Lack of Technological Access in Rural Kenya
Over 70% of families Kenya Connect serves in rural Kenya live in extreme poverty (less than $2 per day). The biggest challenge facing students in rural public schools is the lack of classroom resources, including devices and the internet. As Kenya has become a technology leader in east Africa, the digital divide has grown in rural communities. Dedicated spaces for technology labs in Kenya are rarer in rural areas. Kenya Connect partners with over 50 primaries and 12 secondary public schools, serving approximately 18,000 students. They aim to help students succeed in the 21st century regardless of location or income level.
Kenya Connect Provides Resources to Learn Digital Skills
For the last 20 years, Kenya Connect has implemented programs to empower students to develop into confident, collaborative, and creative learners. The courses range from literacy and library programs to digital literacy and STEM. Additionally, they provide programs for teachers and parents at their partner public schools to better support students.
Team4Tech Helps Equip Technology Lab
Kenya Connect is at a critical point in scaling up, and their goal in partnering with Team4Tech is to establish an EdTech Hub and Maker Space. This will be a space where students, teachers, and community members can develop various digital skills. The Maker Space will have technology devices, robotics materials, sewing machines, art supplies, and software to help students create. They are planning on the EdTech Hub to have computers equipped with software so students and young adults can learn coding, web and graphic design, business management, and other skills. The space will also serve as an “internet café” for community members to pay a small fee to access the internet and computers.
Get Involved with Team4Tech and Our Partners
If you would like to learn more about our work, subscribe to the Team4Tech mailing list. You can read about more projects with technology labs in Kenya and other projects in sub-Saharan Africa. Then, you can follow the progression of other international projects and hear from the experiences of corporate and non-profit partners alike.