JJ and RR – Tanzanian inventors aged 17

The final leg of my African 4-nation, 5-partner visit was to CRED partner Daniel Mpanduzi and The Voice School, a secondary boarding school in Usa River township in Arusha region of Tanzania. The school was set up by Daniel to fill a gap in provision of education for girls, which he knew was sadly lacking in state schools. The Voice therefore runs on a 2:1 ratio of girls: boys, but also offers access to education for students of both genders who might otherwise not be able to access secondary education due to lack of finance etc. By providing boarding accommodation it also ensures that girls are able to complete their education and not have alternative traditional gender-based expectations come between them and their daily achievements, their monthly attendance, or the risk of getting caught up in early marriages and the like. It is a really wonderful school to visit, and I always come away inspired by the dedication of the teachers, the determination of the students, and the general atmosphere of the school which oozes a belief that every student can rightfully aspire for great things and aim high, but also is underpinned by selfless support of each other, a celebration of each other, and has faith in God at the heart of it all.

On my most recent visit, one of the highlights for me was to meet two 17-year-old lads, John Julius and Roland Robert. JJ and RR are together proving to be quite the inventors as they demonstrated to me when they showed me a couple of their most recent innovations. The first invention was an irrigation system that uses a simple mobile phone to initiate the watering. They’ve set it up so that the amount of water released into the reservoir for going through the hose lasts 30 mins – a period that they feel is an adequate amount of time if done in the cool of the morning or the evening. By using the phone, the watering can be initiated remotely. Thus even if the farmer isn’t at home, they can still ensure that their crops get watered every day at the time of choosing. The system is also linked to a thermometer which measures the air temperature. As a result, the farmer can easily see the temperature at home and decide when is the right time to water based on air temperature.

JJ told me how the idea was first initiated by personal experience of farming friends and neighbours who would find themselves away from home sometimes seeking extra income, and as a result were having failed crops due to not being able to be at home to do the watering. The problem, as far as JJ saw it, was how to ensure crops got watered even when the farmer was not nearby. I’ve come across timer systems before for irrigation, but this was the first time I’d seen one that is based on a mobile phone enabling daily adjusting of the irrigating times, and also does not rely on internet-based communication, which is often very poor and unreliable in more rural areas. A fab idea, which the lads would love to see developed into something that can be used as more than just the current prototype. The second invention that they showed me is another brainchild of JJ. He is clearly the initiator of the ideas, with RR stepping in to help think through how to turn the concept into a real working prototype.

Named the ‘Helen Programme’ after JJ’s mum, this second invention is a computer based transcriber of lessons that works offline, so again doesn’t rely on the unreliable internet. Essentially, from what I understand, it produces a real-time transcription of the lesson taking place, and is based on the fact that the entire curriculum has been downloaded and so draws from that database of knowledge. JJ designed it initially to be an accessibility tool for people who are deaf and unable to hear what the teacher is saying, and where the teacher doesn’t do sign language etc. But it can also be used as an additional revision tool, and will assist any where they struggle to learn by listening to a lesson. I confess the finer details of this one were lost on me, as I find computers to be a mystery beyond my understanding, but JJ and RR have great faith in the software that they have written, and have already trialled it in class.

I was so impressed by these two lads. Neither of them have had an easy time in the start of their life, coming from remote and resource-poor families. But they are rising above their potential challenges, looking out for others, and using their love of science, computers and innovation to bring positive change to others. I look forward to hearing more of their inventions in the future, as I have a feeling this isn’t the last of them!!!

Certificates and smiles for the teachers at Spurgeons

I've just had the honour and joy of delivering a 3-day workshop for the teaching staff at Spurgeons Academy here in the Kibera district of Nairobi, Kenya. It was such a good time, and a real delight to see them engaging and participating so enthusiastically, as they explored how to apply the principles into their teaching styles and lesson plans. Since the schools reopened in Kenya after lockdown, the Kenyan government has instituted a very intense, speeded-up programme in the schools, to try and ensure that there are no gaps in the curriculum, and all students catch up with where they should be by Jan 2023. As a result, each term has been squished into less teaching time, the holidays have been shortened, and teachers and students alike are tired! On Friday last week, the academic year of 2021 ended. And on April 25th, the academic year of 2022 starts. It will end in December 2022, so that the academic year of 2023 can start on time in January. Knowing that the teachers have just ended a busy term of teaching and end of year exams, I felt very humbled that they hung around in Nairobi for the training, and didn't just escape up-country to their family homes where parents and grandparents live. Instead, they stayed down, engaged with the training, and seemingly got a lot out of it based on their comments and participation levels. One of the last activities was for each of them to create their own little action plan of what to implement first when they return to the classroom and have the chance to put their new skills and knowledge into practice, and I look forward to hearing how that all pans out. But for now, the training is over and they are variously travelling to their extended families, for rest, relaxation, and a well-earned break.

