Uncategorized Archives - Camara Education

Automation Anywhere CEO visits Tanzania

August 9, 2023

by Sean Miskelly Uncategorized

The chief executive and co-founder of Automation Anywhere, Mihir Shukla, recently visited Moshi Technical School in Shirimatunda, Tanzania. Automation Anywhere develops intelligent automation software used by businesses worldwide. They have been donating their end-of-life and surplus IT equipment to Camara for use in our school projects, and Mihir was eager to see the end result.

School Principal Mr. Philipo Mwanga gave the visiting group – which included colleagues of Mihir who had just summited nearby Mt Kilimanjaro with him, as well as Camara Tanzania Country Director Dayani Mbowe – a tour of the school and its facilities. He summarised the school’s history and their longstanding collaboration with Camara, highlighting the numerous benefits they have experienced through the provision of training, technical support and computers. Mr. Philipo emphasized that, as a technical school, they face limitations in acquiring all the necessary machinery for students to learn from. However, by utilizing computers in their laboratory, they have been able to employ simulations and demonstrate a wide range of machines, effectively showcasing their functionalities to the students.

Outside the computer lab, an enthusiastic assembly of over 50 students and ICT teachers greeted Mr. Shukla with a rousing school song. In response, Mihir shared a brief personal history, recounting his humble upbringing in a small town in India, where access to computers was a luxury he did not have until college. Undeterred by this limitation, he went on to found a succession of successful tech companies: he emphasized to the students his firm belief that talent is universally distributed, but opportunities are not. He imparted a message of possibility and empowerment insisting that everything is achievable. Furthermore, he highlighted the role of Automation Anywhere in supporting Camara’s mission, ensuring that more students can gain access to technology and enhance their life prospects.

Inside the lab, students showcased a diverse range of the computer applications they have been working on. They displayed their skills in coding and programming, demonstrated the use of a moon atlas for studying astronomy and explained how computers aided their learning about the African continent, utilizing maps as part of their civics subject. They also highlighted their use of an English-Swahili dictionary to expand their vocabulary in English and demonstrated report generation on Microsoft Excel.

Mihir commented “Seeing the students’ excitement as they demonstrated their coding and automation projects was incredible. Hearing them speak enthusiastically about learning new skills and sensing their optimism about building a better future was truly uplifting. This trip reinforced that rural communities across the globe persevere and thrive despite everyday challenges. Let us support young people pursuing education and technology to unlock their potential. Together we can empower emerging generations to create positive change.”

Camara Education Ethiopia signed a new project agreement with the Federal Ministry of Education

July 17, 2023

by Sean Miskelly Uncategorized

Camara Education Ethiopia recently signed a new agreement with the Federal Ministry of Education (MoE). The project, titled “Unleashing the Power of ICT in Ethiopian Schools: Improving student learning outcomes and building the capacity of educators through ICT integration from 2023 to 2028”, aims to continue and expand our collaboration with the MoE for a further five years.

Through this new project, Camara aims to:

Equip 875 rural schools with 35,000 computers – 35-40 computers per school – loaded with local curriculum-aligned content and innovative learning platforms.
Train 9,450 educators
Impact 790,000 learners

In addition to offering the support provided in previous agreements for project schools, there have been some additions in this agreement based on our learning over the past few years:

Additional refresher Training to be provided after one year
Scheduled Maintenance after one year
Improved computer specifications to meet current needs
Updated content from MoE and others
35-40 PCs per school, as number of PCs was found not to be enough in schools vs number of students
On request from Camara, the agreement contains further details on the removal of Ewaste from schools previously supported.

Our local team in Addis Ababa unpacks and thoroughly tests the refurbished computers we ship out. They install an open-source operating system (Ubuntu) and load educational software and content aligned to the national curriculum and in local languages on each computer. All the computers are also loaded with an offline version of Wikipedia, creating an extraordinary learning resource for schools which often have no library books and limited internet connections. And most important of all, the computers are installed with PDFs of Ministry of Education textbooks covering the entire school curriculum. Textbooks are in very short supply in many of Ethiopia’s 40,000 schools, so this alone is a crucial resource, enabling students to access information even in areas where the lack of good internet connectivity can mean they have no or sporadic access to online content.

Our technicians travel to each school and kit out a fully functional eLearning centre, installing cabling and anti-surge protection along with 35-40 refurbished computers.

A critical element of our programme is to actively train both school management and teachers to ensure they have the necessary digital skills to maximise the use of the eLearning centre in their school. Follow-up training courses are provided to ensure progress continues and targets are achieved.

