Service-Learning and Leadership

2019 marks a milestone in our history.  The Office of Service-Learning merged with a small team running global leadership programs to form the Service-Learning and Leadership Office (SLLO).  We have always felt that Service-Learning and Leadership education complement each other.  One the one hand, service-learning projects are always carried out by a team of people, each playing a different role, with many stake-holders involved - clients, local village elders, NGO, government, donor/funder, etc.  Leaderships are essential.  On the other hand, leadership skills learned in a classroom setting are best practiced and honed in a real world setting, with true accountability to life-and-blood stake-holders. 

On Wednesday, October 30, the launching of the revised mission of the office was celebrated in a joyful event - highlighting the many innovative international programs that we are involved in. 

True to form, one day later, an advance team landed in Rwanda.  For about 5 years, we have worked in the Gikomero Sector roughly 20-30 kilometres to the north east of Kigali.  We have provided electricity generated by solar panels to ~500 households.  

In summer 2020, we plan to move to a new site.  Hence the advance team is here to check out a potential new site, and to work with our local partner, African Evangelical Enterprise Rwanda, to develop a feasible work plan.  

On Coming Monday, the small advance team will fly to Tanzania, to set up another project. In summer 2020, we plan to take group of 40 students here, 20 from PolyU, 10 from Beijing U, and 10 from Xian Jiaotung U).  They will very likely be installing solar panels and wirings for a village in central Tanzania.  

We are getting excited already, just thinking and planning for it.