In December, 2008, ten Dell computer workstations were donated to FFCC for use by the Gunda Secondary School in Nkungi village. The computers were shipped to Nkungi in early 2009 and made operational that June. The computers constituted the only operational computer lab in Central Tanzania at that time.

This past June, FFCC Tanzania Team #12 completed a vast overhaul of the computer lab. Thanks to FFCC volunteers David Geary, Mike & Danny Anderson & TJ Martin, the computers received upgrades across the board from hardware to software. The lab was rearranged to make it easier for the teacher to oversee the use of the computers, as well as make it easier for the students to make their way to a computer to use it. One of the main challenges was coming up with a consistent experience for the students so that no matter which computer they sat down at from day to day, they would be comfortable with what was in front of them. The goal was that for whichever computer a student ended up using, he/she would know exactly where to go to access the Internet, practice typing using Mavis Beacon, or create a document in Microsoft Word. For someone just using a computer for the first time, this consistency is crucial! One of the more exciting accomplishments was getting Skype up and running. Now, communicating back to the US from the computers in the lab is as easy as it is when talking from computer to computer here in San Diego. The only catch is there's a 10 hour time zone difference to consider.

We are excited about these improvements, and even more excited to know the impact that this computer lab will have on the education of these students. Having access to a computer, let alone one with Wikipedia in their native language, is truly amazing. Having an endless amount of learning available to them with the click of a button is so exciting -- we can't wait to get back in February to see how it's changed these students' lives.

FFCC has other computer projects going on in Tanzania and Haiti. If you have resources or skills in this area and would like to join our technology team, either with local support or traveling with us, contact Phil Harris at philffcc@san.rr.com.

 We've recently completed enhancements to our Google Earth 'Water Tour'. Click here to check out this new and improved version of the tour that transports you across the globe to the location where your donated filter has been installed and introduces you to the grateful family that has received your gift of clean drinking water! (NOTE: If you haven't yet donated a filter - you can still check it out! Just click here and type in the word "demo" for both the first and last name fields.)

FFCC is continuing the installation of these wonderfully basic water filters. They remove virtually all bacteria, protozoa, and cysts from contaminated water - and should last a lifetime when properly used and maintained. They are making a huge impact in both Tanzania and Haiti. Our filter installation and follow-up teams are returning home with amazing stories of how much these filters are improving the health and changing the lives of the families receiving them.

In Tanzania this summer, our team spoke with a Mama who has five children. She said she was making a trip to the hospital once a month because one of her children would come down with Typhoid. Not only was that financially devastating to her but she grieved for how sick her children always were. It has been eight months since she received her water filter and she has not made one trip to the hospital since that day! Her smile, her gratitude was unforgettable!

Another Mama shared that not only were they not getting sick, but that she was so happy about how much money she was saving not having to buy so much coal to boil the water. And she didn't have to spend time waiting for the water to boil and then cool so her family could safely drink it. Now they just filter the water into a cup and drink up! 

Please help us provide clean drinking water to families who continually battle diseases like Typhoid and Cholera caused by drinking contaminated water. Your $75 donation will truly change their lives. It provides for an installed water filter with all the necessary buckets and tubing, along with hands-on instruction for the family on how to properly use, clean and maintain the filter so that it can provide all the clean drinking water they will need. Our follow-up teams will also check in on the family on a future trip to make sure they are not having any problems with their filter, and that it is still working and being maintained properly.

To make a donation and help save more lives today, click here. Please make sure to enter a note in the "Add special instructions to the seller" field (just before confirming your donation on the Preview Donation page). Enter "Clean Water", so we know where to direct your donation.

Thank you for making an IMPACT!