Welcoming 2008

Happy New Year from Youth for Technology Foundation (YTF).

Thank you for partnering with us in our efforts to become one of the most impactful organizations in the world.

The Night Before Christmas

Christmas in Sironko is full of festivities, lots of cooking and eating and a variety of community celebrations. Many travel to the main city to see an abundance of fire works displays. Matooke (a green plantain dish)is often prepared as part of the menu.

Wishing our Uganda team in Sironko a Merry Christmas and a wonderful start to 2008.

Mazalibwa!

Meet Charles – The Man Behind SDV

Charles grew up close to where SDV stands today. He attended primary and secondary schools in Sironko, Mbale and Tororo districts before heading off to Kampala. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Computer Science, from Makerere University, in 2005.

In February 2005, Charles got an opportunity to share his knowledge as a United Nations Information Technology Service (UNITeS) Volunteer in Nigeria. He worked at the Owerri Digital Village set up by the Youth for Technology Foundation (YTF).

As mentioned in the very first post of this blog, Charles came back to Uganda to eventually found a community computer center in Sironko – what we all now know as SDV.

Charles, you grew up in Buhugu. Tell us about life there?
The biggest number of people in Buhugu are small scale farmers. They grow mainly annual food crops like Bananas (plantains), beans, maize and vegetables. The main source of income for people in Buhugu is the sale of these food crops. Of late, production has been low due to changes in weather and crop diseases.

There is limited access to quality education in Buhugu. Most young people drop out of school before they complete their secondary education. This is partly attributed to the level of poverty in Buhugu with most parents unable to support their children's education.

Given the high level of unemployment in the country, even those who have acquired some education find it extremely hard to get jobs and are forced to stay at home and resort to small scale farming. The lucky ones find employment in places away from their homes. This inevitable brain drain in the community, I think, is another reason for under development.

So, how would you define development?
The first measure of success and development in a society is whether members of that society have consistent and self sustainable source of income. Other measures can follow once this is achieved.

How did you get the idea to start SDV?
I have always believed in giving back to the community and making a difference by changing people’s lives and helping them realize their potential. This is in line with my definition of success in the community.

During my secondary education, Buhugu community supported me with a bursary after I had emerged the best pupil in Buhugu subcounty in the Primary Leaving Examinations.

So, after returning from my UNITeS assignment in Nigeria, it was the ideal time for me to give back to the community by introducing Information Technology learning.
I contacted Youth for Technology Foundation for partnership and also consulted with the community members about my dream for the community. The Buhugu community welcomed the idea and offered a big community building as their contribution towards the achievement of this dream.

Today, Sironko Digital Village is what it is because of the priceless support from the community members and the volunteers who have been and are still on the ground.

What do you think about what has happened so far at SDV?
SDV has made considerable progress and I can proudly say that we have done great work considering the fact that the project is not yet a year old. We have big achievements such as being one of the recipients of the United Nations Online Volunteering Team of the year 2007 Award.

The dedication and commitment of the team of Volunteers at SDV is immeasurable. We are hopeful and confident that the project will yield more results in the community by positively changing lives of the youth.

What do you see when you think about the future of SDV ?
We intend to introduce a variety of activities at SDV which we will share with everyone as we start offering them. But, it is ICT training and giving the trainees an opportunity to train others that constitute our major activities.

I see the future of SDV as a ‘Learning Centre’. We also want to explore ways to be self sustainable and even provide employment opportunities to those who excel.

What have been some of the challenges at SDV
The biggest challenge at SDV is power. Electricity in Sironko is on and off and it is only for a limited time that we can use the laptop batteries as a backup. Solar panels could help solve the problem, or even a good quality generator would be helpful.

Communication with volunteers both onsite and online has been and is still expensive but I believe this can be partially solved once we get an Internet connection.

What Lessons have you learnt being the founder of SDV?
All dreams can be turned into reality with hard work, patience, determination, dedication, positive thinking and with the right people around you.

What do you enjoy doing, generally?
I enjoy working with people who are honest and trustworthy.

For fun, I do many things as long as I am in the right company. I prefer team fun to individual fun. Picnics, House parties and Sports events are typical of my best moments.

What is life like being a young educated person in Uganda ?
Being an educated person in Uganda, especially from a humble community, attracts a lot of dependency from relatives, friends and the community and as such one has to think out of the box to bring self sustainability and independence to the community.

