Dr. Shukuru Kawambwa, the Minister of Education and Vocational Training, called me on November 8th to ask if I could meet with him in Arusha the next day.
We met in the Jakaya Kikwete Presidential Suite at the Kibo Palace Hotel for one hour. He had just come from escorting Prince Charles and Camilla around to schools in Arusha and after our meeting he was returning to bid them adieu at the airport. I felt so honored that he squeezed me in between royalty!
We discussed our programs and I showed him the RACHEL educational content we install on the Powering Potential computers. I played a video for him which explains the balancing of chemical equations. After a minute or so, I made a move to go on to another topic and he stopped me so he could watch more.
When I return to Dar es Salaam at the end of the month, I will meet again with Mr. Ponera (photo below), Director of ICT at the Ministry, to discuss how Powering Potential can best serve the objectives of the Ministry. He is holding the Genesi Smarttop computers we use and on the table is the Smartbook.
This Powering Potential adventure continues to excite and inspire me!
3 Comments
Janice — he was probably glad to ditch Camilla & Charles, are you kidding?! Then he could hang out with you, who are there helping the children in his country, not taking tours and drinking tea with your pinky in the air.
I love the charming photo of you with the Minister of Education, Janice! It shows how both you and your project are a breath of fresh air to him. I agree with Judy!
Keep it up Janice.