Technology Learning Center (TLC) Project

The Center for Health Analytics for National and Global Equity(C.H.A.N.G.E.) is collaborating with Humanity for Children (HFC), a Missouri-based non-government organization, in creating a “Technology Learning Center” (TLC) project to bridge the wide gap in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) education between urban and the indigenous rural students. Through the TLC project, C.H.A.N.G.E. and HFC aim to provide the necessary infrastructure, facilities, computers, solar power, and all the other accessories for the students of Loibor-Siret (an indigenous community in rural Tanzania) to learn the national curriculum for ICT.

The TLC project will serve students of the indigenous Maasai community who live in the remote area of Loibor-Siret Ward, Simanjiro Council, in Manyara, Northern Tanzania. This is a pilot project and will be an ICT model for other disadvantaged rural areas lacking ICT education.

This project will involve the following main activities:

• Introductory meetings among stakeholders: HFC, Maasai community leaders of Loibor-Siret, Loibor-Siret Secondary School representatives, Simanjiro District Education Office, and other government officials.

• Renovate one classroom which will be provided by Loibor-Siret Secondary School.

• Install solar power and set up the classroom with all the necessary accessories.

• Train two local teachers who will run the TLC lab independently.

• Coordinate bimonthly phone meetings and twice-yearly in-person meetings of all project stakeholders to ensure the project stays on track to meet its goals.

• Thoroughly monitor, evaluate, and document each aspect of the project to enable its future replicability in other disadvantaged communities.

This project will result in:

• Providing all Loibor-Siret Secondary School students with full access to the lab for the first time, and a chance to study fully the national curriculum for ICT education.

• Promoting ICT education among the elementary and junior-school students of Loibor-Siret by providing them with lower level computer lessons training that will increase their motivation for studying advanced ICT lessons in the future

• Promoting ICT development among the Loibor-Siret community by providing them with access to the computer lab and teaching them basic skills to support their community development

• Increasing employment among Loibor-Siret young adults as a result of the ICT skills learned

• Increasing the number of students from Loibor-Siret who join STEM fields for higher studies

• Stimulating local economic growth through promotion of modern information systems for small remote-area enterprises