Women & Girls in Tech-Kakuma

Tech Education for girls and young women-Kakuma is committed to solving the difficulties that girls and young women face while trying to become socially and financially independent. These difficulties involve being subjected to house work and early marriage. 75% of girls and young women in Kakuma refugee camp are victims of discrimination and domestic violence due to the culture and their lack of status. The solution we are proposing increases access to new technology skills in the camp and more opportunities for girls and young women to achieve by giving them marketable work skills to apply for jobs because they will have the same abilities as men. The program aims to empower women and address inequities in job opportunities for them.

The problem is that the education of Girls and Young women in Kakuma Refugee Camp in general remains a situation that is being written about. Kakuma Refugee Camp as one of the Great Camp in the World, the total of its populations are 149,967 in which there are 69,613 women (46.4%) and 80,354 men (53.6%). Men seem to be majority and women is minority in the camp. This minority constitutes a large number of illiterate among them Girls and Young women alone are 52,210 which is 75% of all women. This illiteracy of Girls and Young women came not only because of discrimination, but also because there are few classrooms in schools to contain everybody in the Camp. The privilege is given to the children from 6 to 12 years old. Although UNHCR has implemented a program called Accelerated Learning Program, but this doesn't respond due to the large number of this category of people. That is why  after missing chance to study, they are leading themselves in prostitution and Early Marriage. KVC has come up with a program of Bit Space that will  respond to this challenge because Girls and Young women being people like so many others.

Kakuma Vocational Center will solve this problem by promoting girls and young women through teaching them technology such as Bit Space training. Bit Space offers courses in "making" and teaching hands on skills to students. In addition, we propose to budget for laptops and software to teach girls and young women in the camp marketable job skills in technology. That why KVC provides Bit Space which trains girls how to plan, design and build a game by using wood with new technology. Bit space is the unique course in Kakuma refugee camp which makes girls more creative thinkers and problem solvers.

Our primary beneficiaries are refugee girls and young women in Kakuma refugee camp. We are committed to providing them with technology that enables them to become creative thinkers, problem-solvers and participate in the connection to the world. Since Kakuma Vocational Center founders are also refugees in the camp, we have first-hand knowledge of what technologies are in demand at the camp. Based on this knowledge, we are able to provide professional trainers in technology skills that support this.

As many girls and young women are considered to be a burden in refugee camp because the majority of them are jobless, the skills they acquire enable them to be self-reliant. They are able to achieve their dreams and become more independent. Also, their growing independence and rise in social status raises their self-worth and self-esteem in the community and in their households. 

The problem we're tackling is about young women and girls facing discrimination in the society due to the lack of education in tech skills. Our solution will empower girls and young women with skills in technology by reducing the discrimination that they are facing in the society which is 75% of them. Therefore, the Bit Space course will enable them to be creative thinkers and problem-solvers to support their community and the society at the camp. This program will reduce the barriers that prevent girls and young women—especially those living in conflict and emergency situations—from reaching key learning milestones.

Our solution is innovative because it implies new technology with its new program introduced in the camp. And we are one of the first people who teach or train this program in Africa and the first community based organization which provides the course of that new technology in Kakuma Refugee Camp, in Kenya.

It is also innovative because it deals with a program which is unique in Kakuma Refugee Camp and makes refugee girls and young women better thinkers and increases their creativity whereby others deal with common programs that use memorization of facts. Our program is hands on and uses technology to support their learning. 

The core technology that powers our solution is to ‘’Plan, Design and Build’’, whereby the trainees think, then create, and then use their hands and a variety of tools to create games with woodworking. Bit Space is a new way of learning in Kakuma Refugee camp because it is based on maker-type thinking and doing.  Bit Space is driving a revolution in the classroom. to getting students to use new tools and allowing them to decide what to create with them. Yes, to guiding adventurous teachers down a path of facilitating wonder, creativity and complex thinking. Students also have access to the Bit Space tutorials online. 

https://bitspacechicago.com/camps/

Our theory of change is to make sure our trainees will not go back to their home as they have come. As the training of Bit Space is to make trainees be able to think more (be more thinker) in looking for solution which is to create something and as long as they design, they become more creative after being trained. That means they will be able to Plan, Design and Build it. This come when the Bit Space will teach them to be producers rather than consumers of technology because they have come disappointed and discouraged and knowing nothing but they will become inventors, entrepreneurs and problem solvers, they will be totally transformed by the course and become able to overcome by their thinking. Our beneficiaries after Bit Space training, they will drive a revolution in the society and it will start with the acceptance because it will open them to new tools that they have never used before and allowing them to decide what to create according to the demand of the community or society.