A word to the team at SDV
I want to thank the all Volunteers who are onsite at SDV, the community members, Sri, Oliver and Njideka and other international volunteers, especially Naveen, Peter, Kate and Tristan for making Sironko Digital Village dream a reality.

You are the right people around me that I talk about. Your continued sacrifices and commitment will lead SDV to its destination.

Thanks for being part of SDV.

Have a question or comment for Charles?
You can reach him by email at galusha4u [at] yahoo [dot] com

YTF's Sironko Digital Village Team Selected as "Outstanding Volunteer Team"

December 5, 2007 - The United Nations Volunteers Online Volunteering service today announced the winners of the “Online Volunteering Team of the Year Award”.

The purpose of this annual award is to recognize the contributions of online volunteers to human development, to demonstrate how development organizations can strengthen their activities through effective online collaboration with volunteers, and to showcase the diversity in which online volunteers can support development organizations.

Youth for Technology Foundation's Sironko Digital Village team was recognized as a recipient of this year's award. To learn more about the YTF online volunteer team, visit the UNV website.

YTF recognizes our online volunteer team for donating their time and talent to YTF's work in Uganda; Jaime Chapman, Danielle Brunin, Oliver Smith, Katy Weprin, Anja Lohrer, Wendy Lowis and Charles Galusha (onsite in Uganda). We also are grateful to a host of other online and onsite volunteers who have partnered with us to make this vision a reality.

In a future entry, we will be profiling one of our online volunteers and details of their involvement in our work.

Aunty Nombozo

Once in a while aunty Nombozo comes to the Sironko Digital Village. She is assumed to be in her early 70's. She was one of the first elders to visit SDV in its early stages, to see the project her nephew Charles had brought to Buhugu community.

Aunty Nombozo has four children all of whom live outside Sironko. She has responsibility for several of her grandchildren living with her, while their parents try to make a "way" in the nearby town, Mbale. She is a peasant and grows maize and beans.


Our photograph of aunty Nombozo was a finalist in the 2007 Development Gateway (DG) photo award. To us, aunty Nombozo, and many other individuals we serve, are a representation of real development in our efforts to bridge the digital canyon.

More information on the DG award can be found at http://dgfoundation.org.

Transitions

Over the months, we have received much positive feedback and support from so many of you who have been following our journey through this blog.

Sri, who has authored the blog so far, is leaving the SDV project to partner with the Buhugu community in general.

Starting with the previous post, this blog will now be authored by other members of the team.

Thank you for being part of the journey so far, for it has given us much encouragement. And we hope you continue to read stories we will be sharing from Sironko as this journey continues.

First Team e-Meeting..

Last Saturday, November 3rd, team members at YTF's Sironko Digital Village (Uganda) for the first time joined their digital peers at YTF's Owerri Digital Village (Nigeria) for our first ever online team meeting.

For weeks, team members had exchanged emails expressing their excitement about the meeting. Since the establishment of the Sironko Digital Village in June, this was the first synchronous meeting for both teams.

The meeting was scheduled to begin at 10A.M. Uganda time (8A.M. Nigeria)and the teams had been talking about it for weeks. Benneth, Makuo and Maureen were online from Nigeria while Charles, Rogers, Aloysius and Oliver were online from Uganda. That morning, team members in Uganda went to the "Masaba Telekom" Internet cafe to participate in the meeting while team members at the Owerri Digital Village participated from "O'Neb" Internet cafe. The meeting began a little bit later than anticipated due to first a power failure in Uganda and then an offline network in Nigeria. In both countries, YTF team members had to wait in line until a computer became available in the Internet cafe's.

We shared backgrounds, challenges and successes working locally in each country as well as information on programmes and logistics. Teams in both countries expressed their desires to continue to get feedback from the community and continue to design programs that meet their needs.

It was amazing to see that despite all the technological hitches and the logistical challenges, team members were still very excited to learn more about and share best practices from Nigeria and Uganda.

This e-meeting marked the beginning of a new road for YTF. Join us for this exciting journey.

The International Book Mafia

More books have arrived in Kamapala from Belgium. Godfrey, who was returning to Uganda, kindly brought them along with him.

A box of about twenty books, magazines and educational CDs, purchased by friends in the US, have travelled to Nairobi with Sarah. We are working on finding someone who could bring them across the border to Uganda.

