One Vulnerable Child, One Computer

There has always been the learning gap and decrease in individualized learning. This distance has been magnified by the Anglophone crisis in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon, which put a pause on the educational sector. This made students and pupils to be out of school for 5 years and still counting. Those who have returned to school in safe zones, don’t have access to individualized learning especially as ICT, Computerised Accounting, Secretaryship, Computer science, and the list continues are concern. Many have never set their eyes on a computer physically, not to talk of touching one. Schools which have re-opened their doors are afraid of installing and equipping computer labs. These computers in the labs can either be stolen or burnt down, considering the level of insecurity and uncertainty, not to talk of the spontaneous ghost towns (days of no movement). Practical sessions of such disciplines are not held, in cases where they are held, it is 1 Computer for about twenty students. How well can these studies be carried out under such precarious conditions? In addition, the crisis has brought untold socio-economic hardship on parents, making it extremely difficult or near impossible to afford a laptop for their children. Those who are privilege a bit to have are university students. How then are the students to study to become global citizens with this asset? How is it possible that a student in Form Five has never had the privilege of working on a computer? During the two weeks or three weeks of ghost towns, how can the students continue their learning process? How can they meet up with national and international standards? What if each of these students has access to a laptop, will that not improve on their learning and bridge that learning gap?  Is it not going to create that individualized learning?

To solve this problem, we believe the distribution of low cost laptops to the most vulnerable students in the restive North West and South West Regions of the Cameroon will go a long way to create a scenario of individualized learning, even during lockdowns. Our target is 500 students a year for 500 hundred computers, meeting a long term objective of one child one computer. This distribution will concern community schools and lay private institutions which play host to many internally displaced persons (IDP).  This will improve on the quality of education received, make the students global citizens, encourage other school dropouts to return to school and in the long run achieve some of the UN development goals; right to education, no poverty, gender equality and even sustainable consumption.

The solution targets internally displaced students and school dropouts as a result of the on-going socio-political upheaval in Cameroon. Our plot will take place in Santa subdivision (North West Region), before expanding to other parts of the restive North West and South West Regions. We are looking at the most vulnerable and underserved children of age 9 – 20 attending secondary education, whose education had been impeded by the Anglophone crisis. They will have access to individualized learning, bridging the learning gap between them and their counterparts in developed nations. This help to eliminate discrimination as they will become global citizens. It will facilitate the teaching learning process and improve on the quality of education received by students.

Our entire team is made up persons from the local communities, not only do we know the terrain, we have lived the crisis and the untold hardship that it has brought on us. Parents in the North West Region are in dire need for the educational insertion and re-insertion of their children. The urge to make their children become global citizens with the ICT tools is part of their dream since many of them intend the children to further students abroad. From need assessment from the survey we carried, after tuition, the next challenge for parents is text books and then computers for the children to carry out individualized training and development. Computers have become outstanding, at the role it plays in the case of research so long as the right software are installed. Most of the parents are even eager to pay a minimal amount to access the computers. This is justified as most parents send their children for computer classes during holidays for a more or semi individualized learning. 

Our main barrier is to have access to the low cost laptops for distribution and meet our objective of 500 laptops every year. Also, enrolling in their online program, we intend improve on our skills and competencies. The inaccessibility to computers and individualised learning has been aggravated by the ongoing Anglophone crisis.

Bridging the learning gap, increasing individualized learning. This distance has been magnified by the Anglophone crisis in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon, which put a pause on the educational sector. This made students and pupils to be out of school for 5 years and still counting. Those who have returned to school in safe zones, don’t have access to individualized learning especially as ICT, Computerised Accounting, Secretaryship, Computer science, and the list continues are concern. Many have never set their eyes on a computer physically, not to talk of touching one. Schools which have re-opened their doors are afraid of installing and equipping computer labs. These computers in the labs can either be stolen or burnt down, considering the level of insecurity and uncertainty, not to talk of the spontaneous ghost towns (days of no movement). Practical sessions of such disciplines are not held, in cases where they are held, it is 1 Computer for about twenty students. How well can these studies be carried out under such precarious conditions? In addition, the crisis has brought untold socio-economic hardship on parents, making it extremely difficult or near impossible to afford a laptop for their children. Those who are privilege a bit to have are university students. How then are the students to study to become global citizens with this asset? How is it possible that a student in Form Five has never had the privilege of working on a computer? During the two weeks or three weeks of ghost towns, how can the students continue their learning process? How can they meet up with national and international standards? What if each of these students has access to a laptop, will that not improve on their learning and bridge that learning gap?  Is it not going to create that individualized learning?

To solve this problem, we believe the distribution of low cost laptops to the most vulnerable students in the restive North West and South West Regions of the Cameroon will go a long way to create a scenario of individualized learning, even during lockdowns. Our target is 500 students a year for 500 hundred computers, meeting a long term objective of 'one child one computer'. This distribution will concern community schools and lay private institutions which play host to many internally displaced persons (IDP).  This will improve on the quality of education received, make the students global citizens, encourage other school dropouts to return to school and in the long run achieve some of the UN development goals; right to education, no poverty, gender equality and even sustainable comsumption.

The number of students returning to school, the number of students having access to personal computers, students’ performance in school as a result of the personal computers, students’ accessing information and communication tools.

From our findings, the first thing we discovered was that, after the reception of computers, beneficiary students improved academically on their studies especially in Computer Science, and Information and Communication Tools (ICT) disciplines. Since we install we installed an educational software in the computers (Encarta) they are equally using it for offline studies in other disciplines which has led to a general improvement in their studies. The psychological perspective of the feeling of belonging cannot be underestimated as possessing a personal computer is a privilege and thereby increase in self-esteem and confidence. 

The core technology needed is Personal computers with educative programs installed. We prefer low cost computers, which might be refurbished or new.

During the recruitment and selection process, we consider the gender perspective in order not to be gender biased, plurality of education background and experience, and heterogeneity in professional training.

We intervene in areas where we find most need and intervene according to our resources. We auto generate our income as well as seeking funding for our projects.

To ensure financial stability, we intend to carry out fund raisers, one of which we are planning is a book launch which is geared towards the realisation of this project and achieving financial stability. we equally intend seeking funding for the project, and also engage in income generating activities. One of which is a printing facility we intend to establish by the end of 2023, which be a pivot for the generation of income for the project.

So far we have done more of fund raisers, through book launch, and personal donations. We have had funding for one of our projects from DEH (Development for Humanity).  They made a grant of $10,00. We have had smaller amounts from individuals which are not worth mentioning here.