Kidist Mulat during training at Semera Girls’ Boarding School

Camara Education and British Council Ethiopia

July 10, 2023

by Sean Miskelly Uncategorized

Educating the Whole Family

Camara Education Ethiopia, in collaboration with the Ethiopian Ministry of Education and British Council Ethiopia has installed e-learning labs in seven schools in Afar province and 14 in Amhara. Each computer is stocked with resources and programmes that work off-line.

The labs aim to build skills and confidence for female students. Gender and girls’ club members will be prioritised for using the labs and teaching their peers, raising both their status in the community and achievement levels.

“If the girl is educated, the whole family is educated”

Kidist Mulat

Kidist Mulat leads the gender club in Semera Girls’ Boarding School. This large, clean, well-organised school sits on the outskirts of Semera, the capital city of Afar. Students in Kidist’s school come from the whole Woreda. Though the school is only for girls, they still face many cultural challenges due to their gender.

There are a lot of cultural challenges around our school due to gender. The culture is that the parents will give their female children for marriage early and then they may also have a child too early. The families will arrange this without the daughter knowing. Then they will stop school.

Kidist explained how female students are eager to join gender club seeking their support if they face early marriage. Semera Girls’ Boarding School accepts students from grade five to ten. Students in their gender clubs are high achievers, “Because, they have the capacity to share ideas with their communities and change the feeling of their local culture”.

A Nurturing Community

The students in Kidist’s school form a close-knit supportive community. They may arrive with different mother tongues but learn English and Amharic, “They sleep here and talk together in the dorms and other communal areas.” Visitors are not usually allowed inside the compound, and if they come are met only at the gate.

If a student is unwell ‘student police’ support them, checking on them and finding out the issue. There is an open approach to consequences of periods, with sanitary towels provided. For discipline issues students may be asked to take on garden watering tasks.

The school wants to build the confidence and strength of female students. Along with this close supportive environment female role models are invited in to share experiences. The gender club leads these activities and is vital to helping students through issues they face from families and the community.

If the students have family nearby who want to make their girls have an early marriage the gender club will invite them into the school, encourage them to change their mind and explain why this should not happen. They even took one family to court to stop an early marriage.

Educating the next Generation

Kidist thinks the main priority for education should be raising access to technology, “It’s a big chance for us to show the wider process of technology to our students”. But her concerns about female students accessing education remain. The answer, she believes, lies with the influence of religious leaders.

We need to raise the awareness of religious leaders about the use of education and learning for girls. It’s the female student who will become the child bearer and have a family. If she’s educated her whole family and the next generation will also be educated. The society in Afar accepts the opinions and words of religious leaders more then the government.

Learning through Technology

Students who arrive from rural communities might not have had any exposure to technology. The school had very few computers before the new e-learning lab, not enough for the students to use themselves.

We learn through paper and blackboards now. But using computers motivates students; they have much more interest in using digital media. They learn more in a short time when using computers and phones. They can work for hours, much longer than when they use traditional materials.

Kidist sees digital literacy as adding value throughout her students’ lives. “Alongside their education they can work – they can do administrative tasks, becoming experts and working alongside their education.”

Technology also helps their family see their skills and think of them as valuable. It makes their academic performance greater and society sees their skills and values them.

Supporting Dreams

Kidist’s view reaches much further than the school walls. “I want to make society aware of the value of education, especially the community outside of the town.”

If the girl is educated, the whole family is educated; she will look after her children well and send her daughters to school. If she is aware of education she can stop her daughters from being victims of FGM. One educated female means four to five educated people in the family.

Kidist’s dream for others is reflected in her personal aims “I want to keep being educated, I want to achieve a doctorate. I want to help others through this especially in the rural areas”. She believes education is a right for everyone, and students should be fully supported to follow their dreams too. Empowering female students through digital literacy is one large step towards this.

My dream is seeing my students reach the top level of achievement in their whole lives. That would make me very happy. To reach their full potential in life, work, family and health.

Youth skills scholarships in Zambia

June 15, 2023

by John Fisher Uncategorized Zambia

The Kabwe School of Continuing Education in Kabwe, about 140km north of Lusaka, Zambia, functions both as a traditional school and a skills institute, offering young individuals practical training in fields such as Electrical Engineering, Computer Skills and other specialisms that equip the students to contribute actively to society.

The equipment in the school was provided thanks to funding from Lenovo, facilitating hands-on computer studies and enhancing access to educational resources across various subjects.