A very big thank you to Peter, our book-dealer in Belgium, Naveen and co in the US, and to Godfrey and Sarah for making it possible to get the books closer to Sironko.

You might be wondering if this international operation is all that necessary. Why don't we simply buy books in Uganda, or send the books over by mail?

Well, we also wish it were easier to source books. We haven't figured out a better way to do this though. Books and shipping both tend to be prohibitively expensive.

The one hundred and twenty or so books that are either already at SDV or on their way, have cost SDV nothing.

However, we have visited numerous book shops, both in Kampala and Mbale and did purchase a few locally published books.

And recently, someone in Kampala, expressed support for expanding the library. She rightly pointed out that the focus should be on materials related to the school curriculum given the dearth of textbooks.

And what does this have to do with a "Community Technology Center"? Well, books are a natural extension of our concept of technology. And if we are to be serious about helping young people realise their potential, then we simply cannot ignore the fact that they don't have access to basic educational materials.

PS. That's Alice in the picture paging through a book received from Belgium. She drops in at SDV regularly, and observes with intense curiosity what people get up to on the laptops.

When The Going Gets Tough

It is that part of the journey.

What was new and exciting once is now becoming routine.

The team on the ground is adjusting to doing without two of the core volunteers.

The generator is broke. The shoe-string budget is being stretched even thinner.

Even the future plans, at times, look more grandiose than daring.

But, what journey is without such moments?

Well, as they say, when the going gets tough, the tough gets going.

Meet Rogers

Masiga Geoffrey, known to most of us as Rogers, is another volunteer who has been part of SDV from day one.

An early riser, Rogers jumps out of bed and heads to SDV while some of us are still in the dreamworld - that is if he hasn't already knocked on our doors to wake us up!

He grew up mostly in Buhugu, not far from SDV, and studied Electrical Engineering at Uganda Technical College, Elgon.

Currently, Rogers is in charge of managing SDV and making decisions regarding its daily operation. But, as with most of the core volunteers, his contribution covers just about every aspect of life at SDV, from wiring to teaching.

Rogers, tell us something about yourself.

I'm simple. I like moving. [Laughter.] When I get tired then I'm seated. [Laughter.] I like making friends. I like to analyse problems and make decisions.

You are from Buhugu. What do you like most about this place?

When I talk people listen and take it seriously. I just like that about this community.

Share with us some thoughts on Uganda.

Uganda is a controversial country. [Laughter.] Without working hard and thinking ahead, we cannot get anywhere. There is nothing for free here - you have to work for it.

What are some of the biggest challenges you face living in Uganda?

Poverty and unemployment. I finished the course at the Technical College, yet I'm nowhere.

What hopes do you have for the future?

As a human being, of course I cannot hope for a dark future, but that it may be bright. I have to work hard, but one cannot stand alone. With support from others I hope I will make it.

My family has invested in my education. They should reap the profits out of me - is that not so?

I am now thinking about becoming an IT consultant one day.

What do you think about SDV?

I love coming to SDV. I learn something new everyday. It has made me see what is ahead. It is a foundation and we need to build a strong one. Thank you to all those who have supported it physically and mentally.

What would you like to see people outside of Buhugu do to help SDV?

Please give us courage, encouragement, motivation, support and counsel. The volunteers are working hard, and they need support, especially when things go wrong.

Any comments on your role as an SDV volunteer?

At the moment, I'm working tirelessly. In the future, I hope to help SDV materially.

Tell us about some of your hobbies.

I love music. Ugandan music. Football. As of late, I like learning on the computer. When I wake up, I pray that the current will be there during the day. [Laughter.]

Thank you for all your energy and laughter Rogers. It has made the journey that much lighter and so much more enjoyable.

SDV Goes YouTube

On a whim, a volunteer captures the scene at SDV on a digital camera one morning.

SDV inside out - in under 40 seconds.

Doin' It Legally

Somehow, until now, we have managed to sidestep the red tape. It wasn't because of any cleverness on our part - more like cluelessness.

One day someone pointed out that it would be a good idea to register with the authorities, given that we have young children and youth frequenting SDV. And it made perfect sense.

Alex, a community leader, part-time volunteer at SDV, a regular user of SDV resources and the main liaison between SDV volunteers and the community, took the lead and handled all the necessary paperwork and the registration process.

