| The Cause… |
Powering Potential
Mission: “Use technology to enhance education and stimulate imaginations for students in Tanzania while respecting and incorporating values of the local culture, especially cooperation over competition, community over the individual, modesty over pride, and spirituality over materiality.” |
| An Inspiration… |
The initiative was conceived in March 2006 during a safari visit to the Banjika Secondary School in Karatu, Tanzania. After a safari, tourist (Janice Lathen) introduced herself in Swahili, the Banjika students burst into excited applause. This enthusiastic response to someone who spoke their language stunned Janice and she was filled with a sense of being deeply appreciated. She decided then to return to Banjika. Her idea was to raise money to buy computers for the school and to volunteer her time teaching the teachers and students how to use them.
Since 1987 Janice Lathen has had a computer consulting business in New York City specializing in training. Into a family of pioneers, Janice was born in Winner, South Dakota, raised in Minnesota, and moved to Manhattan with college degree in hand and a passionate desire to be a classical stage actress. She acted for Woody Allen, Robert Downey and Zoe Caldwell, and along the way modeled for Halston, Christian Dior, and Karl Lagerfeld.
Fulfilling a childhood dream to visit Africa and see animals living freely, especially to watch giraffes running across the Serengeti, Janice safaried to Tanzania in February of 2006. The animals drew Janice to Tanzania and the people draw her back. Their extraordinary warmth and gentleness, uplifting spirit, and deep sense of appreciation inspire her to action.
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