After three long flights from Colorado to Kenya our team started work in Nairobi. Our first order of business was a meeting with Suraj Shah, the head of the Intel TEACH program in Kenya. The Intel TEACH program is a computer training program that develops and conducts training for teachers to increase digital literacy in the classroom. Technology Partnership started working with Suraj and his trainers this summer after we realized how well aligned our purposes and activities were. This partnership lead to a very successful training session of 21 master teachers in Meru in August. In our meeting with Suraj we affirmed our relationship and set in motion the next phase of the training program. Suraj agreed to send the Intel TEACH materials necessary for our planned teacher training sessions in Meru over the next few weeks. We also had some great discussions about the current state and future opportunities for bringing the Kenyan education system into the digital age. After our meeting we all agreed that Suraj and the Intel TEACH program will continue to be great partners in our Kenya efforts.
Upon leaving Nairobi we had a great drive up to Meru. On the way our driver, Julius, took us to an amazing restaurant, "Trout Tree Restaurant" which was literally a restaurant built around a tree. It was the most amazing "treehouse" we could imagine, with fresh trout from stock ponds directly below the suspended restaurant!
As we came into Meru, Barbara was amazed how different Meru seemed from the last time she was here five years ago. She said it was much more busy with people and commerce. As soon as we arrived at the White Star Hotel the Kenyan Director of Technology Partnership, John Kamwara greeted us with hugs and vigorous handshakes as he likes to do! Once we got settled into our rooms we sat down with John for a briefing on the activities we would be taking on for the rest of our visit in Meru. All in all our first day of work in Kenya was very exciting!