And last week, SDV was finally registered as a community project with the Sironko district office.

Three Months On

In the tradition of quarterly reports, here's our own, non-traditional look back at the quarter since the launch.

It was just over three months ago that we arrived in Sironko with four laptops, a projector, a large dose of curiosity and no agenda.
Money in the kitty: $0.

Then we talked. To elders, teachers, kids, teens, parents - just about anyone who'd listen.

They told us that they really wanted the computers to stay - we had offered them the choice to say no.

So, we launched, in a building that the community donated.
Money in the kitty (thanks to YTF): $200.

Over the three months, we became more and more part of the community. We slept in the village, ate and drank together, shared laughs, played with the children, travelled squeezed together in the taxis, hung out with those our age, swapped stories, learnt about the hardships and shared in the joy.

And the community became more and more part of us. They came to learn, play and share, they helped paint, mop, varnish, sweep, teach, plan and they gave us suggestions, advice and encouragement.

And together we have been evolving, day by day, slowly losing any assumptions about what technology can or cannot do, what development is or isn't or what a young person in rural Uganda can or cannot achieve.

And we are discovering the awesome possibilities that arise when people come together - simply to explore what is possible.

Total contribution from friends, supporters and YTF spent so far: $1265 (The vast majority going towards laptop shipment, building renovation, the generator and furniture.)
Fees charged: $0 Salaries paid: $0 Overhead costs: $0 Money in the kitty today: $60

We don't know how to even begin quantifying what all of this has achieved. As one of the volunteers who grew up in the village said: "You don't know what is in my heart."

A very big thank you to all of you, scattered around the world, who have and continue to share your ideas, resources and thoughts with us.

Meet Oliver

An IT consultant, Oliver resigned from his job in London, to work as a VSO volunteer in Uganda, consulting for the Ministry of Local Government on ICT and management issues.

He came to know about SDV through the United Nations Online Volunteers portal, where YTF had published some posts seeking help.

The first meeting we had, at a cafe in Kampala, turned into a conversation that stretched for many hours late into the night. It was a crucial time for SDV as we were pondering some serious choices regarding the future direction. And Oliver's input has been invaluable in helping us navigate these unknown waters.

And as mentioned in earlier posts, SDV was lucky to host Oliver for a number of days recently. There were many more discussions and much syphoning of knowledge. Online volunteer is no longer an appropriate title - rather, we think of him as part of the family.

Oliver, how did you come to be in Uganda?

What? Where am I? Uganda you say? How the deuce did I get here?! This question has a LOOOOONG answer and I'm not sure I fully understand it myself. The short answer is - because I could.

What do you think about your life in Uganda?

Wonderful. Simple. Pure. Relaxed. Happy. Completely different to what I had been led to believe.

What was your experience in Sironko like?

Magical. There was a moment, when I first walked into Sironko Digital Village, when the phrase "Bridge the digital divide" suddenly made sense. Equipment normally used only by those wealthy enough to afford it, was being used by those who must grow their own food. As you read this, under-privileged Ugandans, young and old, are learning valuable skills and knowledge that would otherwise be completely out of reach to such a remote, under-resourced part of our world.

But this says nothing about the commitment and responsibility demonstrated by the community and the volunteers. The passion and dedication with which the volunteers go about their jobs gives me a great deal of hope - not just for SDV, but for all of rural Africa. It felt like Sironko has been ready for a project like this forever. They know, better than anyone, the benefits that SDV is bringing and will do everything possible to keep the systems running and the doors open.

Any critical input for SDV?

Nothing more than petty details that would make me sound like my Dad (the floor is dirty, that table's wonky, what's that chicken doing, who's in charge here?).

I have been involved with many 'Charity' organisations in the year I've been here. What is truly unique about SDV is that it is TOTALLY community driven. The foreigners are not calling the shots, they do what they are asked. Sironko will decide what it wants from SDV and this should be preserved at all costs!

Why do you volunteer?

Because it gives me a chance to go places and experience things that one cannot do any other way.

Care to share any impressions of the SDV volunteers on the ground?

If I were Pope, I would make all the current SDV volunteers Saints. What is happening is nothing short of miraculous. Yet the humility with which they work is staggering and their motivation utterly selfless. I have the highest respect for all of them.

