I was a teacher for 25 years, and my specialization is educational media. My passion is training teachers on useful new tools to make their teaching even better. After working with Powering Potential on a project in the Peruvian Amazon for several years, I had been dying to visit Tanzania, see the projects there, and find ways to help.

When the trip finally came together, I wasn’t going to let anything stop me — not even being told that almost nobody would be there.

Albin from Potential Enhancement Foundation (Powering Potential’s local partner organization) had warned me that most people would be on vacation when I arrived, with maybe a few teachers around for reinforcement work. So I figured I’d go with no real plan and just talk to a couple of people if I got the chance. Instead, we ended up visiting five schools, and I trained teachers at every single one of them.

My middle name is “just in case,” so I brought a USB drive loaded with my favorite free programs and figured I’d make it work on whatever old laptop was sitting in each lab. And it did.

Simple tools, big fixes

After decades in the classroom and working in Peru, I know that sometimes simple, inexpensive tools are best. Technology can help teachers engage students’ imaginations, access new information, and get through the curriculum on time. But it has to function in the environments where they work, like places where the power goes out a lot and the schools have barely any funding. (In Tanzania, it also means dust. In the Amazon, it means bugs.)

At the first school, Albin mentioned they’d been struggling to shrink photo file sizes to update teacher ID licenses. I showed them a free photo editing program. When it became clear that they couldn’t find some old files, I showed them how to locate the files. They were thrilled.

Then there were the projectors. Two of them “weren’t working,” which turned out to just mean the lamp — the bulb — needed replacing. A new lamp costs about $39 to $49, instead of buying a whole new $500–600 projector. Albin had a screwdriver out before I finished the sentence, and now the schools know how to repair their own equipment. 

I also told the teachers about one of my favorite tools:  a document camera. For about $50 they turn any book or worksheet into something the whole class can see on a screen.

Free, legal, and built to be reused

Every single program I showed them was both free and completely legal. I showed them the lessons on Khan Academy that they could tailor to their curriculum. We did an audio program where I taught them to slow down and cut recordings, so kids working through material in English could actually keep up. We did Scratch, and the teachers had an absolute blast animating their own names. I left the program, video tutorials, and instructions behind at every school so teachers could keep using it after I left.

I also showed them PhET — free, downloadable science and math simulations from the University of Colorado that don’t need a lab or internet connection to run. It turned out PhET was already sitting, unused, on old devices at one school. Someone dug them out of storage, found the right plug, and one teacher took a unit home to keep exploring it. I love finding a use for things that already exist instead of asking for something new.

The same teachers who began the day wanting to be on vacation rather than dragged into work for a workshop, didn’t want to leave. That, more than anything, is why I do this.

What’s next

I have stayed in touch with some of the teachers and plan to do more training for them remotely. I’m hoping to make this trip again, but if there’s a way to keep helping teachers and students from home in between visits, I want to be part of that too.

— Dana

We were honored to attend the Segal Family Foundation (SFF) conference in Nairobi, July 21–24. SFF may not be a household name, but they’re prominent and well-respected in our sector — the second-largest funder in sub-Saharan Africa by number of grants, behind only the Gates Foundation. They’re known for supporting high-impact organizations through rigorous vetting, so we’re grateful to be one of their longtime partners.

It was incredibly inspiring to be surrounded by hundreds of dynamic civil society leaders working passionately across the continent — every person I sat next to was more interesting than the last. I even got to meet the Executive Director of Shule Direct, the digital curriculum we provide in our schools, and share what teachers and students tell us about it (they love it). We talked about some of the new AI tools her team is building to help teachers put together lesson plans.

The conference was a wonderful opportunity to connect with potential funders and nonprofit collaborators. Many foundations are invitation-only, so meeting them in person is especially valuable. Partnering with other NGOs who also serve schools or youth in Tanzania could bring additional resources to the students we serve, or open the door to bringing computer labs to new communities, so I loved getting to meet potential partners.

I also had the chance to give Rich and Joanna Segal an in-person update, fresh off my school visits. Rich and Joanna are some of our most dedicated supporters, and I don’t get nearly enough one-on-one time with our donors, so it meant a lot to sit with them and share the excitement of my week in Tanzania.

