Community Digital Center
The spread of information technology, communications and global interconnection have great potential to accelerate human progress, close the digital divide and develop knowledge societies.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AGENDA, 2030.
Our project
Provide a computer room for the public secondary school in Xitlhelani and a digital center for the community that contributes to bridging the digital divide for children, but also for adults.
Develop an Internet service owned by the community. We will create a "bottom-up" circular ecosystem in which the community directly participates and retains expenses within the community itself in a form of social entrepreneurship and support for both individual and collective development.
— Joseph Chivanga, professor and Xitlhelani resident
VILLAGE VOICES
“The COVID-19 outbreak has further demonstrated the need for computer literacy and access especially to marginalized African communities.”
Ensure network stability
y affordable internet
for all
improve connectivity,
access to computers and
ICT knowledge
Make tasks easier
research,
apply to universities,
look for jobs or expand your skills
via la technology
of the information
and communication (ICT)
Develop
in infrastructure
educational and technological
Reduce
the gap
digital
The solution to a real problem
My name is Joshua Chauke, I am 21 years old. I was born in Malamulele and grew up in an informal settlement called Rhulani. Due to the harsh living conditions, my family and I moved to Xitlhelani village. I started at Xitlhelani Primary School, then Langutani Primary School and enrolled at Malamulele Secondary School in 2017. I am currently doing my third year of Geology at Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria.
In January 2018, I went to Pretoria to look for a university where I could continue my studies. I was with mixed feelings. I really didn't know how to feel as I had to leave my family and go on a new journey, but with the support that my friends Paiva and Maneka showed me, I became stronger. I was accepted to Tshwane University of Technology, and got a scholarship! It was a dream come true! The Amandla family was also there to support me, and they filled the void in every way.
The trip became difficult in Pretoria when I had to learn and do tasks with no experience in technology (computers). For the first 6 months, the struggle was real as we were doing assignments and presentations that I had to prepare without a computer or the knowledge to work with it. It's hard to learn something when you're in that situation, the pressure and depression also (starting to kick in) were taking a toll. It was sad that I had to be there, but I couldn't just sit back and do nothing to help myself when my life and career were at stake.
I had to use my food grant to pay someone to help me write my homework because the computer room was always full, and I didn't know how to do it myself. It's better to do your own stuff because you won't be blaming anyone, so in my case, I have to blame the person who writes my assignments sometimes when I don't perform well, and make typos.
In the second semester of 2018, I did computer skills, and I passed it with distinction. As I speak today, I can perfectly use a computer. I am proud of this project that I am working on as it will help pave the way for the children of the village not to experience what I experienced.