How do you hope to be part of the SDV journey going forward?

I want to help build SDV, using blueprints drawn by the community.

Let's get personal.

Something about yourself - I'm difficult
Your background - Used to take things apart and put them back together
Your experiences - People are the same all over the world.
Your likes - Food
Dislikes - Authority
Things or people who inspire you - Music & legends
Memorable moments in your life - Meeting every one of my best friends

... and my favourite colour is blue ...

Oliver, your words give us much encouragement, and having you as part of the team gives us more confidence when looking to the future. We look forward to seeing you again in Sironko, hopefully soon!

Bringing A Computer Back To Life: A Milestone

What happens after the training? Are the skills gained even relevant?

These are some questions that we grapple with. The answers are not simple or readily evident. Though, in exploring these questions some interesting possibilities come into view.

A nursing school, not far from SDV, had a computer that was gathering dust, and they asked us if we could help fix it.

A couple of volunteers at SDV, Aloysius and Rogers, readily took on the task. With guidance from Oliver, a volunteer who was visiting SDV for some days, they diagnosed the problem, found spare parts to replace the faulty ones, and returned a working machine.

It might be a small step, but it was a big moment for us. It was the first time that the knowledge sharing that SDV facilitates, was put into practical use outside of SDV.

"It was a great challenge."
"I'm supposed to solve it, but, how am I supposed to solve it."
"I learnt a lot."
- Aloysius

"I enjoyed it so much."
"I wish there were three more computers that were broken down."
- Rogers

The World On The Wall

One day, we were staring at the large white-washed walls, and someone wondered out loud: "Why don't we paint a map of the world on the wall?".

"Yes, why not?".

We chose a miniature world map in a book as a model, and set to work the very same day.

Over the next month, in our spare time, in what was often a meditative process, we drew the outline of the map with a pencil, then etched it into the wall with a nail and traced it again with a paint brush.

And last week, we added to the map, the countries of friends who have helped and are helping shape SDV.

• Uganda
• Nigeria
• USA
• Sri Lanka
• India
• Pakistan
• Belgium
• England
• Japan

Meet Sam

In our next istallment of the Meet Us series, we would like to introduce you to Sam.

Kisolo Sam is a twenty-two year old SDV volunteer who has been there since the day we received the keys to the building.

He has contributed in every possible way imaginable – from painting, to teaching to helping with planning and decision making regarding SDV and its future.

He is a Developmental Studies major at the Islamic University (all religions welcomed), in the neighbouring Mbale district and has just left us to continue his studies.

"The struggle continues – two more years to go."

Sam, you have lived in Buhugu almost all your life. In fact, your house is just down the path from SDV. What do you like most about this village?

There is a lot of interaction and company from my friends, parents, brothers and sisters. And life is as simple and cheap as it appears.

What do you enjoy doing to pass time?

I like playing and watching soccer and also listening to music. My favourite is country music, hip hop and Ugandan music.

I would also one day like to travel to different parts of the world and find out more.

Why did you choose to volunteer at SDV?

It looked necessary for me to be part of SDV by volunteering because SDV looked a program that had an objective of making the youths realise their potential in a technological world.

So, having been a student at the university and still not knowing much about the computer world, I became the first client of SDV.

And after learning something, I felt like I should also transfer that knowledge to another eager person who is yearning to learn.

What are some of the major challenges you face as a young person from Sironko?

My biggest challenge at the moment is how I will complete my education at the university. Not that I can’t read the books, but the challenge is the financial status, since it is expensive. [Smiles.]

Also, life after school is going to be very hard. The job market is full of many degree holders that are looking for jobs.

So, that is why I have a dream that I may also continue with my studies in IT, having been challenged by those who have prospered in this field.

You will be returning to the university shortly. How will you continue to be part of SDV?

I am studying in Mbale district that has got a lot of access to the whole world through the Internet as compared to Sironko that surely lacks this.

So, I can volunteer by coordinating communication between those at SDV and the volunteers and supporters outside of Uganda.

You are an SDV volunteer, an SDV student and also a community member. What do you think about the future of SDV?

Right form the launch of SDV, the community has had a very positive attitude towards it that it even offered a free building for SDV to carry out its programs.

Consultative meetings have been held over time with the community members to confirm the stand of SDV. An advisory committee has been appointed and all efforts have been put in place to run SDV.

