Africa

Africa Vignettes

BÉNIN: Droit Devoir et Développement Durable, Gbeou Urbain, $5,500 for 200 computers to connect ten schools with 25,000 youth. (Implementation Plan) D4 Director: Gbeou N. Urbain. WCE has shipped to Bénin before. WCE is currently looking for a team to help seek a Sponsor for the final 1/3 (US$5,500) needed to source, test, pack, and ship to deliver these 200 computers to the port of Cotonou. Sponsor part or all of this container now. ~ Please designate for: Bénin .

BURUNDI:  Youth in Reconstruction of the World in Destruction (JRMD) is a non-profit organization that seeks to promote reconciliation and peace building activities to heal the wounds caused by ethnic wars, injustices, and divisions. Between 1994 and 2003 over 300,000 Burundians perished in widespread, often intense ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions. This dedicated nonprofit is rebuilding thousands of houses and working to connect their youth with youth around the States in collaborations established by AfricaAmericaExchange. These collaborations are to increase understanding and opportunities.Their US Partners deeply respect their wonderful heart, courage, and conviction - against all odds. They need computers to establish a Center and Library for Education on Peace, AIDS and Development for secondary and college students and for 25 secondary schools that they are working with. These schools have 12,000 students. To support these endeavors they are seeking sponsors to help them to receive 200 PII and PIII computer sets. Your support will be highly appreciated and will help make a difference which gives hope to the people of Burundi. (See their Implementation Plan) JRMD Coordinator: Prosper Ndabishuriye.  Burundi's average annual income is $600 with 1% using the Internet.Carey Radebaugh of WCE Boston is seeking individual, group, Rotary Club, and corporate Sponsors for the $8,000 to cover the direct shipping costs to get these 200 computers sets to the land-locked port of Bujumbura. Sponsor part or all of this container now. ~ Please designate for: Burundi.

Mora Oommen, Prosper Ndabishurie & Timothy Anderson

CAMEROON : iEARN - SchoolNet Cameroon, is a member of the International Education and Resource Network (iEARN), a non-profit global network that enables young people to use the Internet and other new technologies to engage in collaborative educational projects. iEARN helps teachers and students establish multi-country online learning projects that help improve learning via the Internet while increasing cross-cultural understanding and opening up new opportunities for the participating youth. iEARN is in 110 countries and is one of WCE's 24 Strategic Allies.$10,000 for 400 computers to connect 15 schools with 7,500 students. (Implementation Plan) Country Director: Francois Donfack. WCE has shipped to Cameroon before. Alex Mbianda is seeking individual, group, Rotary Club, and corporate Sponsors for the last 1/3 (US$10,000) needed to source, test, pack, and ship these 400 computers to the port of Yaounde Sponsor part or all of this container now. ~ Please designate for: Cameroon.

Francois Donfack with Timothy Anderson

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Lubumbashi University working with Droits Humains Sans Frontieres and UNDP Post Conflict. $11,000 for 400 computers to connect 30 schools with 8,500 students. (Implementation Plan) Contact: Franck Kamunga. WCE is currently looking for a team to help seek a Sponsor for the last 1/3 (US$11,000) needed to source, test, pack, and ship these 400 computers to the port of Matadi. Sponsor part or all of this container now. ~ Please designate for: D. R. Congo.

GHANA: Agent of Change (AOC) is seeking 200 computers to connect four secondary schools with 6,000 students. AOC was formed by some socially informed people with disabilities in Agotime Kpetoe in the Volta Region of Ghana. AOC's main purpose is to assist the needy especially the disabled, women, orphans and children through education, sensitization and capacity building workshops and other well-integrated poverty-reduction programs. AOC will help prepare the schools and train the teaches and ensure that computers are connected to the internet so that disadvantaged, deprived and vulnerable youth between the ages of 12 and 19 will have access to a good ICT Technology education as well as have free access to the Internet during school hours. AOC's long-term plan is to work to connect schools and centres in all 15 districts of the Volta Region. AOC will work with iEARN Ghana. They are approaching the Ho Rotary Club to see about working together. (Implementation Plan) AOC Executive Secretary: Francis Paul Fiavi. WCE has shipped to Ghana before. Ghana's average annual income is $2,300 with 1% using the Internet. WCE is currently looking for a team to help seek a Sponsor for the last 1/3 (US$5,500) needed to source, test, pack, and ship these 200 computers to the port of Tema. Sponsor part or all of this container now. ~ Please designate for: Ghana.

