Dear Team Tumaini,
I am excited to share with you a few quick Tumaini updates from both sides of the ocean:
1. Four Tumaini students graduate from Teachers College!
Four of our oldest students recently graduated from Teachers College! Barakaeli, Irene, Lucy, and Neema completed their two year programs, which included both classroom instruction and direct practical experience. (The photo above captures part of our Board members' meeting with Barakaeli and Irene at their Teachers College this past spring; you can watch Barakaeli teaching during his internship at a primary school in a nearby city in this video.) These young women and this young man are now awaiting notice of their placement by the government at primary schools throughout the country. We hope a few of these new teachers will be placed in Sakila.
2. Five Tumaini students enter university!
Our top performing oldest students--Frank, Baraka, Livingstone, Martin, and Godlisten--enrolled in universities in Tanzania last month! These five students helped start Tumaini Tanzania about seven years ago, and they have been leaders in the program ever since. (The photo above shows three of these students, Frank, Baraka, and Martin, supporting our home visits of new students during the Board's trip this past spring.) Frank will study mechanical engineering at the University of Dar es Salaam; Godlisten will study education at Teofile Kisanje University; Baraka will study electrical engineering at Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology; Martin will study education at St. Augstine Tabora University; and Livingstone will study mechanical engineering at St. Joseph University of Tanzania. The engineering programs are four years; the education programs are three years. We will send more information on these students in the near future.
We are incredibly proud of these students, the first Tumaini scholars to enter university. The students' university enrollment increases our expenses tremendously (each year of university-related costs total around $3,000 per student). However, we are committed to helping these brilliant and hardworking students ignite their own potential so that they can continue to lead their own community.
3. Tumaini partners with Charlotte Latin School!
We are honored and thrilled to announce that Charlotte Latin School (CLS) has selected Tumaini Tanzania as the beneficiary of its All-School Service Project! Reflecting the school's recognition of service as a centerpiece in its mission to encourage individual development and civility, every year the whole CLS community joins together to raise funds for, and generate awareness of, a particular cause. The project will stretch over the entire school year, with a unique TK-12 (school-wide) assembly taking place just before Thanksgiving to highlight the effort. The school has selected "Bridges of Hope" as the theme of the project to emphasize the connections between the aspirations of students in Charlotte and students in Tanzania.
We have really enjoyed working with the CLS students and staff. We are humbled by their enthusiasm for this project, excited by the creativity they have shown, and encouraged by their commitment to this community that can seem so far away. Special thanks to Jennie Stuart, John McGinnis, and Adam Windham, who have helped to lead this tremendous effort. (In the photo above, John and Adam display some of the great posters the school has made as part of the campaign!)
4. New website unveiled!
We have been hard at work re-designing our website to give you a better sense of the work you're helping to bring about in Tanzania. Please take a moment to visit out new site,www.tumainitanzania.org. We will continue to add to the new website, including uploading new profiles of our students and our local team, so please check back often. Special thanks to Erik Stiller and Blayre Stiller for all the time, energy, and creativity they applied to this project!
We so appreciate your continued support of these students and their community. We will be in touch later this month to kick off our annual holiday fundraising drive to sustain our projects as we enter a new year. Please keep Tumaini Tanzania in mind as you begin to plan your year-end giving budget. And please feel free to connect us with any of your friends who may be interested in joining in this exciting work!
Nawathamini,
(I appreciate/value you,)
Lide