Local News

KIDT gets seven laptop computers

JAPAN International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Tanzania Office has donated seven laptop computers worth 8.4m/- to the Moshi-based Kilimanjaro Industrial Development Trust (KIDT).

The donation was in response to a request by KIDT management through a member of Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers, Mr Tomoki Kawayama, it was learnt here.

The KIDT General Manager, Engineer Frank Elisa, on behalf of the KIDT Board of Trustees, management and members of the staff, thanked JICA Tanzania Office for the donation which will greatly benefit students pursuing computer programmes at KIDT.

The Trust has seven training programmes, namely computer application, computer maintenance, welding and fabrication, basic electronics, basic web programming and development as well as using web programming language, for instance HTML, PHP, MYSQL DATA BASE.

KIDT was incorporated in 2001 under Trustees Ordinance Cap 375 with registration number 2293 as training cum production organization under the Regional Commissioner's Office to administer and manage the properties and operations of the former Kilimanjaro Industrial Development Centre (KIDC), according to Eng Elisa.

He said KIDC was a technical cooperation project operated jointly by the governments of Tanzania and Japan through JICA between 1978 and 1993, adding that when KIDC project was handed over to the Tanzanian government in 1993, both parties agreed that the recipient country should make utmost efforts towards sustainability of the technology transfer.

"It is in line with that agreement that the Kilimanjaro regional government established KIDT as a training cum production centre for small and medium entrepreneurs," said Eng Elisa.

The KIDT General Manager said the Trust received financial assistance amounting to 500,000 US dollars from the government of Japan, through the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) between 2002 and 2004, which helped in the rehabilitation of the majority of KIDT facilities which were put into operation and purchase of new modern machines.

Eng Elisa mentioned KIDT facilities and activities as engineering, foundry and carpentry workshops, ceramic bricks and tiles, briquette factory and KIDT Same ceramics centre, adding that the mission of KIDT is to initiate, promote and nurture small and medium industrial entrepreneurship research and development through training and linkage to appropriate services, institution and markets.