It is hard for me to believe that Powering Potential is in its tenth consecutive year. It seems like very little time has passes since I started this adventure by greeting the students of Banjika Secondary School in Karatu, Tanzania with "Jina langu ni Janice. Mimi ni mwalimu. Ninafundisha elimu ya kompyuta." ("My name is Janice. I am a teacher. I teach computer classes.") The warmth and enthusiasm of their response inspired me to bring computers to their school and Powering Potential was born.
Elitumaini Rweyemamu was one of those students and his story is the story of Powering Potential. From his introduction to technology at the Banjka Secondary School in 2006 to his graduation from college with a B.A. in Languages and Management in 2015, he epitomizes the success of our efforts. Elitumaini is currently working for Powering Potential as the Community Relations Manager and we are so honored to have him on the team. He states: "I am proud of it, that my name will also one day exist in history of the people who brought technological revolution to children and youth of Tanzania."
How far we've come! Since 2006, Powering Potential has helped more than 10,000 students in 29 Tanzanian co-ed public schools supplement their secondary-level education with access to offline educational resources. We've installed 29 solar power systems, more than 100 computers, and provided thousands of hours of relevant technical training to ensure our work is effective and sustainable.
Our groundbreaking work for under-served Tanzanian communities has been reported in the Huffington Post and the Christian Science Monitor. We've been funded by the Tanzanian government and many other major organizations, including the US Embassy, Newman's Own Foundation, Raspberry Pi Foundation, and Segal Family Foundation.
A strong network of donors ensures that we can continue providing these life-changing opportunities for Tanzania's rural students. Our goal is to raise $30,000 which will allow us to implement the Computer Lab-Phase 2 program at two additional schools.
- $200 provides one complete computer unit with access to a digital library
- $700 will purchase two projectors
- $3,500 is the cost of one solar energy system at a Phase 2 school
Of course, contributions of any amount will be sincerely appreciated and bring us closer to our goal. Powering Potential is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Please join forces with us to bring the light of knowledge to students sitting in the dark by donating at poweringpotential.org/donate.
Onward and upward,
Janice Lathen
Founding Director
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