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Publications and materials

Handbooks, teaching materials and brochures from our work in Tanzania – free to download.

In this section: Projects

DTP supports the development of materials that serve our aims and projects. Many were created together with our Tanzanian partners or by volunteers, some in Kiswahili. You are welcome to use all materials for seminars, teaching and your own projects.

Intercultural learning and Kiswahili

Cultural Manual

By DTP volunteers with TYC and the host organisations · Languages: English, Kiswahili · 2012

DTP volunteers developed this handbook on German-Tanzanian cultural exchange together with our Tanzanian partner organisation TYC and the host organisations. It helps to recognise cultural differences and gives tips on how to deal with them. It deliberately does not offer quick answers along the lines of “this is how Germany is and this is how Tanzania works”. Besides topics specific to Tanzania, it covers many basics of intercultural communication and has worksheets for each chapter – for preparation seminars and workshops, or as food for thought for the heads of host organisations.

Mwanasimba: Kiswahili grammar

By mwanasimba online · Language: English · 2009

A comprehensive, well-structured online course on Kiswahili grammar with many examples and exercises – a tried and tested reference for volunteers learning the language. The original website is no longer online; the Internet Archive has preserved it.

Kitabu cha picha cha worldwards valantias ya DTP/TYC

By Lotta Braunert, Tanja Neubüser and nine organisations in Tanzania · Language: Kiswahili · 2017

A picture booklet in Kiswahili that presents the weltwärts volunteer service with DTP and TYC. It was handed out to all participating organisations and to all host families in Tanzania so they get to know the volunteer service better.

Environmental education in schools

Handbook for environmental clubs at Tanzanian schools

By Sarah Hanus and Jan Gerling, weltwärts volunteers 2013/14 · Language: Kiswahili · 2014

A guide to setting up and running an environmental club with primary school pupils in years 1 to 6, with ideas for activities (Mwongozo wa klabu za mazingira).

Mti mzuri / The tree

By Edith Schütt, drawings by Waltraud Appenrodt, translation by Isaya Shemangale · Languages: English, Kiswahili · 2005

This bilingual children’s book tells the story of a father and his son who, in search of firewood, want to cut down the last tree for miles around. The tree speaks to them and tells them that there used to be many trees around it, which is why there was enough water for people and animals. With colourful, simple pictures, the book shows the dilemma between people’s needs and protecting nature for future generations. It can be used in language lessons and in science lessons on the carbon cycle and climate change.

Teaching climate protection and renewable energies

By Joshua Korhammer and Niklas Reichert, revised by Simon Otto and Tim Adam · Languages: English, German · 2017

Suggestions for up to 30 lessons, mainly for primary schools and also for secondary schools. Teachers, education officers and DTP volunteers collected ideas, experiments and experiences from three years of teaching renewable energies at three schools. The lessons are meant to be as practical as possible: for example, pupils learn how a solar panel works through their own experiments. The materials are cheap and easy to obtain. The book does not claim to be complete – it invites everyone to improve and extend it.

Solar energy and renewable energies

Solar Teaching Unit / Renewable Energies / Nishati Rafiki

By Andrea Karsten, Mussa Abdi Khamis, Mohammed Khelef and Thomas Plaz · Languages: German, English, Kiswahili · 2012

This teaching unit introduces the potential of solar, wind, water, biomass and geothermal energy and describes the technologies for using renewable energies on a large and small scale. A particular focus is the carbon cycle and the need to plant trees: in Tanzania, wood is the main source of energy for a rapidly growing population. The booklets were produced in the weltwärts/DBU project “Solar School Programme” and first presented at TAREA’s annual meeting in 2012.

Umeme wa Jua na Matumizi Yake

By DTP and TAREA: Andrea Karsten, Dr. Cuthbert Z. M. Kimambo and Richard M. Magembe · Language: Kiswahili · 2004

The first textbook on solar technology in Kiswahili (“Solar energy and its applications”), written by DTP together with TAREA, the umbrella organisation for renewable energies in Tanzania. It grew out of a workshop on “How to build a solar home system” in 2003. For technical terms that did not yet exist in Kiswahili, translations were found together with the Swahili Council. On just over 100 pages, the book explains the basics of using solar energy for electricity in a practical and accessible way.

Mafunzo ya Umeme wa Jua

By Godwin Msigwa · Language: Kiswahili · 2017

Godwin Msigwa spent almost a year with a solar company in Hamburg through DTP’s South-North programme and then wrote a textbook on solar energy in Kiswahili. On around 150 pages it explains the principles of solar energy, installing systems, and maintenance and repair. Components such as the battery and charge controller are explained step by step, along with how to assemble them; an appendix lists possible faults and how to fix them. For engineers, technicians, vocational teachers, sellers of solar systems and anyone interested.

Opportunities and barriers of renewable energies for developing countries – the example of Tanzania

By Nico Ulmer, DTP volunteer 2014/15 (master’s thesis) · Language: German · 2014

Using Tanzania as an example, this master’s thesis shows that renewable energies achieve much more than reducing greenhouse gases: they can contribute to the country’s central development programme, “Development Vision 2025”. However, their great potential faces barriers that go beyond economic and technical difficulties. What is needed is more education, more exchange of experience between countries of the Global South, more attention to the cultural side and wider access to microfinance.

About the volunteer service

Brochure about Small Projects of DTP volunteers in Tanzania

By Lukas Held, Matthew Matimbwi, Tanja Neubüser, Nicolas Meier and Elisabeth Stahl · Language: English · 2017

A short, vivid brochure about six successful small projects by DTP weltwärts volunteers in the fields of environment and culture.

Video: A day with volunteers in Tanzania

By Nono Weinzierl · Languages: German, English · 2012

The film follows four DTP volunteers through a typical day in Tanzania, where they live and work with Tanzanians and learn Kiswahili.