Pilot project: Computer Training in Titibougou-Bamako, Mali

Pilot project: Computer Training inTitibougou-Bamako, Mali

 
Background
 
This project was initiated following a significant donation in computer equipment received from the “Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg” (CHL). The computer park was flown by CARGOLUX to Accra, the capital of Ghana. This transfer has been provided free of charge and only the transport from Accra to Bamako was supported by Unity Foundation.
Another partner involved in this project is the company APYDOS of Luxembourg, which has participated in developing the program from its beginning. The leaders from APYDOS help the Malian partner “Victory” to implement this project and together with them to set up the curriculum taking into account the local context. APYDOS also provides technical assistance (on the ground and subsequently by remote access). The director of APYDOS, is of Malian origin and therefore knows the context of his country very well.
 
Project Description
 
UF, after consultation with company officials from APYDOS, a delegation from the Ministry of Cooperation and its Malian partner Victoire, took the initiative of creating a Center for Computer Training in Titibougou. The program provides training in computer and Internet, helps pre-youth and youth to learn a tool that will open up vast opportunities for Internet research, given the fact that public and private schools in Mali have very limited libraries.
Another target group are teachers, who through this tool will be upgraded and take advantage of educational materials that will be gradually made accessible via the networking of computers.

The lines of action for this project are:
-  Larger space with a supply of additional computers
- Training, introduction to office technology (WORD, EXCEL, ..)
- Creation of the website of the NGO and its management so that more people can access learning  materials and teacher training
- Provide educational content in form of a database (history, geography, culture, news, ...).

An organizational link will be created between the existing education project and this project with joint staff meetings and thus benefit to a larger number of people affected by the education program.
The APYDOS company will conduct a remote software maintenance and believes that the hardware received from CHL should still have a life span of + / - 10 years. The proposed technique based on connecting the PCs to a central server will also help limit the actual use of them and thus gain even in sustainability. In this sense, a central server was purchased and most of the educational content and other useful tools are installed on it. APYDOS will also train the person hired by the project to ensure proper maintenance.