This summer, Team4Tech facilitated an 8-week University Internship Program connecting graduate and undergraduate students from Middlebury College and Dartmouth College with staff from The African SOUP on-site in Uganda.
A Nonprofit Empowering Communities and Developing Digital Literacy
The African SOUP is a burgeoning educational organization working to empower communities through national primary education change. SOUP runs a nursery and primary school in Namutumba, in rural eastern Uganda. With Team4Tech’s partnership and support, the school has installed:
- a solar panel system for round-the-clock power
- a WiFi infrastructure for stable internet access
- an ICT-focused learning environment at the African Soup Primary School with laptops and desktops for students to use
Previous collaborative projects with Team4Tech volunteers have supported the development of essential online tools to enhance SOUP’s organizational capabilities. Team4Tech also provides SOUP with ongoing technological support and training through our Africa Regional Hub and Community of Practice.
A University Internship Program Building Real-World Skills for Global Citizens
Team4Tech prepared university interns for their on-site project with virtual leadership development training and daily discussions. Interns met with SOUP staff to discuss the scope of work and prepare for teacher training. Team4Tech facilitated a connection with a local consultant to introduce interns to Ugandan history, culture, and information related to school operations. These preparatory steps provided clear context for Team4Tech’s university interns and promoted better communication with SOUP staff.
The team of university interns supported SOUP teachers with ICT skills training. Trainings leveraged technology to simplify daily teaching and administrative tasks, and, in turn, enable SOUP staff to share these skills with their students.
Interns Collaborate with Educators to Inform Teacher Trainings
University interns collaborated with the African SOUP in Namutumba for one month. Interns learned about SOUP staff’s teaching styles and needs to better help these teachers develop ICT skills and integrate them into their classes. The university intern team observed SOUP’s classes in all grades and organized discussions with all the teachers during the first week. Based on observations and teacher feedback, the interns designed and implemented daily ICT skills training sessions focusing on:
- Microsoft Suite
- Google research
- online learning platforms such as Khan Academy and Crash Course
- using printers, speakers, projectors, and email
During their time on-site, university interns conducted a teacher survey and communicated with the SOUP point person to adjust and improve the training plan on a weekly basis.
University Interns Make a Sustainable Impact
By the end of the project, the team of university interns:
- Delivered a month of tailored teacher trainings. Teachers made impressive progress in ICT skills
- Digitized administrative templates to increase teachers’ working efficiency, including:
- attendance sheets
- grade sheets
- lesson plans
- schemes of work
- Created step-by-step guides for technology processes
- Organized student trainings for P5 to P7 on computer use and internet access
- Led an in-depth conversation about AI with the Co-Founder, Executive Director, and Active Learning Project Director of the African SOUP, supplying AI-related resources for their use
This dedicated team of university interns established a strong and trusting relationship with the teachers and students at SOUP. Every Sunday, they visited the school, observed music classes, played volleyball, danced with the students, and enjoyed a wonderful day together.
I believe that this experience leaves a sustainable impact on all participants. It took us to a new country we had never set foot in before, improved our leadership and teamwork abilities, and changed our mindset.”
Ruiqi Ma, University Internship Project Coordinator
Team4Tech is proud to facilitate connections between volunteers and education-focused NGOs like The African SOUP, improving education that ultimately prepares learners for better jobs.
This is just one example of Team4Tech’s global contributions to education. Our organization continues to accelerate the impact of nonprofit organizations globally.