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Phase 2, Phase 3, and more [2021-10-09]

It’s been a very busy time for Reneal since the last blog post, including two new computer lab installations as a part of our Phase 2 program with donor Apto Solutions, Reneal Country Director David Nyangaka presenting a paper at the 1st International Conference on Digital Transformation in Dar es Salaam, receipt of the first set of laptops from Apto Solutions for the Phase 3 projects, and the (less glamorous) job of doing an update on all servers in Tanzania.

The two new Phase 2 lab installations were especially exciting, because they were in Meru District, a new area for Reneal.  For the installation at Sing’isi Secondary Schools, David was joined by Meru District’s Executive Director, District Commissioner, District Education Officer, and other local officials for the formal turn-over of the lab.  Reneal is so pleased to partner now with Meru District!  We expect to install a lab in a third Meru District school in the next few weeks as we near completion of the Phase 2 projects.  We are so grateful to Reneal Team Tanzania and our partners Habari Node and Arusha Node Marie for the installation and training effort!

Last year Erik Rowberg, manager of Habari Node, pointed us toward a conference planned in 2020 on digital transformation organized by the Tanzania Education and Research Network (TERNET).  The conference was postponed in 2020 due to COVID, but it finally took place last month.  David presented a paper entitled “Computerization Strategy for Government Secondary Schools”.  It was selected to be the very first paper presented, and David received a lot of great feedback on it.  We look forward to addition feedback and contacts from David’s presentation at the conference.

As the Phase 2 projects head toward completion, Reneal Team US is gearing up for Phase 3.  Neal and I went over to the Apto Solutions local office on Wednesday and picked up 75 laptops.  I have been working since then to check them out – they are just wonderful machines for Reneal’s application!  We look forward to giving them many more useful years of life in schools in Tanzania!  In the meantime, Neal has been ordering server parts and will start the serious server building work soon.

Reneal Team Tanzania has also been visiting schools to check out the equipment and do a server update.  This is hard work, since many of the schools are very remote.  Neal and I do a lot of troubleshooting with the Team using chat.  We are so grateful to have Robert, Erick, Anold, and Ashura as part of our hard-working, patient, and competent Team to work through and solve issues!

(Computer lab turnover ceremony at Sing’isi Secondary School in Meru District)