Charity moves in on SA schools

By Leon Engelbrecht, ITWeb senior writer

Johannesburg, 14 Aug 2007

Digital Links International (DLI), Europe's largest charity providing computers to African schools, has opened a South African office.

"Digital Links has already provided computers for a quarter of all secondary school pupils in Kenya and we look forward to working with organisations in SA to bring the same benefits to students here," says DLI chairman Sir Paul Judge.

"Information technology transforms teaching and learning, and opens up a whole new world of opportunities, often for the most disadvantaged."

In the past four years, DLI has provided 1.5 million people with their first experience of technology in 22 African countries. The charity also invests in solar and wireless technologies that make connectivity possible in rural areas.

DLI has been active in SA for some time and already runs 20 projects in Limpopo, 19 in schools around Giyani and another in Thabazimbi.

Further projects are also under consideration with Johnnic's Learning Channel, MTN, Ma Afrika Tikkun, Microsoft, EDS and in Lesotho with the Sentebale Trust, established by Britain's Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso.

"SA is an excellent base to build and manage our projects and develop partnerships with local organisations to ensure the work we do has maximum impact," says Kerryn Krige, who heads up the new office in Johannesburg. She adds that DLI now has partnerships in place that allow it to offer computers for as little as S$3 (about R21) per beneficiary.

Local envy

"There is no doubt that computers have transformed our environment. Other surrounding schools look to us and our successes with envy," says Finn Mazibuko, a teacher at Hivuyeriwile High School, in Limpopo. "I see the change in pupils - in their confidence as their literacy, their comprehension and numeracy improves. The power of technology cannot be underestimated in isolated environments like ours."

Loaded with offline encyclopaedias and e-books, DLI computers give both pupils and teachers instant access to reference libraries. Curriculum software allows pupils to learn interactively and at their own pace and teachers to set assessments and improve their subject knowledge.

In SA, where many pupils do not have enough textbooks and teachers are not always fully qualified, the impact of technology is particularly significant.

Judge says if each company with 500 employees or more donated R8 000 to build a computer laboratory at a school, the education landscape would swiftly transform. Such a company's employees will between them have at least 800 children at school in any case, meaning a nominal cost of R16 per staff member.

This would initiate a technology revolution that will tackle literacy, learning methods and teacher education while developing cultures of entrepreneurship and opportunity, says Krige. "This is an ideal way for South African business to get involved in delivering community projects."