A Day At SDV

Each day at SDV is different to the previous and often it is hard to predict what the next day will bring.

We are also constantly evolving and there are incremental changes almost on a daily basis.

But, to give an idea of what a day at SDV might be like, here are some patterns that we have noticed.

Mornings

Mornings are quiet and peaceful. It is a good time for someone, including the volunteers, to get some alone time with a computer.

Up front, Derick, a student/volunteer, is training a teacher from one of the nearby schools. In the rear, Sam, a volunteer, is exploring an application. And in the middle, is Carol, a regular face at SDV. She is a dedicated student and has been learning at a fast pace. We are hoping to recruit her as a volunteer in the near future.

On weekend mornings, even the children enjoy exploring unhurried. (Our doors are open seven days a week.) The above picture was taken last Sunday morning, around ten.

Afternoons

By afternoon, the pace quickens considerably. Much knowledge sharing happens, between trainers and trainees, and also between trainees.

Here, Ben, an SDV student/volunteer, is lending a helping hand to two new students who are getting their first introduction to computers. (They are both nurses-in-training.)

And as children go home from school, they drop in at SDV. They gather in groups around a computer and take turns drawing, typing and teaching each other, as is happening in the background.

Evenings

By evening, the place is positively buzzing. On some evenings, we kick it up a notch, by throwing some entertainment in while the learning, exploring and sharing continues. We hook up the projector, the speaker and a laptop together and play mostly Ugandan music videos (Paul Kafeero is a clear favourite).

There can easily be over fifty people, young and old, spilling out the doors. It is during such hours that we feel that we have the coolest joint around.

Exceptions

There are of course many exceptions to these patterns.

Life at SDV is quite different when there is an extended electricity outage. We scale down our activities considerably - there is certainly no music or videos, but the self-learning and exploring is kept to a minimum also. We try to focus mainly on formal training. And on occassion we close our doors and go to the Friday market, for example.

In a couple of weeks, the schools are closing for vacation, and we are bracing ourselves for what might come our way.