[OLPC_Boston] Kenya Tech Institute with OLPC

[Michael Hsu]

Dear OLPC Boston,

My name is Michael Hsu and I am at the Kennedy School. I have met some of
your group at the MIT Museum but regretfully due to finals, was not able to
meet with more of you.

I am writing to inform you that my Professor, Calestous Juma, on the OLPC
board, has a project in Western Kenya. My understanding is that it will not
be completely OLPC but this may be an excellent way to compare the OLPC in a
development setting against traditional PC's.

Obviously, funding is crucial and any assistance on this end would be
appreciated, so please consider and spread the word for those who can
donate. Additionally, the project intends to organize a group of 10
volunteers to go to Kenya for four weeks from July 10th until August 7th.
Details below...

http://207.56.85.76/Kenya-Osogo
(personal note: I went on 3 trips to Kenya and the entrepreneurial spirit
among the people I met is truly inspirational)
Bold Tech Vision for Western Kenya Submitted by tanderson on Fri, 12/12/2008
- 8:00pm.
[image: Kenya-Institute.jpg] <http://207.56.85.76/node/312>

*Harvard Professor plans innovative tech Institute in Kenya.   4 week tech
volunteer trip planned.   *International development expert develops model
media lab for community of 60,000 people in Western Kenya where he was born.

Calestous Juma is Professor of the Practice of International Development and
the Director of the Science, Technology and Innovation Program at the
Harvard Kennedy School.  He volunteers as a member of the International
Advisory Council of World Computer Exchange (WCE).

Recently, Professor Juma took the lead with WCE to help get more schools in
the Western Province of Kenya connected to the Internet. He is helping to
plan a shipment of 200 donated used computers from WCE to connect seven high
schools in Port Victoria in Budalang'i Division where he was born and
raised. These schools have about 4,000 students. The community has 60,000
people who will also be invited to use this new tech resource.  Dr. Juma has
asked WCE to include a copy of the 11-million page eGranary Digital Library
that was developed by the University of Iowa.

The John Osogo school will serve as a focal point for One Laptop per Child
on whose foundation board Dr. Juma serves. In addition, it will help to
distribute other educational technologies, scientific equipment and books.

Dr. Juma said, "I enjoy working with WCE. Together, we are planning to bring
a team of volunteers from the U.S. and other countries to help our local
volunteers in Kenya redevelop the John Osogo secondary school into a
technology resource for students in nearby schools. - and for the community.
The John Osogo school is especially important to me because I studied there
as a child, long before continuing my education in Britain and long before I
started teaching at Harvard and other universities. I was taught there by a
Peace Corps Volunteer."

Last year, his former teacher and Dr. Juma arranged for some computers from
WCE to be placed at this school. Something amazing happened there. With
almost no supporting program, two students taught themselves and came in 5th
on project design and presentation in a national science competition.

Professor Juma is now contacting his friends and colleagues to explore if
they might be willing to join him in financially Sponsoring part of the
$22,330 for content materials, sourcing the computers and the logistical and
shipping costs needed to make this happen. Dr. Juma said, "I hope they will
help to develop "my" Victoria Institute of Science, Technology and
Innovation. As part of this, the seven participating schools will match each
donation with funds raised from parents, schools, local government, Rotary
Clubs and local companies." Their match is a key ingredient in showing the
priority they place on their children receiving these computers and ensuring
a strong sense of local ownership.

John Ouko is principal of the John Osogo school.  He said, "The main
objective here is to build a strong technological network as the basis for
community development in Budalang'i Division. The ultimate goal is to
establish the Victoria Institute of Science, Technology and Innovation in
the area, which will service technology-driven development in the entire
Lake Victoria Basin bestriding Kenya Uganda and Tanzania. This Institute
will link schools, institutions of higher learning, research institutes,
industry, government and communities in a unique development-focused web
powered by information technology, research and innovation. We are now
putting in place the building blocks for transforming the region into an IT
hub, starting with IT Labs at John Osogo Secondary School and a Community
Information Center nearby."  John Osogo school will serve as a pilot model
school in IT learning and research for high school students and teachers.
Running concurrently with this will be a Community Information Center - a
modern resource providing library services, Internet access,
mobile/satellite telephony, information and research services. The John
Osogo IT Lab and the Community Information Center will collaborate in
providing outreach services for community development.

Gary Hansen, Professor & Associate Dean, Technology Management Program,
University of California, Santa Barbara stated "We are delighted to be a
lead university collaboration with students from Education, Computer
Engineering, Psychology, Global & International Studies ready to
participate. "

The long-term vision is for this to evolve into a college and a university
offering experiential education.

WCE has been planning on having an eCorps tech team visit Kenya during
July.  Dr. Juma and John Ouko have requested that 2 of the team work for a
month in Port Victoria and stay at the Institute that is right on the shore
of Lake Victoria.  There is a picture of the Institute and information about
it at their WEBSITE <http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Victoria-Institute/>
.

 Prior brief I*mplementation
Plan*<http://www.worldcomputerexchange.org/old/partner_plans/Kenya-Osogo-Plan.doc>
.

The average annual income in Kenya is $1,700 and about 7% of the people are
currently using the Internet.

eCorp trip planned. After the container arrives, we plan to recruit 10 tech
volunteers for a two-week trip to Kenya.  If you are interested in staying a
bit longer and helping for 4 weeks in Kenya please contact:
Kenya at WorldComputerExchange.org <http://Kenya@worldcomputerexchange.org/>
We will ask that you complete our eCorps
Application.<http://www.worldcomputerexchange.org/files/Application-eCorps.doc>
The visit is scheduled to depart for Kenya from various countries on the
10th of July and the 2 for Port Victoria will stay 4 weeks until the 7th of
August.  Lodging will be provided in the building in the above picture.  You
will pay directly for your meals, medical & evacuation insurance,
vacinations, and visa.  Your donation will cover your flight cost and a $400
administrative fee for World Computer Exchange.  We can arrange the flight,
but the cost will be different depending on from which country each eCorps
volunteer travels.
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