According to Next Billion, more than 100 million school-aged children in developing countries lack access to education, and more than nine times that number of children worldwide lack access to quality education. Information, communications, and especially technology (ICT) would seem to offer feasible, less expensive, and widely applicable solutions to this complex problem.
COVID-19 has left 250 million children in primary and secondary schools throughout Africa alone and out of school. Due to the pandemic, the topic of innovation in education has never been so crucial.
How does ACT-US help?
Through ACT-US (Accessible Computer Technology for Underserved Students), Embrace Relief offers Digital Literacy and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) programs to students and communities with little access to the internet or technology. These programs provide tools and educational resources they never had before. Digital literacy is essential for expanding quality education and promoting sustainability. Embrace Relief recognizes the importance of education as studies have proven increased education leads to economic progress.
Embrace Relief has partnered with Endless Solutions to help provide 324 computers to impoverished schools in Tanzania and Uganda. 154 computers to Uganda and 168 computers to Tanzania.
Endless OS Computers are designed to combat the limitations of education and lack of access to technology in developing countries. These computers do not need an internet connection to work and have the ability to be updated remotely. They are cost and power-efficient. Most importantly, they are simple to use.
Every computer will have pre-installed educational programs through Endless OS. These programs cover a wide variety of subjects to increase students’ knowledge in various academic areas. Beyond that, Endless OS also includes programs centered on life skills, including farming, personal finance management, and personal hygiene skills.
Embrace Relief’s ACT-US Opening Ceremony in Uganda
To ensure the success of the ACT-US program, we have partnered with the Nile Humanitarian Development Agency. In addition to this, we have support from the Ministry of Education of Uganda and the African Union to bring Accessible Computer Technology to Under-served Students (ACT-US). Thousands of students in schools throughout Uganda will benefit from the 156 information and communication technology (ICT) computers.
The official ACT-US opening ceremony was held on the 20th of February 2021, at Kitala Secondary School along Entebbe road, after Kisubi University in Katabi sub-county, in the Wakiso district at 9:00 am.
The ceremony was attended by officials from the Ministry of Education, Board Members of the schools, parents, headteachers from beneficiary schools, and many others. The guest of honor was the State Minister for Education, Hon. Rose Mary Seninde, who doubles as the Area Member of Parliament. Other officials who attended the ceremony included the District Education Officer, the Resident District Commissioner of the area, the Mayor of the area, and many other dignitaries.
The beneficiary schools in this project included Mende Kalema Secondary School, JJungo Secondary School, Kitala Secondary School, Aggerey Memorial Secondary School, Namuloge Secondary School, Buwambo Secondary School, Nagulu Seed Secondary School all in Wakiso district, Bubinga Secondary School in Bugweri district, Wanyange Secondary School in Jinja, and Kisowera Secondary School in Mukono district, each school received fifteen (15) computers equipped with endless technology.
