Aseri Katanga is Chairman of Computer's 4 Africa's Board of Trustees. He visited some of the projects we've been supporting in Tanzania at the end of last year and wrote this report:
As usual my trip to Tanzania is always a mission of discovery and consolidating those old projects which need some TLC (tender loving care). This time round was no exception. I visited so many schools; some that we had been to before, and some new additions to the C4A (Computers 4 Africa) family as well. I was accompanied by three ladies- Claire, Alison and Suzi Clay, the portfolio director of Land Securities in the UK. They all agreed that at C4A, we're very much a hands on organisation that travels and works in some of the toughest locations and operates totally by invitation, it's not a question of looking for 'things to do' but responding to the needs and request of the locals.
Invariably in such situations other matters arise. For example when we visited one place called Nusuru Yatima (Rescue the Orphans) their need was not for books or computers, but they were in desperate need of bedding and food. We responded positively by meeting their mentioned needs. Nsuru Yatima is also assisted by the Britain - Tanzania Society, where I hold a place on the executive committee board.
C4A is now seen as a pioneer organisation and as an IT equipment provider in Tanzania. Many institutions, like Kisanji University, depend on our PCs to run their entire campus. Other Universities like Reach-out and Mara have both applied to C4A for assistance with their IT programs. This assistance to them not only makes it possible to give their pupils access to information technology and the Internet, but it drastically cuts down the cost of the equipment. C4A is quickening the process of transforming the communities of Africa towards E-learning, E-business and E-communication. We are breaking the barriers of the digital divide between the West and the third World, between cities and towns and between towns and villages. Soon, with your help, the "Digital divide" will instead become "Digital Inclusion".
With so much demand in Africa, can we stand the pace? The answer is "Yes we can". We are continually improving our operations and processes from our base in Maidstone. Michael and his team are collecting many quality PCs and we're always finding new ways to increase our capacity to process more IT equipment and increase our efficiency. With lots of new appeal sites projected to open, it looks like 2009 is going to be yet another successful year for C4A. Thanks to Martin Clews & his team who are working tirelessly on this project.
At the moment we're working with over 77 community institutions; schools, universities, libraries, self help groups and hospitals which we have enabled to digitally connect to the global village of IT. Schools like Rugambwa Sescondary School for girls are using Travis Perkins flat screen PCs, teachers of Tweyambe Secondary School have recently received 21 laptops to assist them in their day today work. At other schools we have recently exchanged their old PCs for new ones. The old computers will be stripped for useful spares and then stored until they can be safely and cleanly recycled.
We are in need of qualified teachers who can teach IT at secondary school level or University level. These could be those students who have finished at university before their first employment and are looking for an opportunity to teach and stay in Africa for a year or two, or existing lecturers who want to take a sabbatical leave and start teaching IT in the new Universities which are being equipped by C4A with IT equipment.
During my last visit to Tanzania, I was elected as chairman for the three villages of Ishozi, Gera and Ishunju. My job is to oversee education, farming and IT development projects for the local residents of the villages. I have also been invited to go to Sweden at the end of this month to discuss how the people of Hedemora can extend their assistance in education, renewable energy and other community activities to the area, and how I as the new local chairman can spearhead the project.
We hope to bring positive changes people can believe in to the area quite rapidly.Our vision for 2009 is to send more PCs to Africa so that we can create more training opportunities and develop a creative approach to the recycling of end of life PCs. It is important to develop a safe recycling process for end-of-life machines. In order to achieve this we are in the process of upgrading our PC tracking system so that we will be able to keep track of much larger numbers of PCs and when they need to be decommissioned so that we're in line with our green credentials.
We need more donations of working P4 PCs, mobile phones with their chargers, lifting equipment and IT text books so that our dream to close the digital divide will soon become a reality. "One day all African children will be able to tell the difference between a mouse and a mouse".
Article by: Aseri Katanga (Chairman, Computers 4 Africa)
