President Kikwete Accepts My Invitation

After our lunch with President Kikwete on June 30, we were taken to a State House garden and invited to have our photo taken with him and then we each formally said goodbye to him and another photo was taken. I'd like to express a special thank you to Muhidin Michuzi, the President's Assistant Press Secretary, for sending me the photos. Before the following photo was taken he referred to me as "Mama Karatu" and complimented me on the work of Powering Potential and I invited him to come and visit one of our schools.

In the photo below, he's telling me in Swahili that when he comes to Karatu he will come and visit a Powering Potential school.

Lunch with President Kikwete at the State House

Another historic day for Powering Potential and personally an exciting one for me. (I'm in the second row with the turquoise shawl.)

Ambassador Maajar had invited me to join her VIP safari group of American business people for their activities in Dar es Salaam including dinner with President Kikwete. Plans changed and we had lunch instead of dinner with him at the State House today. A few of us were also invited to have our photos taken individually with the president. I'll get a copy of that photo later. President Kikwete referred to me as "Mama Karatu" and he complimented me on our work. I invited him to visit our project and he said the next time he's in Karatu he will come and visit. I also had a chance to tell the U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania more about Powering Potential. He gave us a grant in 2010.

In her remarks at lunch, which were videotaped, Ambassador Maajar mentioned Powering Potential by name. That video will eventually be on youtube. Ametupa heshima kubwa sana. (She has given us a very big honor.)

Tomorrow I join the group for Saba Saba, The International Trade Fair and then on Monday we fly to Zanzibar for activities there.

Stay tuned.....