GUINEA : Foundation International de Solidair headed by the First Lady of the Republic of Guinea and the Ministry of Education working with the African Cultural Center in conjunction with the local university requesting a 40-foot container of 400 mixed computer sets to connect 30 junior and senior high schools in Conakry with 9,000 students. They have met with the Conakry Rotary Club about helping with this project. Part of their plan is to form a SchoolNet Guinea. (Implementation Plan) Our contact is Karim Camara. WCE has shipped to Guinea before. Guinea's average annual income is $2,200 with less than 1% using the Internet. WCE is currently looking for a team to help seek a Sponsor for the last 1/3 (US$9,000) needed to source, test, pack, and ship these 400 computers to the port of Tema. Sponsor part or all of this container now. ~ Please designate for: Guinea.

KENYA: Glorious Poverty Eradication Programmes (GPEP) is a humanitarian NGO working in the arid and semi-arid regions of upper Ukambani in Eastern Province of Kenya. Since 2001, it has worked by building partnerships and programs with other NGO's and donors that help to enable adults, youth and children in their communities improve their lives. They are requesting 200 computers (including 10 Power Macs) to connect 10 community centres and 7 schools with 18,500 youth. They are working with the Rotary Club of Nairobi. GPEP is planning on providing iEARN training for the participating teachers. Nirvana Cable of Project Paradice - USA have expressed willingness to provide for wireless internet connections to the schools. (Implementation Plan) GPEP Executive Director: David M. Muoka. WCE has shipped to Kenya before. Kenya's average annual income is $1,200 with 1% using the Internet. WCE is currently looking for a team to help seek a Sponsor for the last 1/3 (US$5,300) needed to source, test, pack, and ship these 200 computers to the port of Mombasa. Sponsor part or all of this container now. ~ Please designate for: Kenya-GPEP.

KENYA: Ikonzo Musanda Self Help Group, $5,300 for 200 computers to connect 15 secondary schools with 10,000 youth. They are working with the Kakamega Rotary Club. (Implementation Plan) Ikonjo Project Director: Francis Anyona. WCE has shipped to Kenya before. Kenya's average annual income is $1,200 with 1% using the Internet. WCE is currently looking for a team to help seek a Sponsor for the last 1/3 (US$5,300) needed to source, test, pack, and ship these 200 computers to the port of Mombasa. Sponsor part or all of this container now. ~ Please designate for: Kenya - Ikonzo.

KENYA: Interactive Learning Networks, led by Kiragu Maina. $10,000 toward this 2nd container of computers to be used as servers to help upgrade the computers sent in the earlier container as they are used in thin client labs in schools outside of Nairobi. WCE is currently looking for a team to help seek a Sponsor for the final 1/3 (US$10,000) needed to cover the costs of sourcing, testing, packing, and shipping to deliver these 400 Pentium computers to the port of Mombasa. A Sponsor - the Paul Eugene Anderson Trust is about to fund $10,000 (1/3) and another Sponsor is being sought. Sponsor part or all of this container now. ~ Please designate for: Kenya-ILN.

MALAWI: Sustainable Development Initiatives (SDI) is a local non-profit making Non Governmental Organization working with underprivileged rural communities in Malawi. The organization's mission is to empower the poor people to identify and maximize their potential so that they can become socially and economically self-reliant. The organization undertakes programs that are usually difficult to be supported by the government and other conventional donors. Sustainable Development Initiatives (SDI) and the Rotary Club of Mzuzu are seeking 400 computers to help connect 25,000 youth in 17 Rural Schools and 6 rural community centers. SDI in collaboration with Mzuzu University and other ICT institutions will assist in the installation and maintenance of the computers. Parents will contribute to the costs of getting and maintaining the computers. SchoolNet Malawi is assisting with the design of the project and the training of the teachers. WCE has previously sent a shipment to Malawi to the USAID for several groups being assisted by Peace Corps volunteers. This support will go along way in raising the hope and future of Malawian population especially the youths. This project will have far reaching socio-economic benefits not only to rural poor youths but also to the national development. (Implementation Plan) SDI President: Griffin Yedwa Ulemu Zgambo. WCE has shipped to Malawi before. Malawi's average annual income is $600 with 1% using the Internet. WCE is currently looking for a team to help seek a Sponsor for the last 1/3 (US$11,500) needed to source, test, pack, and ship these 400 computers to Lilongwe. Sponsor part or all of this container now. ~ Please designate for: Malawi.

