Tanzanians Kickstart SPARC Lab in the Serengeti

Mr. Sabasaba Moshingi, CEO of Tpb Bank (formerly Tanzania Postal Bank), knows the power of a good investment.

For years, Mr. Moshingi has partnered with Powering Potential and invested his time and energy in the education of Tanzania’s students. He is the treasurer of our counterpart organization, the Potential Enhancement Foundation (PEF), and in 2014 secured a grant through the bank allowing Powering Potential to install a Pi-oneer at Rigicha Secondary School in Tanzania’s Serengeti District.

Now Powering Potential is excited to announce the next phase of this collaboration: installation of a SPARC lab (Solar-Powered Access to Raspberry Computing) at Rigicha Secondary School.

Mr. Moshingi has pledged $5,000 for this new lab and the school community is contributing a secure room with tables and chairs. To open the lab in the fall of 2020, Powering Potential needs its supporters to join Mr. Moshingi and the school community to fully fund this $20,000 project. Donate today! 

This project builds on Tpb Bank’s grant to Powering Potential to install a Pi-oneer at Rigicha Secondary School in 2014. 

With the Pi-oneer — a solar-powered Raspberry Pi computer loaded with digital educational content, a handheld projector and projection screen — teachers enhance their lessons with audiovisual aids without needing electricity or the Internet.

While the Pi-oneer introduced digital content to Rigicha’s classrooms, this new SPARC lab will give the students a hands-on opportunity to explore digital content themselves. One SPARC lab has five Raspberry Pi computers, three servers containing educational content including the Tanzanian digitized secondary school syllabi, two solar panels, three batteries, and supporting equipment, and ten students can use it at once. Just like the Pi-oneer, the school does not need grid electricity or the Internet to operate the lab. 

This computer lab is essential to furthering Rigicha students’ education. Without enough teachers and with outdated textbooks, these students simply do not have the same opportunities as students in other countries. This lab will supplement the formal education they receive, and it is an opportunity for students to learn computer skills that will prepare them for the job market. 

As Mr. Moshingi says, technical knowledge is necessary for everyone: “Janice and her teams (Powering Potential and PEF) are doing a great job in helping a good number of students from disadvantaged poor and rural Tanzania to have access to ICT (Information Communication Technology), a prerequisite knowledge in today’s globalized world. Any support that can be offered to them to expand their noble services to Tanzania is highly appreciated.”

Because of the bank’s generosity, we have a good start towards our goal, and now we are calling on our supporters to join Mr. Moshingi and complete the funding of this $20,000 project to install and administer the lab. This cost includes the solar and computer equipment, local transportation to the school, program administration, and two weeks of training and materials to teach the school’s teachers and students how to use and maintain the computers. 

We know that just like Mr. Moshingi the supporters of Powering Potential understand the power of a good investment too. You know that education and opportunity are the keys to unlocking the full potential of students. Invest today in the futures of these students, and help us reach our goal of fully funding this lab. Donate.