News Sihoo Partners with UNESCO to Support Educational Development in Tanzania

On April 28, 2025, the “Donation Ceremony for Improving the Working Environment of Teachers in Tanzania” was grandly held on Zanzibar Island, thanks to the joint efforts of UNESCO and Shenzhen Sihoo Intelligent Home Co., Ltd.

This event took place against the backdrop of the 61st anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Tanzania. Centered around the theme of “Decent Work and Economic Growth” from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the ceremony involved the donation of over hundreds of ergonomic office chairs and related materials worth more than $100,000 to teachers in mainland Tanzania and the Zanzibar region. The aim is to improve the working conditions of primary education professionals, alleviate the structural shortage of teachers in the area, and promote educational equity and regional sustainable development. Attendees included the UNESCO representative in Tanzania, leaders from relevant government agencies in Zanzibar, Mr. Li Qianghua, the Consul General of China in Zanzibar, as well as Mr. Luo Huiping, Chairman of Sihoo, and Mr. Chen Zhuo, General Manager for the Asia, Africa, and Latin America region at Sihoo.

As a UNESCO World Heritage site, Zanzibar Island is a millennium-old city that embodies the fusion of African, Arab, Indian, and European civilizations. However, it currently faces severe educational challenges. According to monitoring data from relevant Tanzanian government departments, there is a shortage of 816 science teachers in the region, including a deficit of 259 physics teachers and 430 mathematics teachers at the preschool to secondary school levels. This structural shortage has led to persistently poor teaching performance in schools across various parts of Tanzania.

The teacher attrition rate is not only an educational crisis but also a shared challenge for human civilization,” emphasized Mr. Luo Huiping, Chairman of Sihoo, during the donation ceremony. The ergonomic office chairs being donated can effectively alleviate fatigue from prolonged sitting, and their adjustable features cater to the diverse needs of teachers of different body types, reflecting Sihoo’s humane care for education professionals. Mr. Luo Huiping stressed, “What Sihoo is donating is not just chairs, but a systematic commitment to safeguarding the dignity of the teaching profession. As ergonomic experts with 14 years of industry experience, we firmly believe that improving the working environment is not a cost expenditure, but a long-term investment in human creativity.

Mr. Chen Zhuo, General Manager of Sihoo for the Asia-Africa-Latin America region, stated, ‘China is deepening its cooperation with Africa through the Belt and Road Initiative, building a large number of infrastructure projects. As a key partner, Tanzania collaborates with China in multiple fields to share the benefits of development. Sihoo is donating ergonomic office chairs to improve the working environment for teachers in Tanzania, committed to enhancing global work health standards through innovative design.

Dr. Faith Shayo, the UNESCO Representative in Tanzania, explained the significance of the project from a global perspective. This collaboration promotes community development through education, achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In the Zanzibar region, it optimizes educational infrastructure through public-private partnerships, supporting students’ health and holistic development while strengthening the network of international partnerships.

At the donation ceremony for educational equipment at Hanumakame Secondary School, Hon. Lela Muhamed Mussa, the Minister of Education and Vocational Training of Zanzibar, expressed sincere gratitude to UNESCO and Sihoo for their efforts to improve the teaching environment for both teachers and students and enhance the quality of education. He emphasized that the Zanzibar government is advancing educational reforms, and improving teachers’ working conditions has a significant impact on retaining excellent faculty and enhancing teaching quality.

Chairs are silent witnesses to the evolution of human civilization and guardians of health. From agricultural societies to the intelligent era, the form and function of chairs have always reflected humanity’s pursuit of comfort and well-being. In early Chinese civilization, sitting on the ground symbolized etiquette and culture.

After the Industrial Revolution, chair design shifted towards practicality and mass production. The Bauhaus movement gave rise to modern designs like tubular chairs, emphasizing functionalism and accessibility. Since the 21st century, the internet and smart technology have endowed chairs with a new mission: evolving from mere ‘tools’ to ‘health partners.’ The lumbar issues caused by prolonged sitting have become a global challenge, and Sihoo’s ergonomic chairs have emerged to redefine the value of seating through technology.

Sihoo’s mission began with insights into the crisis of prolonged sitting. Its BM Dynamic Lumbar Support System captures the body’s movement trajectory, achieving real-time adaptive adjustments of the lumbar support and breaking the limitations of traditional chairs’ “static support.” These technologies not only alleviate fatigue but also transform chairs from passive weight-bearing objects into active health management tools.

As we move towards a virtual world, the role of chairs may further evolve. Sihoo has proposed the concept of a “Life Support Capsule,” integrating multiple functions such as heart rate monitoring and health alerts, aiming to build a health defense line in a future where the virtual and physical worlds blend. This exploration not only continues the essence of chairs being “human-centered” but also resonates with humanity’s enduring concern for its own value throughout the evolution of civilization. From sitting on the ground to dynamic lumbar support, chairs have always mirrored civilization. Sihoo safeguards the modern spine through technological innovation, leaving a mark of health that belongs to this era in the long course of history.

From the Shenzhen R&D Center to classrooms in Zanzibar, this donation initiative spanning the Indian Ocean reflects a new paradigm of South-South cooperation. Since its founding, Sihoo has continuously invested in educational philanthropy, donating learning equipment to schools in various regions of China, including Jiangxi and Guangdong. This extension of its philanthropic efforts to Africa marks a global practice of its ‘health technology innovation’ philosophy. As Mr. Luo Huiping stated, “In the midst of the currents of de-globalization, we must strengthen the bridges of cultural exchange. When corporate social responsibility resonates with UNESCO’s mission to eliminate educational poverty, it can inject humanistic energy into sustainable development.”

The donation ceremony featured a special segment of traditional dance performances, with dancers dressed in traditional attire expressing the cultural fusion of Zanzibar through body language. This beautifully echoes the deeper logic of the donation event: just as the architecture of Stone Town embodies the wisdom of multiple civilizations, educational development also requires global collaboration.

As the final batch of donated equipment arrives in Africa, teachers in Zanzibar are about to experience a historic upgrade in their teaching environment. This Stone Town, which has witnessed the blending of human civilizations for a millennium, is now writing a new chapter in South-South cooperation—guarding the dignity of education with the warmth of technology and uplifting the future of civilization through scientific design.