The Bega kwa Bega Education and Scholarship committee recently approved the purchase of laptops and projectors for the 6 Iringa Diocese Secondary Schools. Dan McIntyre is loading each laptop with a vast amount of educational materials focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Medicine (STEM) topics, including videos from TED talks and Khan Academy, medical reference materials, Wikipedia encyclopedia articles, community health education materials, science and technology training manuals, materials to help prepare for the Form II and Form IV national exams, a program to teach computer coding, music files, literature and much more!
A delegation from Prince of Peace Roseville visited our companion congregation at Bomalang’ombe in June and we were thrilled to bring over the first computer and projector to present to Bomalang’ombe Secondary School! We arrived during school break so there were no students at the school. After a delicious and abundant lunch (and dancing!) we were able to do an orientation session for the administration and teachers who were still on campus. The pastor and other church leaders from Bomalang’ombe Lutheran Church also attended – some of the videos could be used for community education sessions. The first order of business was to review and sign the covenant agreeing to the proper care and usage of the equipment. We then demonstrated how to hook up the computer and projector and walked through the materials on the computer. Everyone chuckled and clapped over the Khan Academy basic multiplication video and enjoyed the ‘learn English’ computer program for children. The school nurse was interested in the medical reference materials. We reviewed a science simulation and watched the beginning of a community health ed video on HIV/AIDS prevention. There was a lot of enthusiasm over the training materials for the national exams! We talked about how some of the schools that Dan worked with set up science clubs that spend time after classes watching the educational videos and learning more.
It was such a joy to be able to present this wonderful gift to Bomalang’ombe Secondary School. It was received with great enthusiasm and everyone watched intently to see all of the materials available. We pray that this computer and projector will be used by Bomalang’ombe Secondary School – and all of the DIRA schools – to help our precious students learn and grow and succeed in their studies!
Signing the covenant
Reviewing STEM instructional manuals
Connecting the laptop to the projector
Exploring the educational materials!