Students can apply for scholarships with the support of the government through Community Development Funds (CDF). These scholarships provide an opportunity to acquire skills from the institution, with full funding from the CDF. Kabwe School of Continuing Education’s principal, Mrs Chimbeza, is keen to urge administrators from other schools to help spread the word and encourage their students – especially girls – to apply for these scholarships.

Shown in the pictures below and at the top of the page are students engaged in Computer Studies within the skills section. During a recent activity they were installing CMOS batteries in the computers, ensuring accurate system dates. They’re not just learning, but utilizing their acquired skills to assist the school in reducing maintenance expenses!

World Environment Day: June 5th

June 3, 2023

by John Fisher Sustainability Uncategorized

Slash your e-waste and make a positive contribution to the world

In the digital age, technology has become an integral part of our lives. As we upgrade our smartphones, laptops, and other electronic devices to keep up with the latest advances, a pressing issue emerges: electronic waste, or e-waste. As the world’s dependence on technology continues to grow, so does the amount of e-waste we generate. Around 50 million tonnes of e-waste is generated every year, a figure expected to reach 75 million tonnes by 2030,

Reusing IT equipment can play a vital role in combating e-waste. Instead of disposing of old devices, they can be refurbished and repurposed for extended use. Reuse not only reduces the amount of e-waste generated but also minimizes the energy and resources required to manufacture new devices. By extending the lifespan of IT equipment, we can significantly reduce the environmental impact associated with the production and disposal of electronic devices.

Camara is committed to reducing e-waste and supporting the circular economy by reusing and recycling electronic devices. Prolonging the life of computer equipment through refurbishment and reuse is a major step towards sustainability and protecting the environment; reducing emissions and keeping e-waste out of landfill.

Refurbished equipment arriving in Kenya, left, and Zambia, right, and in use in a computer lab

As much as 70% of the energy needed to make and operate a typical laptop throughout its lifespan is used in the manufacturing process. So if we can extend the life of existing equipment we can slash e-waste and reduce carbon emissions in the process. The most effective way to reduce waste is to not create it in the first place. Reusing IT equipment plays a vital role: instead of disposing of old devices, they can be refurbished and repurposed for extended use.

By donating your end-of-life or surplus computer equipment to Camara, you not only help reduce pollution, emissions and the use of landfill, but you also contribute to our efforts to bridge the digital divide. We install refurbished computers in eLearning centres in schools in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia, providing students who may never have used a computer before with the opportunity to enter the digital world. This opens up a whole world of employment and life opportunities. Without the gear, they can’t achieve that.

Bear in mind that it’s crucial to ensure proper data sanitization when reusing IT equipment. Our specialist processing partners meet the highest security and environmental standards, so your IT assets and data are safe with us.

In conclusion, e-waste poses a significant environmental challenge, but reusing IT equipment presents at least a hint of a solution. By embracing reuse, we can reduce e-waste, conserve resources, and create a more sustainable future. It’s time to recognize the value of our old devices and give them a second life, benefiting both the environment and those in need. Let’s make a conscious effort to promote the reuse of IT equipment and take a step towards a greener tomorrow.

Dell Technologies Partnership update

June 2, 2023

by John Fisher Ethiopia Partnerships Uncategorized

The second phase of our latest project in partnership with Dell Technologies in Ethiopia was completed in April, as the tenth school was connected to the server at Camara Ethiopia’s offices. This project allows us to remotely monitor the eLearning centres at these ten schools, in addition to the five that were beneficiaries of the first stage of the project.

Each school has been furnished with a networked eLearning centre equipped with 25 desktop computers. In addition, Camara provides teacher and leadership training to promote stakeholder engagement, as well as access to Camara Learning Studio via the server, supplying curriculum-aligned content for maths and science classes for students in grades 9 through 12. Our technicians provide support and use the server to track and evaluate learning outcomes by analysing usage data on the Dell server.

The principal aims of the project are two-fold: to improve teaching quality through training; and to enhance students’ experience, academic results and life chances with digital education.

Each school has been furnished with a networked eLearning centre equipped with 25 desktop computers. In addition, Camara provides teacher and leadership training to promote stakeholder engagement, and access to Camara Learning Studio via the server, supplying curriculum-aligned content for maths and science classes for students in grades 9 through 12. Our technicians provide support and use the server to track and evaluate learning outcomes by analysing usage data on the Dell server.

The principal aims of the project are two-fold: to improve teaching quality through training; and to enhance students’ experience, academic results and life chances with digital education.

