Community Center

Greetings!  I hope this enews finds you safe and well. I'm writing you from Tanzania and plan to return to the U.S. in a couple of weeks. Here, people are not suffering from COVID-19. There are some cases in Africa and we can’t help but worry about how serious it could get here. For now, without the virus present here, we are working together as we always do. We are sharing our good news with you, knowing it will be received where life is already hard because of the pandemic. Thank you for helping us move forward in developing the Community Center at our Cypress Hill campus. I'm thinking of you all and sending you all best wishes for continuing health, safety, and well-being. Thank you for your heart-felt support of the Maasai Stoves & Solar Project.

Warm wishes, Twende! Robert Lange March 2020

Cypress Hill Community Center update

We're working hard to complete the four components. The classroom renovation is now complete and we’re nearly there for the rest: Classroom Playground Restaurant Library and Computer Center The Community Center is a place for everyone to enjoy a variety of life-enriching opportunities. Computers connected to the internet and a useful and stimulating book collections are likely to especially attract teachers and students. The Library currently has more than one thousand books spanning many subjects. Levels range from children’s activity books to advanced books in science, mathematics, economics, and business development. But what else is needed?

Secondary school teachers and principals explore the library

I like to have advanced books within reach of the people to give them a taste of where knowledge can take us if we go along with it far enough. But what we don’t yet have are those books that are directly relevant to the curriculum and the syllabi of the schools here in Tanzania. With this in mind, last week we invited ten secondary school teachers and two secondary school principals to join us at Cypress Hill to discuss their needs and interests, particularly in relation to the library books.

Creative thinking

We started our meeting with the idea that these teachers would help us choose which books to purchase to fill this need, and, indeed, they will soon provide those lists.

Builders trying out the new swings at the Community Center playground

Unexpectedly, what was really wonderful and most rewarding about the meeting was the creative thinking that began when these teachers began to visualize themselves and their students actually at the Center, and ideas flowed. For example, one teacher suggested we have a fully furnished and usable classroom next door for group gatherings. When we proposed a large screen in the library, attached to the computers and internet, another teacher suggested we have it in the adjacent classroom instead.

Last year's Math Olympiad at Cypress Hill

You may remember the Math Olympiad competition we reported last year, with students from six local schools competing. The teachers suggested we continue to hold these competitions, but also include far-away schools, and use the Cypress Hill hostel to make that possible. The hostel has sleeping capacity for 25 people. They also suggested we provide extra learning opportunities, such as evening computer classes. All wanted more resources for primary school teachers, including a large collection of previous national exams for practice.

Building the restaurant, including the large outdoor gathering space

We’re already incorporating their suggestion for an outdoor meeting space. The new restaurant will have a large roofed patio dining area that can be used for all sorts of gatherings. So, with the help of lots of creative thinking and you, our supporters, we are on our way.

Helping each other

A virus that makes it hard to breathe is a terrible thing.  Let’s help each other get through this as best we can, and somehow gain even deeper connection in the process.

Thank you to Philip Lange and Kisioki Moitiko for photography

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