Empower, Engage, Educate in Rural Kenya!

We are excited to share the progress of the Learning Resource Center over the last three months. We recently celebrated the graduation of 35 students of Wamunyu Primary School and 35 teachers who were the pioneers at the LRC. A total of 70 students have graduated since we began the computer literacy program.

Mbaikini and Kambiti Primary schools are our new schools currently undergoing computer literacy classes. We have enrolled 35 students in each of these schools making a total of 70 new students. These two schools are in close proximity to the Center. After about a 25-minute walk after school, all the students are seated for a 1½-hour class at 3:30 p.m. We continue our teacher training so at the same time have enrolled another class comprising 38 teachers from different schools who attend classes once a week for 2½ hours from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Each of these three groups of learners alternate on different days of the week.

Nduluku and Sofia primary schools have visited the LRC for day long visits for a computer introduction class and basic keyboarding experience. At the end of their visit all the students have shown great interest and enthusiasm to learn.

Most exciting, this summer we were honored to host a group of 10 guests comprised of arts integration teachers, a computer expert, a librarian and other volunteers from the USA who helped tremendously in computer training, the networking of computers, and setting up a mini library within the center. The library has over 340 books; many of them by African authors or set in Africa.  We are thrilled that Carus Publications sent 40 of their children magazines including Cricket, Spider, Faces, and Muse. The arts integration teachers hosted a very successful three-day workshop for 38 teachers drawn from different enrolled schools.

Our goal is to train all the teachers from our schools and as many students as possible from all of our enrolled schools. As always, we remain most grateful to your great support that continues to sustain this training program. Keep up the good work!

We are excited to share with you our progress at Kenya Connect’s computer Learning Resource Center as we provide 21^st century skills; training students and teachers alike in computer literacy.  We opened the doors of the LRC to the public in late November 2012, and our first class of 35 students was from Wamunyu ABC Primary School. It is the nearest school to the LRC and after 15 minute walk, the students sit down for a one hour lesson.  The students come twice per week and start at 3.30 p.m. after their normal school day ends.

At the same time we enrolled a class of 35 teachers drawn from different schools in our operational area. They have been attending 2 hour sessions once a week starting at 2.00 p.m.  Also since the opening of the LRC, we have provided a slightly different model of instruction to the wider community. Since November, over 200 students from three different schools have visited the center for a daylong tour where they get some basic training on computers. As you can imagine, they are not the same children at the end of that day having for the first time put their hands on a key board and been taught the power of the digital world.

The classes are now graduating and we are about to enroll another set of students and teachers. We as teachers have learned much in the first round of classes. As the instruction evolves one thing we do know with great certainty is that after these classes, the students have a different expectation for their future. Even if it happens slowly, we know we will train all our enrolled schools for we believe that education is power and the community of Wamunyu deserves this opportunity.  Indeed to echo the words of Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.”  Special thanks to all our donors for making this great transformation happen!