A visit to Nkuru Vocational Training College – always an uplifting experience

As I said to the college students yesterday when I introduced myself to them at the start of a workshop, I’ve been visiting the college since before the first idea for it was spoken about. Initially John’s plans for the site was just to build a self-sustainable home for his dad, who had nowhere of his own to go when his time of living on, and working for the tea plantation came to end. The home was built, John’s dad now resides there, and he has no bills to pay thanks to having solar-powered electricity, biogas to cook on, rainwater harvesting to provide the water that he needs, and a herd of cows to provide manure, milk, and an income stream.

But, John’s dreams didn’t stop with moving his dad into the house. He started looking around at the needs of the community and listening to the dreams and desires of the locals. As a result, over the years, the land has developed further. First came a community-focused vocational college which has a very holistic, person-centred, project based learning approach. It focuses on vocational skills that have been requested by prospective students, and thus we find students studying catering, hair and beauty, fashion and design, and construction. There is boarding accommodation for the students, a hair and beauty salon for the locals and a restaurant for the college and community alike. Renowned for its chapattis, it is very common to see children of all ages calling by to the café on the way home home from school to buy themselves a tasty snack.

Recognising that the distance that many of the youngest children in the community were having to walk to school was approximately 2 – 3 miles, the next addition to the college was a 3-class nursery school, and so the sound of happy little voices filters down into the classrooms of the older students.

Access to water for local residents was another recognised problem, resulting in girls and women in particular having to spend long periods walking to the nearest water hole to collect this essential item, or spending precious shillings paying someone to collect it for them. Attendance at school was affected, as well as the impact on the safety of the girls when they were laden down by a jerrican of water and unable to escape from unwanted male predators. The college had access to a borehole, and more water than they needed, especially as they also do rainwater harvesting. The solution to the community water challenge was therefore to have the construction students lay water pipes from the college to the homes of the most vulnerable, bringing them access to water on tap. Yes, they have to pay for it, but it is less than they were having to pay before, and the additional benefits of time, safety, and health are considered very much worth it. The most recent addition to the college that I have been watching develop has been the fuel station, and when I was there last time, in November 2021, the basic infrastructure was in place but the pump had yet to be installed, and the final safety checks and permission to trade were yet to be granted. Yesterday’s visit to the college saw a change to all that. The pump is in, Emmanuel (Ema) the attendant has passed his proficiency test to run the fuel station, and cars and boda-bodas (motorbike taxis) are rejoicing that they finally have a place where they can buy fuel in their own community, rather than having to drive the very bumpy and dusty 6 miles to the next fuel station, and in so doing use up precious fuel to get there.

The fuel station in itself is a blessing to the community, but also is the hardware store that is tagged on to the compound. This was set up in recognition of another gap in the facilities for local folks, and so many local tradesmen and DIYers are making the most of now being able to go to their local store, rather than having to pay the transport costs to get to the store in Mityana town.

So many community-based add on’s that have resulted from the siting of this college, and as a result a real sense of community-ownership and support in the college and it’s various enterprises. It’s been a real joy to journey with John and the team in getting this far, and it was a delight to spend some time yesterday and today delivering training and workshops to the students and to the staff. Based on the conversations with John over the past 24 hours I know that there is more developments to come, and I look forward to being able to share about those projects as they materialise. I look forward to also sharing about some of the additional activities that are in place for the students – not least the weekly programme of TED talks that they run between them. But they are for the future. For now this is to celebrate all that has been achieved thus far, and the beautiful community spirit that underpins every aspect of the developments.

A range of hats, activities and meetings in Rwanda and Uganda

I don’t know that there is going to be much of great profoundness in this blog, it’s more a writing that will help to update any who are interested on what I’ve been up to over the past few days.

It’s also a way to help fill some time as I journey back to Kampala from Gulu – a journey that takes 5 hours if we are lucky, but is probably closer to 6 hours, and that’s a long time to sit still!!!