This line of work can be emotionally draining — there’s always more to do, and more need in the world than any one person could solve in a lifetime.

This conference was a welcome reminder that the future is bright!

–Caitlin Kelley, Executive Director

In July, I traveled to Tanzania to visit our projects and work with our local team. Along with three board members from our local partner organization. I visited six schools – Kainam Rhotia, Diego, Oldeani, Qang’dend, Banjika, and Mang’ola Secondary Schools. We also had dinner with twenty teachers and administrators from partner schools. I came home more convinced than ever that this work matters — and more aware than ever of how much is still left to do.

At each school, we visited the head office before touring the computer lab (as is the custom in Tanzania). Unprompted, every head of school immediately began talking for five to ten straight minutes about the many ways the computers have been helping the students, the teachers, and the school administrators. 

It was clear that the computer labs are helping in several ways:

1) Student learning and educational outcomes.

2) Teacher and school administration.

3) Student success post-secondary school.

It is also clear that teenagers everywhere love technology. More than one teacher told us that students are more enthusiastic about school and learning when they get to use computers. The students also understand what it means for their future to have access to computers, and they are very excited. 

Teachers at every school told us how certain concepts are easier for students to understand when they can watch videos and animations, especially for science subjects. At literally every school, they used volcanoes as an example. Other examples they gave were circulation of blood in the human body, organs of the body, and various physics concepts.

Each school had a large celebration for our visit. They presented us with gifts and certificates of appreciation, held assemblies of the entire school where we all addressed the students, and presented formal demonstrations of ways the students are using the computers. Kainam Rhotia planted a tree to mark the occasion. At Banjika, the students had built websites about Powering Potential, and showed us as they changed the code to turn the background from green to pink to cyan. 

These celebrations were very moving, but more importantly it showed us how grateful the schools are for the computer labs. In Tanzanian culture, one of the highest values is reciprocity. They feel like we have given them something special and meaningful, so they wanted to give us something special and meaningful in return.

The stories that stayed with me

Kainam Rhotia is one of our newest schools, and clearly one of our most under-resourced. There are no dormitories, so students sleep on mats on classroom floors, and some walk up to six kilometers each way to get to school. 

Despite these challenges, they are one our most dedicated and enthusiastic partners. The head of school found out about our program and reached out to PEF Executive Direct Albin Mathias to request a computer lab, only to learn his school was already on our list. When we told them that they could get a lab as soon as they were ready with tables, chairs, and a secure classroom, they were ready within two weeks. 

Diego, where we installed a lab in 2025, has a lab manager so motivated he was visibly disappointed we didn’t have more time for him to show us everything his students are learning on the computers.

Oldeani has the nicest facilities of any school we work with. They also found their own funding for internet access. The school is co-run by Tanzanian Children’s Fund, an American non-profit with deep roots in the Rift Valley. The clear difference between Oldeani and our other partner schools is an important reminder of how much further we can go through partnerships with other organizations already active on the ground. I left Oldeani determined to find more NGO partners that can help us bring even more resources to our students.

Banjika was our very first partner school, and it felt very special to continue our relationship with the school that started it all. We upgraded their lab with ten new computers in 2025. They told us about students who had used the computers to study for their exams, and are now studying medicine at university. One girl was accepted to a special IT academy in Arusha and is now studying advanced digital technology, such as AI and drones. 

At Banjika, we also toured a new dormitory that was funded by IMPACT People Alliance, for whom we served as a fiscal sponsor. It was built in memory of Victoria Mayers’ son, Jonathan David Mayers, who died of cancer in his thirties. It is a beautiful building and it was moving to see it completed.

Newer schools, same spirit

Getting two of our newest schools – Mang’ola and Qang’dend – required renting a 4×4 vehicle to navigate the rough roads. 

As we approached Qang’dend, a stark reminder of their challenges was immediately obvious. One building sits empty because strong winds tore the roof off, and the school lacks the funds to replace it. 

Despite these harsh realities, the head of school was bursting with excitement over their new technology. Computers are completely changing how they plan lessons and manage the school. For example, by switching from paper to digital spreadsheets, they can instantly spot when a student is frequently absent and at risk of dropping out. This data allows them to contact parents directly, step in with targeted help, and ensure those children can return to the classroom.

