A few months ago I shared with you all the exciting news that Unite Passion Project Founder & Director Lila Wells (also the Chief Operating Officer of BrewBike on the Northwestern University Campus) was awarded a grant of $3,800 from the BrewBike Future Fund (designed to empower young entrepreneurs tochase their dreams and do the good they are meant to do in the world) to launch an additional Unite Club in Tanzania. As a direct result of this grant, earlier this month, Unite teammates successfully launched a 7th club at Tabora Boys Secondary School, a highly respected government secondary school, celebrated in part for being the alma mater of the first president of the Republic of Tanzania Julius Nyerere. With this most recent addition, the Unite Passion Project, the Unite Hummingbird Tree Planting Campaign, and the Unite Soft-Skills of Professionalism curriculum is now reaching more than 1,300 students across the country.
(Left to right) Tabora Boys Teacher Miss Neema Mhoja, Unite Environmental Scientist Clara Wilson Ngowi, Tabora Boys Teacher & Unite Club Coordinator Esckin Sanga, Unite Club Vice Chief Henry, Unite Scholar & Club Chairperson David Bitaho, and Unite Scholars’ Mentor Joan Mnzava in front of Tabora Boys School.
Every Unite Club receives from Unite The World With Africa Foundation a laptop, a projector, a speaker and microphone, a jump drive with 100+ Passion Videos and the Unite Soft Skills of Development curriculum, notebooks and pens for every member, a cell phone and monthly phone bundle, tree seedlings from the Unite Hummingbird nursery, a monthly stipend for club support, and more.
Unite Scholar & Tabora Boys’ Unite Club Chairperson David Bitaho lights the kick-off celebration cake (made by Joan Mnzava).
David Bitaho joined our Unite Scholars & Mentorship Program in 2019 and is now in his final year of higher secondary at Tabora Boys School. David has been continuously campaigning for our Unite team to bring the Unite Club program to his school so that he can help lead and serve his fellow students. He was overjoyed when Lila told him about the BrewBike grant. David is studying physics, chemistry, and mathematics and dreams of a career in computer engineering. Outside the classroom, David loves singing and is a member of his church choir. Click HERE to listen to him lead his classmate in his very own Unite Song. David lives with his parents (both day laborers) and three siblings in Dar es Salaam.
“Having the Unite Club here at Tabora Boys Secondary School is like bringing light into darkness. The club will take us to places we have never been before. We Unite Club members will make a great impact on our school, on our society, and even on our country at large.”
-- David Bitaho
Click HERE to listen to David’s speech.
More than 170 boys signed up to join the Unite Club. More continue to join weekly. Click HERE to hear reflections by Tabora Unite Club member Bernald.
“I have already learned from Unite that passion, love, and unity are the strongest pillars for all people in the world.”
-Unite Club member Bernald
Unite Club watch a Unite Passion Project video made by Linda Wells. Click HERE to watch Linda’s Passion video. The Unite Passion Project exposes Unite Scholars and underserved youth across Tanzania to a wide array of career options, activities, and perspectives through a speaker series that showcases all kinds of ways that ideas and talents have been translated into meaningful, impactful, and rewarding careers.
David and Henry give Joan a tour of the dorms.
“The Tabora students and teachers were thrilled to have us launch a Unite Club. During our kick-off event they danced and sang, watched the Passion videos of Linda Wells and Bob Whelan, watched the Unite Food Program documentary, ate cake, planted trees, performed in a talent contest… and fully enjoyed themselves.”
-Unite Mentor & Club Manager Joan Mnzava
As part of our Unite Hummingbird tree-planting campaign, the team planted 50 trees (orange, soursop, lemon, mango). Click HERE to watch a 1-minute video of the tree-planting at Tabora. The Unite Hummingbird Campaign’s mission is to combat the effects of deforestation and climate change through the planting of trees and the teaching of organic farming techniques.
Tabora Boys Unite Club Sign: Real Love Unites Us