NIGERIA: Society for Development & Community Empowerment working with the Trans Amandi Rotary Club in Port Harcourt and the Ministry of Education in Rivers State to help connect 2 resource centers and 2 schools with 9,000 youth. Community use of the computers after school hours will contribute to the costs of getting and maintaining the computers. iEARN / SchoolNet Nigeria is assisting this nonprofit in the design of the project and the training of the teachers. (Implementation Plan) SDCE President: Kayode Adedoye. WCE has sent eight shipments to Rivers, Bauchi, Plateau, Kaduna, and Lagos states and to the Federal Capital Territory totaling 2,420 computers to connect 162 schools with 79,000 students. Nigeria's average annual income is $1,000 with 1% using the Internet. WCE is currently looking for a WCE volunteer to help seek a Sponsor for the last 1/3 ($5,500) needed to source, test, pack, and ship these 200 computers to Port Harcourt. Sponsor part or all of this container now. ~ Please designate for: Nigeria-SDCE.

Kayode Adedoye of SDCE President being intereviewed

NIGERIA: Youth Awareness Nigeria working with the Rotary Club and the Ayamelum Local Government in Anambra State to help connect 3 centers and 5 rural schools with 9,900 youth. Parents will contribute to the costs of getting and maintaining the computers. iEARN / SchoolNet Nigeria are assisting this nonprofit in the design of the project and the training of the teachers. (Implementation Plan) Youth Awareness President: Odinikpo Augustine. WCE has sent eight shipments to Rivers, Bauchi, Plateau, Kaduna, and Lagos states and to the Federal Capital Territory totaling 2,420 computers to connect 162 schools with 79,000 students. Nigeria's average annual income is $1,000 with 1% using the Internet. WCE is currently looking for a team to help seek a Sponsor for the last 1/3 ($10,000) needed to source, test, pack, and ship to deliver these 400 computers to Port Harcourt. Sponsor part or all of this container now. ~ Please designate for: Nigeria-Youth

NIGERIA: University of Lagos, seeking 200 computers to connect 4,000 students. Babajide Olateju WCE has sent eight shipments to Rivers, Bauchi, Plateau, Kaduna, and Lagos states and to the Federal Capital Territory totaling 2,420 computers to connect 162 schools with 79,000 students. Nigeria's average annual income is $1,000 with 1% using the Internet. WCE is currently looking for a team to help seek a Sponsor for the last 1/3 ($5,500) needed to source, test, pack, and ship to deliver these 200 computers to the port of Lagos. Sponsor part or all of this container now. ~ Please designate for: Nigeria-University.

NIGERIA: PrimePower Projects, seeking 200 comptuers to connect students. (Implementation Plan) PrimePower head: Bayo Baker. WCE has sent eight shipments to Rivers, Bauchi, Plateau, Kaduna, and Lagos states and to the Federal Capital Territory totaling 2,420 computers to connect 162 schools with 79,000 students. Nigeria's average annual income is $1,000 with 1% using the Internet. WCE is currently looking for a team to help seek a Sponsor for the last 1/3 ($5,500) needed to source, test, pack, and ship to deliver these 200 computers to the port of Lagos. Sponsor part or all of this container now. ~ Please designate for: Nigeria-Prime.

RWANDA: Association Des Femmes Pour La Promotion De La Sante Dans Les Milieux Ruraux, $6,500 for 200 computers to connect 9 schools with 8 youth. (Implementation Plan) A.FE.PRO.SA.MI.R Director: Philippe Rwangeyo. WCE has shipped to Rwanda before. WCE is currently looking for a team to help seek a Sponsor for the last 1/3 ($6,500) needed to source, test, pack, and ship to deliver these 200 computers to Kigali. Sponsor part or all of this container now. ~ Please designate for: Rwanda.

