On Friday, 14th January 2011, VVOB Rwanda distributed 114 computers to the Vocational Training Centres (VTCs) in the Southern Province through the Integrated Polytechnical Regional Centre (IPRC) South. On that day, the first of three annual meetings of the VTCs' directors in the Southern Province was held in Muhanga, Gitarama. It was the perfect opportunity to hand over the computers to the training centres.
57 laptops and 57 desktops were donated by Close the Gap. This new equipment will be used for:
- Administrative work in the Vocational Training Centres in the South
- Internet connection for education and research
- Networking between the training centres
- Training for hardware maintenance, refurbishment and recycling
Background information
"About Close the Gap
Close the Gap is an international non-profit organisation, based in Brussels, that actively helps to bridge the digital gap. Their mission is to assist in improving local knowledge and putting local talent to use by offering cost-efficient IT solutions to projects in developing countries.
IPRC South Director and VVOB's Assistant Programme Manager speeches to VTC/TSS directors
The annual meeting on 14th January started at 12h. The IPRC South Director welcomed the VTC/TSS’ directors to their first meeting of the year. He reminded them of the objective of these meetings: to review together what has been accomplished, to exchange good practices, to identify the problems that face VTC/TSS and to search for solutions.
IPRC/S Director expressed dissatisfaction about the absence of reporting from most of the centres and requested to see improvement in the quality and frequency of the reports this year. He outlined the programme of the day and the contribution of Close the Gap.
Demonstration of the laptops and their performance
The laptops resembled metal boxes made out of scraps of recycled beer and food cans, made by artisans in Senegal. Their appearance was not reassuring, until the ICT person demonstrated how they operate. And they are quite fascinating...
They are small, very easy to carry, incredibly strong and easy to use. Their UBUNTU system comprises every major useful programme such as Word processing, spreadsheets, database... They have portals to connect to the Internet and for printers.
Moreover they are inspirational! Motivated trainers and trainees may be inspired to invent tools/machines as they realise that technology does not need to be overbearing and out of reach. It can be simple and sophisticated at the same time."
Done in Kigali on 26th January 2011
Suzana Mukobwajana Murara,
VVOB Rwanda Assitant Programme Manager
