Computers in Kenya: Bridging the Digital Divide And Creating IT Experts

Friday, August 21, 2015

Computers in Kenya: Bridging the Digital Divide And Creating IT Experts

Friday, August 21, 2015

Eldoret, Kenya, pop. 300,000, is the fastest growing city in Kenya, the second largest urban center in Midwestern Kenya and the fifth largest urban center in all of Kenya.

It is a sister city to Indianapolis, IN, Ithaca, NY, Minneapolis, MN, and Portsmouth, VA.

It is also home to the Kipkeino Primary School, and to hundreds of children living in the adjacent Lewa Children’s Home who attend the school.

As millions of children in the United States return to school in upcoming weeks, so do millions of Kenyan children, and as noted by Kipkeino school administrator Vimala Sebastian, “In the modern world of today, a computer lab is a necessity.”

At Bread and Water for Africa® we wholeheartedly agree. That is why, thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we were able in July to fully fund a new computer lab for the school, along with high-speed internet access.

“When the old system was in use, pupils could rarely access the computers and most of the lessons were theory, which was not interesting,” Vimala said. “Right now, they all crowd around the screens which means the children enjoy the program.”

And the biggest strength of the program says Vimala?

“Students being able to use computers and becoming IT experts. They also use the computers for play which improves their cognitive skills as well as alertness.”

As such is true in Indianapolis, Ithaca, Minneapolis, and Portsmouth, so it is true in Eldoret.

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