SÉNÉGAL: Mission Shalom leading a shared container of 200 computers to connect 10 centres with 8,000 youth. iEARN Sénégal and YES Sénégal are helping develop this project. Contact: Pastor Andy Kings. WCE has shipped to Sénégal before. Lettie Herr of WCE Louisville is seeking individual, group, Rotary Club, and corporate Sponsors for the last $5,500 (1/3) needed to source, test, pack, and ship these 200 computer sets to the port of Dakar. Sponsor part or all of this container now. ~ Please designate for: Sénégal.

SIERRA LEONE: iEARN-Sierra Leone founded in 1999, is a member of the International Education and Resource Network (iEARN), a non-profit global network that enables young people to use the Internet and other new technologies to engage in collaborative educational projects. iEARN helps teachers and students establish multi-country online learning projects that help improve learning via the Internet while increasing cross-cultural understanding and opening up new opportunities for the participating youth. iEARN is in 110 countries and is one of WCE's 24 Strategic Allies. The civil war in Sierra Leone ended in 2003, finally bringing peace; however, the aftermaths of the war still smolders. A decade of predatory war has killed over 20,000 people, maimed thousands, and displaced over 2 million people, 500,000 of whom fled to neighboring countries. This war prompted a mass exodus of professionals and has wrecked most of the infrastructure, businesses and much of the housing stock. GDP per capita halved during the course of the war. In 2004, Sierra Leone was placed at the bottom of the UN Human Development Index. Moreover, the war has contributed to an incipient HIV/AIDS epidemic. The impact on youth was large - almost a quarter of the soldiers fighting with the Government forces were below the age of 18; and many are now shunned by society and face un-addressed post-war trauma. Many are orphaned, maimed, and illiterate and have no scope to acquire skills for a meaningful livelihood; and rather unfortunately, their extenuating psychosocial state leads them to indulge in behavior condemned by the international community. iEARN Sierra Leone was founded to address the pressing need for the reintegration of ex-child fighters and other war affected youth into their communities. They work to serve and rehabilitate youth who have suffered through war and war's effect by providing counseling, opportunities for inter-country and international exchanges, and by promoting peace education in schools. iEARN Sierra Leone has given more than 850 war affected youth the opportunity to participate in global issues and has given them a powerful forum for letting their voices be heard beyond the confines of Sierra Leone. Having the foresight to harness the power of the Internet, the founder, Andrew Benson Greene Jr., a 2004/5 McGill University Sauve Scholar found a nexus between psychosocial healing and the empowerment of youth through computer and ICT skills training. He began an informal education center - which has grown to include a multi-media center and music-recording studio for students to channel their energies to a creative means of education and social activism. The students create and participate in tele-collaborative online projects covering a range of issues, including peace, human rights, conflict resolution and sustainable development. The role of computers and technology has been pivotal to the development and rehabilitation of these youth, as no other such infrastructure exists. Through workshops and materials, iEARN Sierra Leone highlights and disseminates its best practices on the role of ICT in the in rehabilitating war-affected youth in post-conflict zones. Sometimes the workshops include disarmament and demobilization. ICT has been found to be an effective and relatively low-cost means of reintegrating even the most traumatized of youth. The UN's office of displaced persons is considering it as a potential model for use in four additional countries affected by war: Uganda, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Palestine. iEARN is now looking to expand to 12 new locations in Sierra Leone wherein each district can have up to 45 computers. To this, they are working closely with the Ministries of Youth and Sports, Education Science and Technology, and Information and Broadcasting, as well as Freetown Rotary Club, War Child Canada, WH Day Elementary School in Bradford Ontario, VSO Sierra Leone and recently RESPECT in serving the educational needs of refugee youth and raising awareness around the world of the issues these youth face. IEARN Sierra Leone has hard-earned experience managing several ICT centres in Sierra Leone equipped by their initial computer donations from UK based Computer Aid International. As part of this next shipment, iEARN Sierra Leone will also connect 20 schools and take the lead among several other NGOs that are WCE Partner organisations and Strategic Allies in helping to support schools and centers with the installation, maintenance, and use of these donated used computers. (See their Implementation Plan). iEARN-Sierra Leone Country Coordinator: Andrew Greene, Jr. Sierra Leone's average annual income is $600 with 1% using the Internet.  Regina Ryan and the WCE Boston team have found a company to be the Sponsor for the last $15,000 (1/3) needed to source, test, pack, and ship the first container of 400 computers to the port of Freetown. iEARN is now working on a second container. Sponsor part or all of this container now. ~ Please designate for: Sierra Leone.