Teachers’ Professional Development will lead to:

Improved teachers’ capacity (both contents and pedagogy) in teaching Science, Mathematics and English subjects with IT
Improved teacher motivation and interest in the teaching profession

Provision of the networked lab and usage monitoring will lead to:

Increased classroom interaction in the teaching and learning process
Decrease in student dropout rate
More efficient management of the ICT infrastructure and resources resulting in more effective eLearning centre utilization

The schools involved in the second phase are:

MISRAK GOH SECONDARY SCHOOL
DON BOSCO DILLA SECONDARY SCHOOL
HARAMAYA SECONDARY SCHOOL
LIDETA CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL SCHOOL
DR. HADDIS ALEMAYEHU SECONDARY SCHOOL
ADDIS ABABA BETHEL MEKANE YESUS SECONDARY SCHOOL
KOMONA SECONDARY SCHOOL
HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY MODEL SCHOOL
DIMTU SECONDARY SCHOOL
BULBUL SECONDARY SCHOOL

While we continue to offer support to the five schools from the first phase:

SHIMELIS HABTE SECONDARY SCHOOL
ASSAI PUBLIC SCHOOL
NATIVITY GIRLS SCHOOL
BASSO SECONDARY SCHOOL
ST. JOHN BAPTIST DE LA SALLE CATHOLIC SCHOOL

Teacher Andualem Tsegaye praised the scheme:

Andulem Tsegaye, ICT teacher at Don Bosco School

“I have been an ICT teacher at Dilla Don Bosco Secondary School since 2005. Now that we are using the new eLearning center based on a timetable, we are noticing a gradual improvement in academic results and students are happier to learn thanks to the Camara computers. They are also more motivated in enhancing their education.”

We’re Hiring!

March 23, 2023

by John Fisher Uncategorized

Camara Education is celebrating its 18th birthday this year and our continuing mission offers an opportunity for a committed sales professional to join our team as an ITAD business development executive.

The primary objective of the role is to secure end-of-use computers from new corporate donors suitable for the support of our work in Africa.

The role will require the successful candidate to have key account management skills and the ability to develop strong partnerships with both UK and international donors.

As part of our existing sales team, the candidate will be a very focussed individual capable of hitting the ground running, have a strong work ethic and will need to be able to work on their own initiative. An understanding of IT hardware and previous experience in the sector would be an advantage.

The role will be based in the UK and will be remotely based. The role will require travel within the UK to meet both donors and Camara colleagues.

A competitive compensation package will be available to the right candidate.

For more information, please send covering letter to us at HR@Camara.org outlining why you are applying for the position and what you feel you could add to the organisation. Please also attach your CV.

A Container of Computers

February 9, 2023

by John Fisher Partnerships Uncategorized

The latest consignment of computers has arrived at our offices in Mombasa, Kenya, part of our ongoing partnership with Dell Technologies to bring educational technology and digital access to marginalised areas. 23 Kenyan schools will benefit from new eLearning centres, and we’ll also be setting up three ICT innovation hubs.

As soon as the container arrives it is unloaded, prior to thorough final checks on the equipment before it can be dispatched to a waiting school. Thanks @DellTechnologies!

Christmas Challenge: the results are in

December 7, 2022

by johnfisher Uncategorized

A huge thank-you to everyone who donated to our 2022 Big Give Christmas Challenge. With your help we raised over £50,000.

That means we’ll be able to rehabilitate at least ten schools in the Amhara and Afar regions of northern Ethiopia, getting children back into school after the conflict there and providing them with the digital know-how essential to become part of a 21^st century workforce. Each school will be equipped with an eLearning centre containing 40 desktop computers, along with a server to host educational resources and allow monitoring of the computers’ usage. We’ll train five teachers from each school and provide quarterly support and maintenance visits for two years.

These pictures show some we prepared earlier.

Christmas Challenge 2022

November 24, 2022

by johnfisher Uncategorized

We’re proud that Camara has been selected again to take part in the 2022 Big Give Christmas Challenge, the UK’s largest match funding campaign.

Every pound donated between midday next Tuesday, November 29^th, and noon on December 6^th will be doubled. This year we’re raising funds to rehabilitate schools in Ethiopia that were devastated during the recent conflict there and provide them with new computers and other resources. £25, doubled to £50, will provide a refurbished computer to a school; £2,500, doubled to £5,000, will provide an entire eLearning centre together with training for its teachers and support and maintenance for a year. One donation, twice the impact.

Click here to find out more

The images here show a centre we have recently installed in one of these schools, Gojam Secondary in Amhara province.