Bit Space will facilitate them wonder, creativity, and complex thinking. That acceptance to charting new territory in the world of Laker across the Globe. 
With the help of Bit Space, Design and Build services, their Maker space will empower them to test the limits of creativity within an environment that provides unlimited potential.

Our solution is currently serving 40 trainees as we are at the beginning of the program. 

In one year, we have to complete four cohorts with 160 girls and young women. That means in five years, we will have 800 students. However we get funds, we hope to expand our program and also branch into other area of Kakuma Refugee Camp and need to reach 2400 students.

Our goals within the next year and within the next five years are to attend at least 2400 students graduated for the training by empowering them with the necessary skills in Bit Space and other software technology skills. These skills will make them more creative problem solvers and support their search for jobs and higher status in their family and community. The ICT program will enable them to be proud and opened to the world of marketable skills which provides them with jobs and income.

With funding, Kakuma Vocational Center plans to expand into other areas of Kakuma Refugee camp and to other refugee camps in the region since there is significant needs to raise the status of refugee women in order reduce discrimination, domestic violence and illiteracy. Training in ICT is in high demand in the camp, but requires a location and technology infrastructure such as internet, devices, software, desks, chairs, and professional trainers.

Currently, we have two barriers: the first is financial since we do not have the funds to achieve all our goals within the targeted population. The second barrier is acquiring the legal documents to validate our status as a recognized organization. Unfortunately, refugees are unable to have their organizations documented by the Kenyan government and this restricts us from getting funding because most funders require that recognition. Therefore, Kakuma Vocational Center depends on individual donors and this makes the expansion of services and programs difficult. In addition, we must purchase most supplies from Nairobi which is very far from the camp. In order to leave the camp, we must apply for a permit that allows us to exit and return. 

If we are successful getting the grant from MIT Solve, we will be able to achieve our goals to add Cyber cafe to the Bit Space program and supply internet to the center to provide a more reliable source of information to the trainees and trainers about the most modern techniques in Bit Space. We can even consider starting the ICT training for the community. By implementing all two programs (Bit Space and ICT) there will be a positive impact in getting more refugee girls and young women the necessary skills to cope with the current situation of illiteracy and discrimination.

We are 7 volunteers who work on the solution and all of us are full-time staff. 

MATABISHI NARUKAKO John: (Chief Executive Officer of Kakuma Vocational Center and Founder). I am diploma holder in Business and Administrative, Graduated in Front End Web Design and App Development and Bit Space course. I have worked with National Council of Church of Kenya as a community worker for 3 years, I have worked as Volunteer at Solidarity Initiative for Refugees as Logistic Officer and General ICT and  Game Design Facilitator at Xavier Project.

• Bienvenue KAWAMIKA: (Financial Officer,) I am Congolese by nationality, completed the Secondary school in Psychology, I did several trainings such as Counseling, and Business management/Business Modal Canivas and Woodworking.
• Isaac KAMAU: (Coordinator) I am Sudanese by Nationality; I have a degree in Building Construction Engineering.
• Consolee MUVUNYI: (Secretary ) I am Rwandese by Nationality. The skills that I have is that I know how to teach and also to give guideline to people basically on life skills and training youths to be self-reliant people in the society;
• Elisha BYAMUNGU Jacques: (Education Officer ) I am Burundian by Nationality. I have done several trainings include computer application.
• Claude KABEMBA MWENEBATENDE: (Counselor ) I am Pastor of Miracle Power Church in Kakuma/Kenya and I have worked with Lutheran World Federation as a teacher;
• Patrick KENZO MATEENE: (Human Resource Officer). I am Congolese by nationality. am a diploma holder in Pedagogy and Graduated in Sociology at the University of Goma/Democratic Republic of Congo and I have worked with Christian Youth Development Organization in Congo as a Operation Officer . 

