Iringa Hope has had an ongoing partnership with the University of Iringa. Norm Siekman has given guest lectures at the University, Professors have used the Iringa Hope conference rooms for their seminars, and Iringa Hope has hosted interns from the University. The Dean of the Law Faculty approached Norm to discuss the need for smart classrooms at the University. Norm will discuss the humanitarian need addressed by the installation of Smart Classrooms, the educational need, and the economic development benefits of this project. Edina Morningside appreciates the collaborative partnership with the Bloomington Noon Rotary Club and looks forward to working on more projects together in the future.

Norman Siekman is the Edina Morningside Rotarian contact. He is the sponsor for the Grant Application, “The Purchase and Installation of Equipment for Smart Classrooms at the University of Iringa, in Iringa, Tanzania.” Norm is also the President of the Board of Directors of Iringa Hope U.S.A., which sponsors and supports Iringa Hope in Tanzania. This is a Non-Government Organization (NGO) that supports Microfinance Cooperatives and Agricultural Marketing Cooperatives for smallholder farmers in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania.

Norm grew up on a farm in Illinois and has maintained a strong interest in agriculture. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois, an MBA from the Uni-versity of Chicago and has studied Applied Economics at St. Cloud State University and the University of Minnesota.