This really shows that SDV will stay for a long time and has a very positive future. I really say thanks to YTF and its coordinators that of all places they chose Sironko.

So, please, whoever is willing, come let us build SDV!

Sam, we wish you all the best in your studies, and we will surely miss you.

Music, Dancing And A Chicken

Last week, SDV saw a number of people come and go. New friends were made and some old ones bid goodbye.

Charles, whose brainchild is SDV, visited from Kampala over the weekend. Oliver travelled from Bushenyi in Western Uganda, and stayed for the better part of the week.

Sam headed back to university and Sri, who came to Sironko for one month and ended up staying for almost three, left for the US.

On Thursday, the usual program at SDV was suspended, and instead we played movies (The Gods Must Be Crazy I and II) and music videos.

And later in the day, in a moving farewell, we said some goodbyes. As per tradition, the occasion included music and dance performed by a group of women, young and old.

(You might have to turn up the volume a bit to hear this clip.)

And the parting gift was a chicken! It was an inspired choice, as some of the volunteers had been rather fixated on the chicken in the villages - such as how there seems to be one in almost all the outdoor photos, not to mention the many that scratch around SDV and sometimes wander in.

What will happen to the chicken? We are not entirely sure yet, but it has become a mascot of sorts for now.

We Asked For Three And Got Five

Yesterday morning, we had the follow up meeting to our previous week's consultative meeting with community leaders, elders and members.

We had requested that the community give SDV the building it currently occupies for three years, rent free, as a contribution from the community to the project.

And instead they have given us five years!

We take this is a clear sign of strong support from the community for SDV. And we feel energised by all this and can now accelerate the plans we have for the longer term future of how SDV can grow and serve the community better.

Four members from the community were also elected during the meeting to serve on an advisory board, which will also contain SDV volunteers.

And, again, we didn't waste this opportunity to introduce a number of those present to the computers.

Shaking Things Up A Bit

A curious thing is happening at SDV.

Secondary school students who attend boarding schools in towns have been returning home for the holidays.

They turn up at SDV and look a little stunned as they watch their village counterparts, and primary school kids, comfortably working away at the laptops.

Any assumption of superiority is seriously challenged, at least for a little while, as they settle down next to an SDV-regular and learn how it is done.

Wet Earth And Bare Feet

The paths leading up to SDV are unpaved and after the rains turn a deep reddish orange. Lined with greenery - grass, trees and crops - it is picturesque, though a little tricky to navigate when wet.

Most people who visit us come bare-footed, especially the children.

And slowly the floors and the white-washed walls inside have been taking on the hue of the outside.

We sweep every morning, and lately we have some self-appointed volunteers eagerly helping us out. (The computers are covered until after the dust has settled.)

And after trying various ways to keep muddy hands and feet away from the walls, we eventually gave in, and bought paint - red-oxide was the colour of choice.

We just finished painting the critical areas yesterday, with a bit of help from some of the culprits to sand paper the walls.

A Meeting Like No Other

Some described it as one of the best and most constructive meeting they had ever attended.

We are yet to come back down to earth after what we experienced on Saturday.

The SDV volunteers mostly listened as others present made a case, sometimes passionately, for why the community should support SDV.

Their appreciation for what we are doing was humbling and touched us deeply.

The meeting ran close to three hours, and was conducted almost entirely in Lugisu. Just about everyone present, young and old, men and women (though mostly men), those who visit SDV regularly and those whom we welcomed for the first time, stood up to share their thoughts and suggestions. And what they shared was often personal and touching.

We will meet again next Saturday, after they have a chance to consult the community widely, and agree on some concrete steps forward. But, that should be mere formality, since we already know that we are here to work together with the community for a long time.

And as you can expect of us by now, we didn't miss the opportunity to introduce the new visitors to our laptops!

We will try to publish a follow up post with some translated quotes from the meeting.

Books from Belgium

There are hardly any books here, including text books. The only source of learning most students have are the notes they copy down at school.

In response to this, we started a humble library. We put out about fifteen books and magazines we had on a table and a hand-written note saying that anyone is welcome to read or borrow a book.

Thus started the first library in the area.

And this week, we received over forty books from friends in Belgium. The collection contains books related to computers, dictionaries, educational and story books for all age groups and magazines.

