Article By: Mike Wood, Chairman of the Kent Head Teachers' IT Advisory Committee
What's the Need?
"Will you come and give a presentation to my staff?" asked the headteacher of a primary school on the Tugela River in KwaZuluNatal, South Africa. I couldn't immediately see what I had to offer his enthusiastic teachers whose vibrant classrooms and eager students had left me full of admiration.
"What about?" was my immediate response. As a retired secondary principal I'm hardly brimming with insights into the primary curriculum.
"Anything at all will do. They get so little chance to interact with an educator outside of the immediate area."
The dilemma of his teachers is obvious. Large classes, no support staff, few resources and little opportunity for networking beyond the locality. They desperately need to exchange views and opinions with colleagues from other parts of the globe.
The first response of the UK visitor to such a school is often to offer to raise funds or channel resources to their African colleague. Few African schools would refuse such overtures but it is increasingly being recognised that it is partners which Africa needs, not just donors.
After a lot of preparation and behind the scenes work, all the usable pieces of equipment we receive are sent out to Africa, last year we sent out almost 700 full computer systems to Tanzania. To finally see them out there being used, after all the hard work is one of the best feelings in the world. Here are a few stories of the situation in Africa and how the generous donations of computers from people and businesses around the UK have helped. 
One of our partner organisations, the Fundanami Trust has been able to complete the work begun by the Lower Tugela Primary School to furnish their new computer room. Computers donated by one of our business donors, Timberland, have made their way to the Tugela River in KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa.
Half the population of KwaZulu–Natal is below the poverty line. The students are mainly Zulu with about 25% Indian intake. In addition, approximately 70% of the children are provided with a midday meal funded by a government scheme. The principal of Lower Tugela Primary School, Hans Tulsee, recognised the importance of ICT education and as a result launched a computer room last year through local fundraising efforts. The room was be officially opened on 30th Jan 2010.