At Mang’ola, our newest partner school, the lab had been installed that very morning. The power was out, and every computer ran perfectly anyway – powered by the sun. We got to watch the students use the computers for the very first time. They practically sprinted to the keyboards.

The number that stuck with me the most

The lab manager from Milimani Sumawe had already told us that within a year and a half of getting a solar-powered lab, with no internet at all, they completely eliminated “Divison Zero”, the lowest failing exam category. (Students in Division Zero do not qualify to earn a secondary school degree.) That night he shared that their school used to rank last out of roughly 30 schools in the district. After receiving their computer lab, they climbed to the top ten. 

At dinner with about twenty teachers and administrators (many of whom traveled hours on a motorcycle taxi, on bumpy dirt roads, in the cold, just to be there), we got to hear from schools we did not have time to visit. 

More work ahead

All of these schools are doing a lot with a little. They are in difficult environments, and life can be very hard. At many schools, students choose to sleep in classrooms at night rather than walk an hour or more to and from school every day. They continue to have a shortage of teachers. 

Although there is real work still ahead of us, I came home certain of one thing: Our donors are helping people. 

Kids are doing better in school because of these computer labs. The teachers are passionate, and the students are hungry to learn. They are turning these resources into further education, more stable jobs, and better-paying jobs than they had access to before. 

What we’re building here works, and it’s worth finishing.

— Caitlin Kelley, Executive Director

Why it Matters: Opportunities and Impact

I recently had the opportunity to visit Tanzania to meet the Powering Potential local team and see their work firsthand. This post is part 3 of a 3-part series about my experience.

As I mentioned in my earlier posts, I joined the board of Powering Potential Inc. (PPI) last year and then recently visited our projects in Tanzania deploying solar-powered computer labs to high schools.

PPI’s mission is to use technology to improve two areas for Tanzanian high school students: (1) their educational experience at the schools and (2) their employability after graduation.

I visited five high schools, speaking with administrators, teachers, students, and alumni to understand firsthand the impact in these two areas.

In the labs, I clearly saw improvements to the educational experience. Teachers were projecting materials for physics and math lessons. Students were researching topics using an online curriculum system. Many students were learning foundational computer skills – word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations. During one session in the Banjika Secondary School lab, I had initially thought that a student named Dora was viewing a website, only to discover that Dora was in the middle of designing and programming the web page herself! It was especially meaningful to see the Computer Studies curriculum in action that I had helped create 30 years ago.

But what about the second goal— improving employability? It wasn’t until I sat down to speak with the students and alumni that I began to fully understand the impact.

One question that I asked students was “Wazazi wako wanafanya kazi gani?” – What do your parents do for work? The first student, Lucy, who studied at Banjika Secondary, answered, “My parents are farmers.” Most students answered that exact same way. I couldn’t help but wonder how many of these students would follow in their parents’ footsteps. In fact, roughly two-thirds of Tanzanians today work in agriculture— mostly in small-scale, rural, subsistence farming.

But when I asked these students what they would like to do for work there was a dramatic shift. Lucy wants to be an “IT expert.” Others spoke about becoming engineers, doctors, and accountants– careers that depend on the very skills they’re learning in these labs.

Speaking with former students made the impact even clearer. One former student, Severin, went on to teach Computer Studies at Welwel Secondary School. Another, Pascal, works as a school teacher at Kainam Secondary School and assists in teaching Computer Studies there. One former student shared that they now work at a shop in town that requires computer skills—something that wouldn’t have been possible without the training they received in the lab. Another pointed out that often even applying for jobs or university now requires digital skills for online applications.

By the end of these conversations, I found myself thinking less about the technology itself and more about the opportunities being enabled. These labs aren’t just providing computers—they’re expanding what students believe is possible for their futures and what they can achieve.

And that may be the most important outcome of all!

Why it Works: The Tanzanian Technical Team

I recently had the opportunity to visit Tanzania to meet the Powering Potential local team and see their work firsthand. This post is part 2 of a 3-part series about my experience.

Last year, I joined the board of Powering Potential Inc. (PPI) whose mission is to use technology to improve education and employment opportunities for Tanzanian high school students.

