Providing Digital Aid for Remote Schools

The are many educational institutions around Papua New Guinea that still lacks access to basic ICT knowledge.  Throughout parts of PNG, remote schools still find it very challenging when it comes to the use of ICT such as the access to mobile communications, computers, internet and/or television services.  All of these happened as a result of the complex geographical make-up of the country which made it hard for these services to get there.  Governments have tried hard but still there are more areas yet to access and experience these ICT services.

Over the years, those have prompted us to come up with small ways that would contribute to help reducing some of these problems.  My team (My family) and I started focusing on providing access to digital knowledge and introduced the idea of donating computers and learning materials such as reading books to schools in our local area. 

Our initiatives started in 2011, when we saw the need to support and encourage children in the village to pursue education and study hard to go to higher institutions.  For some unknown reasons, the school doesn’t normally have a lot of children in the village go to higher institutions so we decided to provide support using available resources to help the school and encourage the students to study hard. 

Throughout the year (2011), we collected books from bookshops as well as from friends to donate to the Local Schools.  Our first donations went to Bukawa Primary School in Nawaeb District, Morobe Province. 

During the presentation of the reading books, I pledge to donate a computer set for the school which they could place in their Resource Center.  I reminded both staff and students to flow with the rapid technological changes which were brought in by technological interventions.  With my long-term vision in mind to connect these remote schools with a system in town, I reminded them to utilize ICT for the advancement of their knowledge.  I also assured them of any technical assistance and advice which I would give when need arises.
 

Donation of PC to Bukawa Primary School Board, 2012

Installation of PC before delivering

The following year in December 13 of 2013, we again donated another computer to Taimi Primary School in Nawaeb District of Morobe Province.  This school (Taimi) is a few hours ride away from Bukawa Primary School.  The head of the school organized our transport so we took the computer and accessories over to them on a dinghy.  Because the school was already on break, the school committee organized with the village elders for us to do the presentation in the heart of the village using one of their meeting houses.  Everyone was very happy to witness this presentation since it was the first of a kind donation done to support ICT in the school.

Short speech given with a live demonstration of using Fruity Loops PE Vr. 11.

I had to unpack the computer before officially handing it over to the School board to confirm to them that the computer is working during the time of delivery.  With help from some village youths, they set up a generator and in less time the computer booted.  I was asked further by some youths to demonstrate the use of computer in music creation and luckily, I had fruity loops installed so I demonstrated a bit on using fruity loops to create music.  I also advised everyone that the computer is more that what they see.  It comprises of a complete e-Learning environment containing all relevant materials the students would want to use such as encyclopaedia, dictionary and other video tutorials to help them out. 

Presenting the PC to Taimi's school board, 2013

After almost an hour of demonstrating the use of various digital media and e-learning aids, I presented the computer to the school board and assured them that there'll be more support coming if they look after the initial donation.  I summed it up by giving them my vision of having all the remote schools in my local district (along the coast) connected to a central system which I intend to set up in future that will help students in remote places gain vital knowledge to help them excel in their studies.  I even showed them to use an internet dongle to connect to the internet after I got a request from their headmaster to do so.  It was fun demonstrating and everyone was very happy.    They gave us few presents (traditional mats/ instruments/ beads) as well as organizing food for us to eat and we later departed for home the same afternoon.

Extending Digital Training to GFX Lae

I went for my break last December (2013) and heard various positive comments regarding the previous training we had for Graphic Designers in Lae, Morobe Province at the Unitech ADOC Center.  Words went out that an enrichment training session was conducted in December 2012 so interested participants who missed out on the previous session in 2012 asked whether we were going to have another training again however, because I had to attend a cultural event at home, the time couldn't allow me to conduct another one that Christmas.

Fortunately, for those attending the session in 2012, we had 3-days of interactive training with full number of participants who made use of every computer, thanks to the Unitech ADOC Center for allowing us to use their lab.

We had a group on Facebook called PNG-GFX DeSigners which have over 100 registered members who share and propose new ideas and also get support from each other.  Most of the time, members in Port Moresby were fortunate to attend contact classes however those in Lae and other parts of PNG were unfortunate so the members in Lae decided to form numbers and propose for a training to be held that Christmas in Lae.   Because I was going home for break, I decided to step-in to share some of what I know with these members.  We had some members who came directly from Madang to attend the 3-day session.

Apart of responding to the request made by GFX Members in Lae, I also had that conviction of helping the up and coming designers especially in the field of graphic design and multimedia design acquire quick tips and tricks in various computer application. 

The other group of people who joined us during the training were the youths from Bukawa village.  The intention of involving these youths was to help them have a feel of computing and also introduce them to the ADOC Center at Unitech so they can come in anytime when they organize themselves.   

Further to this training, I personally donated a computer on behalf of my firm ArTech to the recourse center of the primary school where the 4 youths came from (Bukawa Primary School).  It was anticipated that upon learning to use a computer from this short interactive training, they could go back and use the donated computer at the primary school.  I also gave the 4 free “training DVDs for the beginners” which I created earlier for them to use when they return home to use the computer donated to the resource Centre at the primary school.  There is also an ADOC Centre in the nation’s capital Port Moresby which I coordinate so I had to organise with our Centre in Lae to use the facilities.