A very special thank you to Peter for sending the books. Peter has been there to encourage us and ask critical questions, even when SDV was little more than a figment of our imagination.

A big thank you to Astrid and Jo, for carrying the books from Belgium to Uganda. We hope your research trip here will be a great success and we are sure you'll enjoy your stay in Uganda.

Thank you also to Charles and Moses for picking up the books at the Entebbe airport after midnight (thanks to a delayed flight) and for Peter for dropping the books at the Brussels airport at seven in the morning!

Our First Meeting

We launched about two months ago and since then countless number of people have come through the SDV doors to have their first interaction with computers.

And now seems like a good time for us to have a formal meeting with the community leader and elders to discuss the project and its future.

We have sent a letter to around thirty members of the community inviting them to attend the meeting this Saturday morning. Here’s what the letter said:

On behalf of the donors, volunteers and students at SDV, we would like to thank the leaders and elders of the community for their support so far.

We have had a very positive experience here and we are committed to providing access to technology and training, to the entire community, in partnership with the community.

In order to better plan for the future, we would like to meet with you to listen to you, consult you and also answer any questions you might have about SDV or Youth for Technology Foundation (YTF).

We also hope to establish an understanding that will lay the foundation for how SDV will continue to operate and benefit the community.

We value your input and look forward to the discussion.

Signed, SDV Volunteers.

An Anonymous Note of Thanks

We recently discovered a document titled "Thanks" that was saved to one of the laptops. We don't know who the author is, but we appreciate the thoughts and would like to share some of it here also.

This is to pass a word of thanks and appreciation to the efforts of the Youth for Technology Foundation that came up with the SIRONKO DIGTAL VILLAGE that has helped us ... transform.

We are now in position to do a little bit of computer application, [but] we hope for more than that.

Thanks goes to all those who have put in a hand for the smooth running of the project and whoever is volunteering in the training and funding of SDV.

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.

Meet Aloysius

Mazaki Aloysius is one of the core volunteers based at SDV. He is involved with just about every aspect of running SDV, but primarily focuses on managing the training programs and coordinating volunteers and trainees.

He is 25 years old and is a graduate of Makarere University with a degree in Social Sciences.

Aloysius, tell us something about your family.

I am from a family of 6 siblings, and I am the second last born. Most exciting personality in my family is my mum:- she is the reason I’ve achieved some of the things I think I have, for example, education.

Why are you volunteering at SDV?

As a social scientist my profession is about serving people. Working with SDV has given me an opportunity not only to apply my education but a chance to gain experience in the field of Information Technology. Before I completed my first degree, I had always thought of how I was gonna apply what I was studying to benefit somebody out there - SDV is providing an avenue for me to achieve this dream.

What do you think about SDV?

SDV is a reality, I know what it's doing because am practically involved in almost all the programmes. If there is anything that any rural place could crave for in terms of technology, then it should be something similar to this. Within less than two months of its inception, you can already see the impact it has had on the community. I think SDV is a dream come true for a rural place like Buhugu.

What are some of the most enjoyable moments in your life?

Spending time together with rest of my family especially in festive season and spending time with genuine friends.

What kind of music do you like?

Ugandan music and American Rhythm and Blues.

Can you tell us about a challenge you face as a young, educated person in Uganda?

I realize that even after “finishing” school, I still have to depend on my parents (mum) and brothers for so many things (especially financially).

The prospect of furthering my education is not yet confirmed, although pending. Attaining a Masters degree in the field of Information Technology is my dream, as this would help widen my choices.

The job market is flooded with many first degree holders.

But, at the moment, am comfortable volunteering at SDV.

What else can you share about yourself?

I am a jolly person, outgoing, with a good sense of humour, polite but aggressive when things need to get done. My girlfriend says am handsome…ha ha. I believe she is very right.

"Meet Us" Series

A little while back, we brought you the post titled Meet Katy. It occurred to us, that it would be a good idea for the many people who are behind SDV to share something about themselves.

So, we are starting a "Meet Us" series, where regularly we will try to feature a volunteer. Please read the next post to find out more about Aloysius.

Volunteer Meet-Up: Kampala II

A number of cafes and restaurants around the city center played host to numerous long conversations between four SDV volunteers this week - Charles, Oliver, Emmanuel and Sri.

All four have background in IT and between them have industry experience in Uganda, England and the US and volunteer experience in Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and of course, Uganda.