One of my passions throughout my 30-year Engineering career has been working with teams of engineers to create and enhance products. Until this trip, I had never met the Tanzania-based PPI technical team in person.

So, in February I traveled to Tanzania to meet this team who has been deploying technology into rural high schools for the past 20 years. I wanted to know what their biggest challenges have been and how they overcame them. 

In our first meeting they walked me through the evolution of their systems, showing me examples of each. It was like a computer “show and tell” spanning two decades. 

What struck me wasn’t the hardware—it was the team’s depth of expertise.

Each design change reflected a real-world challenge. One hardware change was to a more closed form factor in order to improve durability given the often harsh (e.g. dusty!) environmental conditions. Another reduced power consumption to extend usage times on solar-based systems. Yet another was switching from using the open-source Linux operating system to Windows, based on what schools said teachers and students needed most. This is a team that deeply understands its operational environment and continually improves the systems over time.

One of the biggest challenges the team has tackled is electricity for the computer labs. Because these schools are all rural, electricity from the grid is at best intermittent. Oftentimes the lab has no access to the electrical grid at all. To ensure that students at these rural schools can still access the technology and technical training, the PPI team has integrated solar with battery storage into the overall systems they deploy.

The combination of technical expertise and practical problem-solving is what makes these labs work. I came away impressed with the team—not just by what they’ve built, but by how they continually improved the system over time. I look forward to working with them as we solve the next set of challenges to provide technology—and really, to provide opportunity – to students at rural Tanzanian schools.

The Biggest Challenge

Hi, I’m AJ! I joined the board of Powering Potential last year and recently had the opportunity to visit Tanzania to meet the Powering Potential local team and see their work firsthand. This post is part 1 of a 3-part series about my experience.

For two years in the mid-1990’s, I lived in a rural village in Tanzania as a Peace Corps high school math teacher, teaching subjects from algebra through calculus. It was an eye-opening experience—both culturally and professionally.

During that time, I also worked with the Tanzanian government to co-author the national curriculum for Computer Studies for high schools. While almost no high schools had computers at the time, the curriculum laid the groundwork for educating students in the distant future.

Fast-forward 30 years.

Today, I serve on the board of Powering Potential Inc. (PPI), which provides solar-powered computer labs and digital skills training to rural secondary schools in Tanzania. PPI’s mission is to use technology to improve education and expand employment opportunities for high school students.

In February, I visited five Tanzanian high schools with active PPI computer lab projects. Many people asked me the same question: “What is the biggest change you see in these rural schools after 30 years??”

I confess I struggled initially with the question.

It’s easy to see developmental changes in the nearby towns- more buildings, more cars, more businesses, and of course, the proliferation of cell phone usage. But what about rural high schools? So many things seemed exactly the same. The winding dirt roads leading up to the schools, the eager students lining up in their colorful uniforms, the teachers at the front of classrooms conveying lessons… It all seemed the same.

Then it hit me! The biggest change at these schools was precisely why I was there: Technology – the computer labs and the opportunities that come with them. 

Now, teachers are projecting videos and other online content to enhance lessons. Students are accessing digital content to supplement their learning. Students are gaining computer skills that open up job opportunities. And the students are studying the very Computer Studies curriculum that I helped shape three decades ago!

These are the biggest changes that I saw in my visit to the rural high schools —and they are all for the better.

Earlier this month, Powering Potential donors and friends joined us for a virtual Lunch & Learn to hear directly from our Tanzanian team and teachers at partner schools. We’ve already shared some of the key takeaways by email and on social media, but the conversation itself was rich enough that it deserves a home on our blog.

Lunch & Learns give our community a chance to hear unfiltered stories from the people who are using our computer labs every day. Donors see how their support shows up in real classrooms, and teachers and students get to speak directly to the people investing in their futures.

These conversations also help us bridge the gap between rural Tanzanian schools and supporters around the world. When donors hear teachers describe crowded classrooms, long travel times, and the realities of teaching without reliable electricity, the impact of a solar‑powered computer lab becomes much more concrete.