There is an organization called Lutheran World Federation (LWF) that provided us with leadership training, and other very important partnerships. Kakuma Vocational Center has made a connection with an individual supporter and donor from Kuwait, Dr. Ilene Winokur Alzaid who has been on the side of refugees in Kakuma Refugee Camp. Her support and our partnership has enabled many refugee girls and young women to receive training in the Bit Space skills required to be more creative and problem solver by plan, design and build. With her support and partnership, Kakuma Vocational Center has made her an Honorary member of Kakuma Vocational Center. In the future, we would like to partner with organizations to provide:Training to our teachers of Bit Space in how to be efficient in teaching.

1. Our Value Proposition: We provide a new technology to girls and young women to acquire the best skills that will make them to be more creative, problem solver and fully participate in decision making that matters for their personal growth and the development of their communities and their country at large. 

2.Our Beneficiaries: Our beneficiaries are girls between the ages 13-16 and out of school young women between the age from 17-24 years who parents cannot afford to support their learning 

3. Our Service: We provide Bit space course  to girls and young women for them to be more creative.

4. How do we Provide this Service for our Beneficiaries? We provide this to make them more creative and problem solver and  we will expand to provide ICT training.

5.Why are we providing this service? We are providing this because our beneficiaries deserve the same opportunities as other in the cities and town or those from the wealthy families but because of poverty they are left out, discriminated against and marginalized which causes poverty and domestic violence against them.

The path in financial sustainability is to submit the request to different donors. We depend on the donations and grants that we might receive from donors because the services we give to the beneficiaries are free.

We are applying in order to achieve all our goals, we need a significant amount that will help us to reach more refugee girls and young women in need. As a refugee-led organization, Kakuma Vocational Center has so far relied on donations and support from friends and members in order to provide training to the most vulnerable population that are girls and young women. However, we have a successful model and need to expand to support other program such as ICT training. We also have an idea to provide Cyber cafe to support Bit Space program. Since they cannot afford to pay for their training, we must find a partner that can provide trainees with those funds.

If we are selected by Solve, the funds will enable us to increase the number of our beneficiaries from 40 up to 80 per cohort. The funds will help Kakuma Vocational Center to expand its activities even far beyond Kakuma refugee camp and we will be able to serve other refugees worldwide.

We will implement similar programs in various refugee camps such as Uganda.

Kakuma Vocational Center believes this connection will be an opportunity to discover what others do in the world of business because we will learn more from new partners. As refugees, our organization is limited in terms of funding and business expertise which limits our fundraising capacity. We will make more progress with our programs and be able to serve more refugee girls and young women not only in Kakuma refugee camp but in other camps worldwide. We believe that through media exposure, our solution can be known worldwide and all the efforts that we are doing, though we live in a remote area, can show others the power of individuals to gain skills and become creative. Our work could be known and refugees will be valued in host countries where refugees are considered useless and a financial burden to them.

We are ready to partner with any organization that understands our challenges and is ready to help us overcome those challenges.

We are qualified for the prize because we have responded to all the questions that we have been asked on the project we are running in our organization as the condition to be eligible for that prize or grant. We are also solver team dealing with ‘’ Education for girls and young women’’ by trying to find solution on the problems of our beneficiaries through a project online.

Our team will use efficiently the prize for Innovation in Refugee Inclusion to advance our solution in order to overcome to the need of our beneficiaries according the grant and the duration of the project. And also we understand their problems better than any other organization because we are also refugees and live in the camp and are part of their community.

Our beneficiaries are refugee girls and young women. We think the prize will help us reach more refugees who are vulnerable women and girls. It will help the organization to empower refugee girls and young women in Kakuma refugee camp to improve their standard of education. The technology we are proposing is only possible with funding and is related to the Bit Space program for the girls and young women. 

Girls and young women are part of our target, and we hope to have creative trainees able to make to their own play things. We believe this prize will enable us to serve expand the center's activities to create maker spaces and courses in ICT.