can, let’s start now!