MATTER Education
Zimbabwe Headmasters from our 10 MATTER Innovation Hubs participated in a teacher training on student-centered active learning.
Headmasters came away more engaged in the program and more committed to integrating it fully throughout their whole school, not just in the hub.
We recently launched the MATTER Innovation Hub’s new “Digital Music” camp with students from Mosi Oa Tunya High School in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe! The camp incorporates GarageBand with travel kits packed with MIDI keyboards, guitars, microphones, speakers, and more—turning iPads into full creative studios. Students dove in immediately, exploring and creating with little instruction, while facilitator Josiah Ochoa guided their discovery. As one student shared, while she loved both Code Camp and Music Camp, music gave her a deeper way to express herself and her creativity.
Samkele Park
A message from Robby Kimmel…
When I first came to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, I could tell that something was missing: a place for the youth to call home, a place for KIDS TO BE KIDS!
I set it as my mission to create the very first integrative community park that anyone could feel welcomed at no matter who you are or where you come from! (Hence the name Samkele “Welcome” Park)
Samkele Park is now home to the first public playground in Victoria Falls, but this is only the beginning! Next month we begin construction on Zimbabwe’s first ever skateboarding park right next door!
We then plan on building smaller free-use community spaces and playgrounds within the high-density areas! We can’t stop now, all children deserve safe spaces to have fun at!
Watching this dream become a reality over the past two years has truly been the most wild and fulfilling journey of my life!I feel so much more than blessed, thank you to every single person that helped make this happen!
MATTERbox
The National Association of Elevator Contractors (NAEC) recently hosted their annual convention in Houston, Texas. MATTER was selected as their partner for their United in Deed activation, a part of the NAEC values of community engagement and impact. Convention attendees took time to pack MATTERbox Snack packs, volunteering to assemble beneficial food for those experiencing food insecurity in the Houston area. In total, 5,000 snack packs were completed and delivered to the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Houston Area, which serves over 55,000 youth annually. MEI Total Elevator Solutions was the champion sponsor for this project and made this impact possible!
Learn more about MATTERbox Employee Engagement events HERE!
Chaya
In August, at the Simakade Primary School, 279 people went through Chaya training including five teachers, three village heads, one health care worker, and 270 students and community members. Two community gardens with a total of 263 trees were planted!
Learn more about the Chaya Project!
Loan Program
MATTER recently signed our newest partnership agreement with Sinapis out of Kenya to train business owners in entrepreneurial skills and business planning.
Sinapis trainers flew to Victoria Falls to train our facilitators, who will be leading our first beta cohort group of entrepreneurs through the nine-week training next month.
Our goal is to train 500 entrepreneurs in business skills over the next five years and invest in successful entrepreneurs with our newly launched Basa investment fund!