Our Board and Personnel
Board Members:
Dr. Aimee Bessire Founder & Co-Executive Director, Portland, Maine
Carol Ann Emquies Chairman & Co-Executive Director, Santa Monica, California
Father Alex Mugonya Vice-President of Regional Relations, Sumve, Tanzania
Jefta Kishosha Vice-President of Community Relations, Igoma, Tanzania
Will Eglin Treasurer, Greenwich, Connecticut
Jane Oppenheimer Secretary, New York, New York
Mark Bessire Portland, Maine
Eleanor Gaver Brooklyn, New York
Nina Hogan Hastings-on-Hudson, New York
Becky McElroy Dar Es Salaam, TZ
Bettina Stern Washington, D.C.
Architects
Ntulya Primary School Architect – Leslie Jill Hanson
Ntulya Community Center and Medical Clinic Architect – Donna Cohen, Armstrong + Cohen Architecture
On-Site Personnel
Stephen Veryser
Steve is a former Peace Corps worker who spent 3½ years teaching math and physics at government schools in various regions of Tanzania. He has a B.S. in Engineering (Purdue University) and an M.S. in International Non-profit Management (School for International Training). As an AmeriCorps volunteer, he also served as site coordinator for Habitat for Humanity in Lafayette, Indiana. Steve is currently overseeing work in Ntulya as Site Manager during the building process. His responsibilities include working with the village volunteers and skilled laborers, overseeing budgets on the ground and serving as a liaison between the work-site and the Africa Schoolhouse board in Tanzania and in the U.S.
Teresia Ndaki
Teresia is the Division Secretary for our partners at the Misungwi District in Tanzania. She is the education liaison between the local villages and the larger government district. Teresia is assisting Africa Schoolhouse by coordinating our local volunteer program. She travels between hamlets and organizes groups to help out as unskilled labor at the site.
Xavier Tileweselekwa
As the Executive Director of Misungwi District, Xavier Tileweselekwa worked with us to formulate the Memorandum of Understanding outlining our partnership for the Ntulya Primary School project. He continues to provide advice through all phases of the venture. The District is assisting with building a road to the school, providing roofing material for several classrooms and teacher houses, and furnishing the Council truck for assistance transporting heavy materials.
Our Workforce
Our workforce is 100% local. They are led by experienced construction foremen and consultants from the cities of Mwanza and Dar es Salaam who are teaching them the basics of building and other valuable skills that they will use for a lifetime. For many, this is their first-ever paid job.
Mark (center) with Elisha and Mapambano, our site foremen.
Kishosha, Aimee and Carol meet with the village.
Aimee, Gunze (muralist) and Tina.