We are proud to announce that Brewer Science Center of Rolla, Mo., is sponsoring a computer teacher for a school in remote Tanzania through Chocolate University!
The donation will provide one year’s salary for the first computer teacher at the Mwaya Secondary School in Tenende, a village Askinosie Chocolate sources beans and Chocolate University has been involved for the past two years.
“These kids have never had a computer teacher until now,” Shawn Askinosie, founder of Askinosie Chocolate, said. “Adding computer skills to the curriculum will provide them with a vital part of their education they’ve been missing and help maintain the computer learning program after we are gone.”
Tenende, in the Kyela District of rural southwestern Tanzania, is home to Mwaya Secondary School. Located in a rice and cacao-producing valley near the shores of Lake Nyasa, the school has only ten teachers, serves more than 1,100 students from Tenende and neighboring villages. The region suffers from extreme poverty, limited access to clean water and food, widespread HIV rates and unequal access to education for girls.
Askinosie Chocolate is also working with the Mwaya PTA on a fully sustainable nutrition program like the Tableya program in Davao, Philippines, and an educational video curriculum for the students. We are excited to take another group of Springfield high school students to Tanzania this summer! They will work with farmers, help implement the nutrition program and work with the Empowered Girls Club that Chocolate University funds.