We are delighted have embarked on our first projects using the Learn Appeal Capsule – We are currently supporting three amazing on-the-ground initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa – Complitkenya in Kenya, the Green Malata Training Village in Malawi and two centres in rural Nigeria – one in at Akiewhe Secondary School in rural Delta State and the other in a village in Northern Nigeria. We are also working with another charity, DOPPS International to create learning resources to support those who have or care for those with Diabetes.

Kenya

Complitkenya, headed up by CEO, Eric Kimori, has a huge ambition – to establish world-class e-Community Centres that will promote Community ICT Development, promote e-learning and enhance youth employment through ICT strategies in a bid to address digital disparities by establishing a free, fast and reliable communication highway for marginalised rural communities. However, in many areas this is not possible as there is no internet access. Enter the Learn Appeal Capsule! Whilst the Capsule can’t provide direct access to the internet, it will enable Complitkenya to establish e-community centres and give connected users within a range of 1km access to elearning and other relevant information stored on the Capsule via WiFi.

Eric has described the Capsule as being an ‘invaluable reservoir of learning’ which will make a huge difference to those who have no access to the internet. For the first time, many of them are now connected to the digital world.

As well as providing Capsules and content, we have provided mobile devices so that those who don’t have their own devices are not further disadvantaged. Our initial pilot consisting of two centres has been a great success. The local people refer to the Capsule as the ‘magic miracle box’ and, in the 18 months the project has been running, the technology has not failed once. We hope to extend this to a further 8 centres early next year.

Once again Closer Still/Learning Technologies came up trumps and sponsored the first of these centres. We also received generous donations from Virtual College and Spirax Sarco to provide resources for the other nine. What we need now is content!

Green Malata is a project that we are sure all those in the learning community will engage with. The project is open to young people from the Chiuta Orphanage and all vulnerable youth in the area. There are 300 orphans in the surrounding villages and many one-parent families due to HIV Aids.

Unemployment is very high, as there is hardly any economic activity and that’s where together, using the Learn Appeal Capsule, we can help Green Malata to make a real step change!!

This project will help young people not only develop vocational skills, but also the entrepreneurial skills required to set up their own businesses. This initiative has the potential to have a huge impact both individually and on the community around them. The young people who gain these skills will be able to support themselves and grow their local economy.

The problem in this rural part of Malawi is not just internet access – there isn’t any – there is no mains electricity either! The Learn Appeal Capsule can make a huge difference as it has been specifically designed not only to provide elearning content and resources via WiFi, but it also has an internal battery which lasts eighteen hours and can be recharged using a 12v battery so doesn’t need mains electricity to provide learning.

This project is being supported by Virtual College who have provided a Capsule and WiFi enabled devices. However, we are also going to need relevant content that can provide these young people with the skills so that they will have the opportunities for success that we, so often, take for granted.

Projects in Nigeria

Akiewhe Secondary School is located in a village with an estimated population of 6,000 people. The village is situated in Isoko North Local Government Area, of Delta State, in the Southern part of Nigeria. The Learn Appeal Capsule has made it possible to bring learning of vocational skills, mathematics and science subjects to the rural communities.

The second project is situated in the Northern part of Nigeria, in order to have a balance in the geographical and political structure of the country. These projects are being managed by Collins Ubido who says – “The potential of the Learn Appeal Capsule to transform the way learning is deployed in the rural communities in Africa is amazing. I am happy to give back to the rural dwellers a technology that will change the life of many people”. Collins even managed to get an interview on a local Nigerian TV station to promote the project!

Diabetes elearning project in association with DOPPS International

Diabetes Outreach Prevention Programmes International (DOPPSI) is an international charitable organisation that aspires towards the education of peoples from all walks of life about diabetes prevention. Their mission is dedicated to provide education on prevention, early diagnosis and access to treatment of diabetes in the UK and worldwide. Our joint project is to provide offline access to learning so that being disconnected does not disadvantage health or life expectancy.

To make these projects a reality, Learn Appeal needs your support, so please contact us for more information about the projects themselves, sponsorship or providing content.