Break the Digital Divide in Rural Western Kenya

This project is in a collaboration with another organization, The Rabondo  Community Project. In 2012, volunteers from Expanding Opportunities, traveled to Rabondo and gave the small library a boost cataloging additional books and building shelves to put them in circulation. At the beginning of 2013, the Rabondo Commhnity Project was undergoing some changes.  Expanding Opportunities has not been to visit in the first quarter of 2013. 

Though the center was built with the mission to bring connectivity and distance learning to the rural community of Rabondo, a secondary mission has grown. The constant, important ever loved practice of READING BOOKS TO CHILDREN jumped to the forefront. The children flock to the center during their lunch break and after school to hear a story.

  The Center is still in operation and in need of a boost. Additional computers, signage and a long term volunteer (2 to 6 months) to organize and formalize the library reading program. Your donation at this time will be applied to computers, signage and materials for the reading program.

Links:

• The organization's Facebook
• The organization's website

The learning center is open and running. Maggie Smith was there in September. She spent days doing catalogs of the books at the library. I was there during that time and the work she did is very great. I really appreciate on behalf of the RCPUSA, the community and the Learning Center.

Though the learning center is running well, there is still more to be done and money is badly needed. Supplies are needed, for example; paper, ink cartridges, toner etc. Lilian's salary also. A pit latrine is badly needed as Lilian has to cross over to the other side of the compound. People coming to the Learning Center also need a latrine. Some maintenance is needed as well. We await the expansion of the learning center to the other available rooms. Plastering, painting and installation of electricity is necessary. The purchase of books in line with the Kenyan education curriculum will help students who cannot afford to buy them. They will be able to come to Learning Center and study.

We got a better printer and it is good in both quality and reliability compared to the others we had, but the toner it uses is very expensive.

The traffic that we had earlier went down during the power shortage then before it could rebuild, the strike occurred in schools. The schools rely on the Learning Center for services.

As we did not expect traffic to rise immediately, the progress is promising. Indeed, the Learning Center and especially the library is one of the best things in the Rabondo community and we cannot afford to lose it. It really supported students who were out of school due to the strike. They found a place in the Library at the Learning Center conducive to study.

I am sure the Learning Center will achieve self-sustainability. I expect the traffic to start building up soon. I anticipate that there will be a lot of work as the election is nearing. People will visit for various services; pictures, posters, ID processing documents etc.

Women and children are benefiting very much from the program. Women train and embrace the culture. Therefore, its continuity is important for the community.

Links:

• The organization's website
• The organization's facebook