Taipei, May 16 (CNA) A principal from Tanzania in East Africa said Wednesday that a group of volunteers from National Tsing Hua University touched his heart by visiting his school in 2009, so he decided to come to Taiwan to study Chinese and experience the country's diverse culture.

Super Vedasto, who is the deputy leader of the university's volunteer group, said he was grateful to the group from northern Taiwan's Hsinchu City for helping to improve the computer facilities at his elementary school called Epiphany.

The volunteers lit up the school, Vedasto remembered, adding that the group played an important role in providing a digital learning environment for his students.

The 30-year-old student, who enrolled in the university's business administration department nine months ago, said learning Mandarin was one of the major motivations for him to come to Taiwan.

African countries traditionally fostered connections with the West, but Vedasto said he expected Chinese culture to have a greater influence in the future.

Vedasto said while he has learned a lot from Taiwan's advanced society, the friendliness and kindness of Taiwanese people have impressed him the most.

Vedasto said he has also been helping the volunteer group from his university prepare for its trip to Tanzania in July during his free time.

The group has collected 60 second-hand computers and will give them away to school children, he said, adding the donations will create long-term benefits for the resource-hungry country.

(By Huang Yen-yu and Maia Huang)
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