So, last time I wrote I’d been doing some teacher training for the staff at Comfort Primary School in Kigali, a school that CRED Partner GNPDR has been linked with since its inception due to its focus on providing access to mainstream education for children who have found themselves living on the streets.

Since then, I’ve had a whole bunch of different meetings, and I have to say that each of them in their own right has been a real pleasure and honour to be involved in.

I met with the deputy CEO of another non-profit, ‘Never Again Rwanda’, and heard about the advocacy and empowerment work that they are doing across a range of sectors as well as having the chance to share about one of the training programmes that I have been delivering to the GNPDR staff. 

I met with the chair of the GNPDR board, another fruitful conversation that included me drawing on my back history of chairing and sitting on various committees, to help him with exploring new solutions to some of the challenges that he is experiencing.

I had a lovely time chatting with four folks who want to become local trainers for 360Life, and so be able to deliver the training themselves, rather than having to wait for me to travel to the country. This will really help to expand the work, and provide presentations that are contextually relevant in a way that I am unable to do, despite my best efforts at being culturally sensitive.

two of the four local trainers

I had two days facilitating a Theory of Change workshop for the GNPDR team and together we explored what is their ultimate goal, what does their vision of success look like, and what does the change pathway look like to reach that. Lots of new concepts and ways of thinking for the GNPDR team in that workshop, but even so, by the end of the second day, a lot of progress had been made.

Then I travelled to Uganda and spent the first day just catching up with John and family, and hearing how all the different projects have been progressing since I was last here. That was the Saturday, and on the Sunday I treated myself to a morning a local ‘country club’ (in the heart of Kampala, so not very ‘country’), where I enjoyed using the gym, and having an outdoor swim.

Then it was a delightful afternoon catching up with Harriet, Miriam and the rest of the ladies at Acholi Quarters. I didn’t see many of the youngsters as they were all off to a sports afternoon organised by a local NGO, but I did see many of them running for the bus that was to transport them to the sports facilities, and they waved at me excitedly as they charged by. So good to see their smiles and happiness at the thought of an afternoon of tennis with their friends.

It was good to see the Acholi ladies again. This was the first time of seeing them since the children had returned to school after a covid-induced gap of 2 years, and they told me with delight how well the children have adjusted to being back, and are enjoying being able to do their lessons again. The ladies also shared how this was the first time that none of them had struggled to pay their portion of the school fees for the children, thanks to a savings scheme that they set up after I had done some small training with them in March 2021. As a result of that savings scheme, they all had access to some money that they could draw on, and all the children had the joy of being able to go to school and not worry about the teachers sending them home due to non-payment of the balance.

Just an aside at this point – all of these children are ones that have some support with their educational fees from UK donors. But it was the request of the group leaders in Acholi that we don’t pay the full amount – which would lead to a culture of dependency – but leave some small percentage for the parents to pay, so that they have the dignity of knowing that they are personally supporting their children. In principle this is a good way to go, but until this year it’s been a struggle for that top up to always be found. It was therefore a wonderful bit of news to hear that this term none of the parents had had that struggle, despite all the ups and downs of Covid. Praise the Lord for that.

Whilst at Acholi I also placed an order for some beads, covered the medical cost of a girl we support who has had 6 weeks of cough and some chest tightness, and prayed for an elderly lady who is probably not long for this world. It was a privilege to be able to sit with her and her family at this time.

The past two days have been spent in Gulu – well, 24 hours in Gulu, plus 12 hours of driving. In that time I’ve met with more potential 360Life trainers, discussed possible future training for friend involved in a new ministry, heard updates about some of the programme work that CRED Partner ILA is doing, and had some very useful conversations about my PhD research. And I was in the right place at the right time to watch a Women’s Day parade pass by, on this International Women’s Day, which is so esteemed in Uganda, that it is considered a public holiday.

My research is going to be based in and around Gulu, and so I’ve had to get ethics clearance from the local university. One staff member has been particularly helpful in navigating the process, and it was so good to be able to sit with him this morning and actually chat face to face about progress made so far, and what hoops are still to be jumped through. Technology is wonderful for keeping in touch from afar, and it has really come into its own since covid and not being able to meet in person, but there really is nothing like being able to meet face to face, at least sometimes.

So, there you have it – a catch up of my activities over the past week. As I said, nothing profound, but a little insight into variety of interactions that have certainly made up the spice of my life.