First thoughts

The start of projects is exciting, inspiring and even unnerving. It is nearly like starting at a new workplace, with the exception that in the project there are no old timers who already now the business but the whole team were newcomers. Together these newcomers construct a working culture for the project and this is a great opportunity. The Project IRIS has been running a half year and is a communicative team. Daily the variety of documents or voice and written messages have flown between Tanzania and Finland. Devoted, open and talkative atmosphere started already during the kick off meeting. The meeting was the very first activity organized by IRIS at the campus of TUDARCo in Dar es Salaam in June 2017.

Kick off was not a traditional meeting but rather a three day workshop, where the project team rolled up the sleeves and shared responsibilities, approved working methods, cleared the goals and agreed steps forward. During the kick off workshops the project was concretized from the plan to the operations. In three days a committed group of people organized itself into a committed project team which was able to roll-up the sleeves and the start the project. Progress have been rewarding.

The committed project team is a critical element but equally important is the board of the project, since it is the decision-making authority, which monitors, encourages and advices the project from the begin to the very end. The first board meeting in September was stimulating conversation via Skype. IRIS is lucky to have a committed board which is supportive, capable and willing to support the project onward.

Last months the project has taken steps forward on variety of activities. Many micro entrepreneurs, organizations and institutions have connected to IRIS and pedagogical models have been recognized and analyzed. Now IRIS takes another big step forward and starts an intensive two-week Pedagogy Workshop in Turku. More information on the workshop to follow shortly.