The projects at the Don Bosco centers are contributing to an increased access to quality technical training on renewable energy in Tanzania.

NEW ROCHELLE, NY (July 24, 2019) Don Bosco Vocational Training Centers in Dar es Salaam, Dodoma and Iringa in Tanzania have been working to advance each center’s ability to provide technical and vocational training in renewable energy. To date, 260 students are accessing renewable energy training at Don Bosco Vocational Training Centers in Dodoma and Iringa. These includes both male and female students.

Don Bosco Oysterbay in Dar es Salaam has been funded over the last two years through a partnership with Misereor, the German Catholic Bishops’ Organization for Development Cooperation, to help advance this training capacity.

Building off this work, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation awarded a grant to Salesian Missions to fund the same training initiative at the Don Bosco training centers in Dodoma and Iringa. This has led to the establishment of training laboratories and the remodeling of the solar and electronic classes and workshops at the centers as well as the installation of training equipment and furniture and the development and training of instructors on the new syllabus. The projects are contributing to increased access to quality technical training on renewable energy in Tanzania.

As the world faces growing environmental degradation and climatic change challenges, there is a need to embrace sustainable development more than ever before. This has led to a need for leaders and practitioners of technical and vocational education and training to improve their understanding and implementation of education for sustainable development using a whole-institution approach to greening their institutions.

Sikitu Kichele Ngambi is a 29-year-old mother who grew up in the Kuriya tribe in Tanzania’s North Western region of Mara bordering Kenya. There, traditional practices are marginalizing women and men dominate the family. She says, “Previously before coming to Dodoma for electrical and solar energy education, I was a stay home young mother, whose basic role was to attend to all house chores and take care of my four children. I had no voice in the family nor any financial power. I dropped out from school and had lost hope. I wished to empower myself both intellectually and financially but did not know how.”

Ngambi was introduced to the Salesian electrical course by a friend who had heard about it on the radio. She joined in early 2016 and finished the course in October 2018. Through support from the Charles Mott Foundation, she was able to take the course for free.

“I am now confident in my ability to work as a solar expert with knowledge of the components and design of the different solar systems, battery and inventor usage thanks to the theory and practical lessons I took at the Salesian technical school,” adds Ngambi.

Ngambi does both electrical and solar work in her community which generates and contributes to her family’s income. She explained, “People in my community are impressed when they find me in my line of work. They never thought that a woman could be able to do this. I have a reputation in my community, and I give out my number in case one will need my services. I get my income from fixing community electrical and solar problem in their houses, just last week a client paid me Tsh.200, 000 ($87) for one job. I now have a contribution in my family, I am recognized.”

In Tanzania, 67.9 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. While the country has seen some economic growth in tourism, mining, trade and communication, the number of Tanzanians living below the poverty line has marginally increased due to rapid population growth. In some regions, up to half of the population struggles to meet the cost of essential food and shelter and other basic necessities like clothing, health care and education.

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