Thanks to chocolate, children in a Tanzanian village can now learn about chemical reactions and the solar system for the first time.

The Brewer Science Center of Rolla, Mo. is sponsoring the first science teacher in Tanzanian village Tenende by donating through Askinosie Chocolate’s global outreach program, Chocolate University.

The donation will provide one year’s salary for the teacher at the Mwaya Secondary School in the village, where Askinosie Chocolate sources beans and Chocolate University has been involved for the past two years.

“These kids have never had a science teacher until now,” says Shawn Askinosie, founder of Askinosie Chocolate. “Adding science to the curriculum will provide them with a vital part of their education they’ve been missing.”

Mwaya Secondary School employs ten teachers and serves more than 1,100 students from Tenende and neighboring villages. The school is located in a rice- and cacao-producing valley near the shores of Lake Nyasa. The region suffers from extreme poverty, limited access to clean water and food, widespread HIV rates and unequal access to education for girls.

The artisan chocolate company also is working with the Mwaya PTA on a fully sustainable nutrition program and an educational video curriculum for the students.

Askinosie Chocolate is a small batch chocolate manufacturer located in Springfield, Mo. The company’s Chocolate University initiative is a neighborhood and global outreach program focused on inspiring children about social entrepreneurship.