A computer science classroom for children in Amosima

Dear friends and supporters,
We want you to imagine for a moment what your life would look like if you didn’t know how to use a computer. Think of the last time you went job hunting, for example. Could you have done it without writing up a CV in a word processor, printing references, or sending emails? Do you own a business? How would you handle all your clients’ information without the help of spreadsheets and databases? Think also of all the services that are available online these days: doctor’s appointments from home without the need to sit for hours in crowded waiting rooms when you should be resting in bed. Or having your ID renewed via an online form instead of running to your city’s registration office with a briefcase full of documents. Whether we like it or not, life has become impossible without access to computers. And if it isn’t yet, it will definitely be in the future as digitization is a trend that can hardly be stopped. That is exactly why we need to properly educate our children in computer science, so that they won’t be stranded on an island of digital illiteracy amidst a raging ocean of technological progress all around them.

Ghana is far behind in teaching its children these crucial skills. There are classes for computer science, yes, but since most schools lack money to buy actual computer equipment, these classes are almost exclusively taught from books. What an absurd situation! Would you let a doctor do surgery on your heart if they were taught only from books? Of course not! How is one even supposed to learn typing on a keyboard without ever touching one? How can one keep up with software updates with a book that’s been written five years ago? Computer science is a practical subject and it should be taught as such.

Similar to many schools in Ghana, this is what computer science classes currently look like in Amosima.

With your help, this empty room could soon be a fully-equipped computer science classroom.

Their education in school will have a great influence on their success in life later.

For that reason, we, the WE BUILD AFRICA ORGANIZATION, are starting a new fundraising campaign. Together with our volunteer helpers in Ghana, our partner school in Amosima, and our international friends and supporters, we aim to collect money to provide the 378 students of the Amosima Catholic School with a proper computer science classroom. A teacher and an empty classroom are already available and waiting for the proper equipment to start the monumental task of leading Ghana’s youth into the digital age.

The classes will be tailored towards realistic demands on the current job market in Ghana. Apart from basic hardware and software skills, the children will become confident using word processing software and spreadsheets. Employees with computer skills are highly sought after by employers in Ghana. It would give the children of Amosima a chance to escape the devastating poverty that many of them come from.

To realise our vision, we need about 4500 $ to buy at least 15 computers plus equipment. While 30 sets would be preferable to allow classes running smoothly, 15 would just be enough to offer classes at all. As computer equipment is hard to come by on the countryside, we will be buying refurbished devices in the city. Buying second-hand equipment is not only better for the environment, but also allows us to make the most out of every dollar donated to this project. To make sure that the school can maintain the equipment and afford to buy spare parts to repair or replace broken devices, it will rent out the classroom to the public after classes. Think of it as the school running an Internet café for the rest of the rural community of Amosima, extending the benefits of the computer classroom even beyond the school only.

Once we reach our donation goal, it won’t take more than two weeks to buy and set up the equipment, meaning the sooner we reach our goal, the sooner we can start offering classes to students. This project is immensely important to us and the people of Amosima. For a while we have been restricted by a lack of funding to short-term relief projects like “Breakfast for Schoolchildren” or our recent clothing donation. While these projects did address pressing issues of the people in Ghana, they have to be sustained by continuous donations. If there were no donations, we could not offer services. This project, however, could get the stone rolling towards sustainable long-term progress. That is why we would like to humbly ask for your donation that would help us to change the future of the children in Amosima.

Sincerely,

Kwame Ato Asiedu
Chairman of WE BUILD AFRICA ORGANIZATION