What Teachers Shared

During the call, several teachers described how access to computers, projectors, and digital curriculum has changed their teaching and their students’ lives:

Alumni Success & Full-Circle Story

Digital Tools Driving Better Outcomes

Students & Small Businesses

Eligi also highlighted how students are using their digital skills beyond the classroom. Graduates are drawing on what they learned in the lab to become entrepreneurs, designing flyers, using social media, and marketing their own.

Technology Improving Focus & Performance

Teachers shared recurring themes: when teachers use projectors, students pay more attention; digital tools help teachers cover the syllabus on time; and students are better prepared for national exams. 

As these benefits extend beyond the classroom, digital skills are becoming essential not only for passing exams but also for helping students find work and participate in the local and global economy.

Everyday Challenges, Real‑World Solutions

One story that stuck with many of us was about something as simple as printing exams. Before Banjika had computers and a printer, staff had to drive roughly two hours into town and pay someone to type and print tests or forms – trips that could take an entire day during the rainy season, when roads are muddy. 

Now, teachers can prepare and print what they need at school, saving both money and countless hours!

Over the past 20 years, we’ve updated our technology and solar systems based on feedback from the schools. Conversations like this Lunch & Learn help ensure that our projects keep pace with changing conditions on the ground, so we continue to meet the needs of the people we are working to help.

Thank You To Our Community

We are deeply grateful to everyone who joined us, asked thoughtful questions, and listened to our partners’ stories. Your curiosity and encouragement mean a great deal to our team and to the students and teachers we serve!

Please consider sharing this blog post or social posts.

“Jina langu ni Janice. Mimi ni mwalimu. Ninafundisha elimu ya kompyuta” (My name is Janice. I am a teacher. I teach computers.)

A simple sentence that would carry through generations. 

In 2006, American technology entrepreneur Janice Lathen traveled to Tanzania and visited Banjika Secondary School. She greeted the students in Swahili, and their exuberant reaction inspired her to ask if the school wanted a computer.

When she learned Banjika had no electricity, she donated a solar power system along with two computers.

Once computers arrived, student transfers into Banjika increased by 500%. The need and desire for digital skills were obvious, so Janice began fundraising for more computers and more schools. From that small project, Powering Potential was born. 

This year, Powering Potential celebrates our 20th anniversary. Since 2006, we’ve brought solar‑powered computers, educational technology, and digital skills training to over 45,000 students at 45 schools across Tanzania.

The Digital Divide

Over the last twenty years, digital technology has transformed economies worldwide, and the need for digital literacy has only grown. In a country like Tanzania, where most employed people work as small‑scale farmers, a lack of digital skills makes it even harder to move into higher‑earning, higher‑growth sectors. At the same time, the digital divide has widened: those with digital skills are finding new opportunities in the global economy, while those without are being left further behind.

Solar power has become an increasingly important part of the solution

Energy access has also changed. When Powering Potential began, most schools we worked with had no electricity. Today, many do. But power can still be unreliable, with electricity often going out for days or weeks at a time. For those reasons, solar power has always been an essential part of our program.

At the same time, solar power has become even more accessible in the past 20 years. Costs have fallen, and many local businesses install and maintain solar power systems. Since climate change already greatly affects the communities we serve, it matters that our projects are powered by the sun.

The urgency of demographic changes

20 years ago, Tanzania had a large population of youth with high youth unemployment rates. Today, demographics remain an urgent issue.

In 2026, 50% of the population of Tanzania is under 18. It is estimated that by 2040, one in four people on the planet will be African, and by 2050, one in three. That population growth gives African countries an enormous opportunity to advance economically, if those young people have the skills needed to find employment and start businesses in today’s economy. There currently remains a large gap between the skills employers are looking for and the skills young people have when they leave school. Even more now than in 2006, employers need workers with digital skills. Investing in digital literacy for young people in Tanzania and across Africa can help drive economic growth and development. And that investment has to happen now.  

At Powering Potential, we are proud of our track record of improving employment for graduates of our partner schools. In our surveys of graduates, 58% report finding employment after school, which is ten times the national average. Anecdotally, we hear from teachers that graduates of our partner schools get jobs faster than their peers. They tell us that their students are also using their newfound digital skills to start their own businesses and market them online.

Where are we headed next? 