Andrew Greene, Jr., iEARN Sierra Leone

TANZANIA : Orphans Foundation Fund, $5,500 for 200 computers to connect 20 schools and orphanages with 6,200 youth. (Implementation Plan) Orghans Programme Coordinator: Emmanuel Makongoro. WCE has shipped to Tanzania before. WCE is currently looking for a team to help seek a Sponsor for the final 1/3 (US$5,500) needed to source, test, pack, and ship to deliver these 200 computers to the port of Dar es Salaam. Sponsor part or all of this container now. ~ Please designate for: Tanzania.

TOGO: iEARN Togo (International Education and Resource Network) iEARN is committed to giving children access to computers and the Internet and expanding their horizons by providing an environment where students can collaborate on projects with students in other countries. Togo's recent elections and other positive moves towards a democracy have given the country a new optimism and hope for the future. iEARN Togo is working with the Togolese Ministry of Education and the Ministry of the Interior, to connect 10 schools to the Internet and are requesting 400 computers from WCE. Currently, iEARN Togo is being considered for approval by the Ministry of Planning. The Rotary Club in Lomé, YES TOGO, and de l'Université de Lomé have agreed to provide assistance with the installation and training. The Peace Corps has agreed to consider helping organisations in Togo that receive computers from WCE. The World Education Corps has agreed to consider placing a volunteer next year with iEARN Togo. (Implementation Plan) iEARN-Togo National Coordinator: Abotchi Yao. Togo's average annual income is $1,600 with 4% using the Internet. WCE is currently looking for a team to help seek a Sponsor for the final 1/3 (US$5,500) needed to source, test, pack, and ship to deliver these 200 computers to the port of Lomé. Sponsor part or all of this container now. ~ Please designate for: Togo.

Abotchi Yao of iEARN Togo (center)

ZAMBIA: Project Educate, $11,500 for 400 computers to connect schools with youth. (Implementation Plan) Project Educate Coordinator: Mbao Mwiya-Ngula. WCE has shipped to Zambia before. WCE is currently looking for a team to help seek a Sponsor for the final 1/3 (US$11,500) needed to source, test, pack, and ship to deliver these 200 computers to the port of Lomé. Sponsor part or all of this container now. ~ Please designate for: Zambia-Educate.

In Zambia trying out a computer from WCE

ZAMBIA: New Vision For Africa, (click on the left to see a great slide show!) $10,000 for 525 Mac computers to connect 38 schools with 45,000 students. Ernst & Young funded a companion container of Pentiums. (Implementation Plan) WCE is currently looking for a team to help seek a Sponsor for the final 1/3 (US$10,000) needed to cover the costs of sourcing, testing, packing, and shipping to deliver these 525 Mac computers to the port of Lomé. A Sponsor - the Mary Agnes Donnell Trust is about to fund $10,000 (1/3) and another is being sought. Sponsor part or all of this container now. ~ Please designate for: Zambia-NVFA.

ZIMBABWE: Southern Africa HIV and AIDS Info Dissemination Service $6,500 for 200 computers to connect 30 centres with 1,000 youth. (Implementation Plan) SAfAIDS Deputy Director: Sara Page. Roy Steiner, President of Cyberplex Africa, is seeking individual, group, Rotary Club, and corporate Sponsors for the last $6,500 (1/3) needed to source, test, pack, and ship these 200 computer sets to Harare. Sponsor part or all of this container now. ~ Please designate for: Zimbabwe.

To volunteer to help us seek corporate or group Sponsors

WCE also has Partners ready in Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America

WCE PARTNERS IN AFRICA READY FOR SHIPMENTS IN THE NEXT YEAR ! (18 countries)