Questions & Answers

Why do you as founder and chair of the charity believe that you are capable of achieving its aims?

From experience – I did my teacher training at Makerere College, University of East Africa in Kampala, Uganda in ’66-’67, taught science in orowed with consent by RSSL from ’67 to the end of ’71 and have given the workshop more than 20 times over the last four years.
Because of mutual respect, affection and unity of purpose which I enjoy with my African colleagues and fellow researchers

With your age, how much longer can you realistically continue with the project?

I enjoy robust health and strength for my age. Recently I was diagnosed with angina and borderline diabetes both of which are responding well to prescribed pills and lifestyle adjustment. Each trip to East Africa lasts about two weeks during which time I give the workshop some 5 to 6 times. Every other year my wife accompanies me, and we relax visiting friends, game parks & beauty spots. Perhaps I can manage 4 or 5 more years, God willing.

With global warming, overpopulation, hideous diseases like ebola and many serious environmental concerns are you not crazy promoting an interest in science-based manufacturing?

Absolutely not! Hans Rosling and his children in their book “Factfulness” prove that extreme poverty itself is one of the greatest causes of depredation but wealth creation and fair distribution is steadily overcoming it. Problems caused by careless, greedy misuse of science will be overcome by its correct application. “Honour before Gold”

What is the most important motive keeping you doing this work?

It is gratitude towards East Africa and particularly Tz for giving me my first chance in the job I had wanted to do aged 17 and still enjoy doing almost 60 years later. In 1967 Tz’s first president Mwalimu (teacher) Julius Nyerere (“baba wa taifa” = father of the nation) came to talk to us students and staff at Ihungo, the premier school of the region, whence future leaders and nation-builders were expected to emerge about his and his political party’s philosophy of self-reliance. In the event his socialist ideas were a commercial disaster, as he had the grace to acknowledge towards the end of his life. Admitting his age, he voluntarily stood down without trying to establish a family or cronies’ dynasty. He was the first black African leader to be so free from corruption and his decent influence is strong even now, decades after his death.

Having worked for 4 years as an “EO2a” (Education Officer, second class), a contract teacher, not a volunteer, I was the longest serving teacher at Ihungo and far and away the highest paid. Nyerere’s government made me a wealthy man back in England. I had been able to repatriate everything contractually owing to me, the whole of my gratuity of 25% of total emoluments in lieu of superannuation in convertible currency down to the last Tz shilling.

Tanzania made my fortune. I could afford to marry, we bought a house, Naomi was born, and with Jan’s savings from her 12 years nursing job – healing some of the severest non-surgical cases one could imagine under internationally known paediatrician John Apley – we paid off the mortgage and I could even afford to buy in some of the years of the teachers’ superannuation scheme which I had missed while working abroad. What is not to feel grateful for?

When You talk about “ideas” that need testing, what exactly are they?

Perhaps they are best explained by a manifesto, a credo even. This can be likened to a solidly built chair with sturdy legs representing the four aspects which I emphasise to fellow teachers during each workshop.

1. CONCEPTS I believe these overarching “big ideas” consolidate understanding, lighten the burden of too many facts and make lessons easier to recall.

2. ATTITUDES towards manufacturing and science-based activity I believe that honestly managed responsible manufacturing which pays its taxes and rewards its workers, investors and owners fairly contributes to prosperity especially in emerging economies. It deserves to be taught as a force for good.

3. SKILLS I believe by performing simple, affordable, safe experiments which model industrial processes, we can enhance learners’ enjoyment, comprehension, recall, self-esteem & manual dexterity.

4. CAREERS I believe that a teacher who works with persons from industry to develop relevant resources, will find the job of teaching more rewarding, will better be able to attract youngsters to it, will gain status in the community and will be less likely to quit the job when the going gets tough.

How safe can you be working in unstable parts of the world?

As safe as vigilance and a cool head can make us, coupled with respect for the cultural norms of host countries. The key principle is that we are visitors, guests in another person’s country Our hosts’ decision on acceptability is paramount. So far, we have been able to convince the authorities that we do not work for any government, business, pressure or lobby group and we make no money from what we do. We do not foresee that changing. We live frugally and unostentatiously, we always contact officials in advance and thus we have avoided trouble. By living with and for the local populace, misunderstandings are avoided. Politeness and openness are the keys.

Do you have any other relevant skills?

I speak French and Swahili.

Aren’t all African countries just bottomless pits of corruption into which foreign aid agencies pour money which does no good?

These sweeping neo-colonial beliefs are often held by persons with no recent experience of the continent or who have never been there at all! If true, some of the world’s fastest growing economies would not be in Africa. Where corruption exits, it is other Africans who are sick to death with it, sometimes literally! The help we propose giving is specific, targeted, short term, based on current need, successfully piloted and, so far as we know, not available from any other agency. We commend it to you.