This year, we’re bringing solar‑powered computer labs to 12 more schools, helping partner schools update their hardware and systems, and adapting our training so students have the skills they need in a rapidly evolving economy. Moving forward, we will ensure students can build the digital skills they’ll need in today’s workplace, including familiarity with AI tools and strong internet literacy.

Every nonprofit hopes for a future in which its services are no longer needed. Perhaps in another 20 years, Tanzanian students will have the learning materials and digital skills they need. Until then, we’ll keep adapting our programs and trying to reach more schools so that young people in rural Tanzania can access the opportunities of a digital world.

Twenty years ago, a simple act of hospitality set off a chain of events that would transform the lives of thousands of students in rural Tanzania.

When Powering Potential’s founder, Janice Lathen, traveled to Tanzania in 2006, she visited Banjika Secondary School, which had been co-founded the previous year by Sue Rickert, a former Peace Corps Volunteer. What Janice saw at the school inspired her to change the lives of thousands.

Despite limited resources and no access to technology, the students’ drive to learn was undeniable. Moved by their enthusiasm, Janice returned to the U.S. with a vision. The next year, Banjika became the first school in Tanzania to receive new computers, followed by a solar power system.

Among the first to use those computers was a young teacher named Albin Mathias, who taught himself digital skills on that very equipment. Those skills opened doors—and today, Albin leads the Potential Enhancement Foundation (PEF), Powering Potential’s Tanzanian partner. He now oversees every school installation, teacher training, and technology upgrade, ensuring that students across the country can access the same life-changing opportunities he once did at Banjika.

A Milestone Year for Banjika

This year, Banjika celebrated the 20th anniversary of its founding. 

To mark the occasion, we donated 10 brand-new computers. We are proud to continue our partnership with Banjika and make sure they continue to set the standard for quality education in Tanzania. This milestone levels the playing field for rural schools, opening doors to higher education and careers.

What began with a handful of computers has grown into a network of solar-powered labs serving more than tens of thousands of students each year, tripling graduation rates and making graduates ten times more likely to find meaningful employment.

Expanding Opportunity Across Karatu

As we celebrate this milestone, we are also looking ahead.

This year, with your help, we will install computers and conduct training at four more schools: Marang, Diego, Kilimamoja, and Kilimatembo Secondary Schools. Each school will soon have solar power, 20 computers, and training, giving hundreds of students a pathway to digital literacy and economic opportunity.

Everyday the world sees rapid advancements in digital technology. In fact, it is reportedly the fastest growing industry since the early 2000s. Trends show technology is projected to be even more immersive in the next 10 years. 

This rapid growth dramatically affects the global economy and workforce. While digital technology increases adaptability, productivity, and innovation in economic and workplace sectors, it also can displace those who have not had the resources to prepare for such a progressive change. 

By 2030 fast growing professions will rely heavily on advanced digital expertise. Emerging fields such as coding, cybersecurity, data management, and AI-based decision-making tools will also demand digital skills expertise. 

But with over 2.9 billion people worldwide remaining offline, of whom 96% reside in developing countries¹, digital inclusion and reskilling initiatives are imperative in ensuring access to economic opportunity.

Digital inclusion for all people around the world requires access to electricity, affordable internet enabled devices, adequate digital skills, and relevant digital content. In places like rural Tanzania, where access to electricity, digital devices, and digital skills training is limited, young people are being left behind.

It is the mission of Powering Potential Inc (PPI) to bring digital inclusion to places like Tanzania. PPI uses solar powered computer labs to combat limited electricity access. Each lab includes a server with digitized curriculum, office management software, projector, and printer, along with digital skills training  for students and teachers. Students are empowered with the tools they need to continue their education and secure productive employment.

By investing in digital inclusion, we can bridge the gap between those with access to technology and those without– ensuring that no one is left behind in our rapidly evolving digital world. The future of technology should be one that uplifts everyone regardless of geography or circumstances. Together we can build a more connected, inclusive, and innovative world. 

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References

1. https://globallabormarketconference.com/pdf/navigating-tomorrow.pdf 
2. https://www.weforum.org/stories/2019/04/skills-jobs-investing-in-people-inclusive-growth/ 
3. https://www.gsma.com/solutions-and-impact/connectivity-for-good/mobile-for-development/blog/tanzanias-digitalisation-journey-how-to-foster-digital-adoption