The sodas, coffees and hot-chocolates fuelled many hours of intense discussions on mainly the future of SDV.

We all like the fact that SDV is providing free access and training to the community and want to continue doing that, even beyond the promised six months.

But, we don't want to rely on funding.

The S word was mentioned rather often - how to become sustainable when there is virtually no possibility of generating cash flow in the villages, and while not tying ourselves to funding?

If this seemed like a conundrum at first, by the end of the week, we have come up with a number of exciting ideas.

Over the next month we will continue the discussions off-line (Sri is returning to Sironko, Charles, though based in Kampala will be making regular visits, and Oliver and Emmanuel, based in Bushenyi and Kampala respectively will use the air-waves and travel to Sironko on occassion).

And while the discussions continue, we are already taking the first cautious steps in implementing some of the ideas.

We look forward to sharing more details as we make progress.

In the meantime, thank you to the gang at SDV, Aloysius, Rogers and Sam for holding down the fort during the week!

A Chance Meeting And A Laptop

We have another laptop, bringing the total to ten! How did it happen?

Out of curiosity, an SDV volunteer fell into a conversation with someone wearing a t-shirt featuring the logo you see above. Technology and education - hard to miss this one even in a crowded room.

Well, it turned out that a group of volunteers from Ireland were in Uganda providing IT training to those they had previously donated refurbished computers to. Camara is the name of the organization, and the volunteers are knowledgeable, energetic and shared information and resources freely.

Yet, it was a very pleasant surprise when they asked if they could donate a laptop. They had one to donate and with minimum fuss, it was handed over.

It was refreshing to meet other young people who care about similar things and also follow an open and sharing philosophy. We don't know if we will be able to contribute to their efforts, but we will make sure that the laptop they donated helps educate numerous minds.

Thank you, Emma, Owen and Ryan.

A Generator A Stabilizer

After weeks of research into voltage stabilizers, inverters, surge protectors and generators and numerous calculations involving Amps, Voltage and Watts, we finally made the decision to buy a 1800 Watt generator and a similar capacity stabilizer.

This was the most difficult decision we have yet made since none of the options available to us were ideal. We did not want to suspend training during extended power cuts, but neither could we afford a good quality generator.

We scoured the shops in Mbale, the nearest town where generators could be bought, becoming rather familiar with the shop owners.

In the end we squeezed the budget extra tight, bargained hard and came home with a generator and a stabilizer.

We have been lucky in finding a mechanic who has been volunteering to fine tune the generator.

We can now rest easy knowing that the laptops are protected from voltage spikes and that SDV will continue to have its doors open even when there is no power.

Though, given the price of petrol (gas), the use of the generator is reserved for training sessions only - rather than for general access.

Furniture

We have five chairs and tables at SDV, and we borrow additional furniture from the subcounty headquarters when we the need arises.

The tables and chairs were designed by us, made from trees from the nearby forest, by a carpenter from a nearby village. This was a conscious choice, since we want to spend as much as possible locally. Each pair cost us around UGS 25,000 (US$ 15), plus varnishing, making it a cost-effective choice as well.

The design is simple, yet practical - each chair can accommodate two people comfortably, for all those occasions when a computer is shared. But, during peak hours, five children can squeeze in.

The And a table can host two laptops with some space to spare - and since the arrival of additional computers last week, we have been making use of this configuration, allowing us to put the computers to use right away. In the picture, you can see two police officers sharing a table and a chair during training.

We have been varnishing the furniture ourselves, in rotation, since we did not want to wait long to have them ready for use. In preparation for further expansion, we've placed an order for five more tables and chairs.

Five Laptops Arrive at SDV

They were shipped last week from the US and nine days later we received them at SDV. They arrived by air to Kampala and a volunteer carried them to Sironko safely yesterday.

This is the first batch of the twenty recently donated laptops to reach us. We are quite excited to have them and are currently configuring them.

The process was also a lesson in shipping equipment to Uganda. We are encouraged by the speed with which the machines reached us. However, it was only possible thanks to a generous donation which covered the shipment costs.

Fifteen more remain in the US and we are exploring ways to bring them to Sironko.

Thank you to everyone who helped bring these laptops to us.

Volleyball

Wouldn't it be nice if we could play volleyball, we wondered over breakfast last week.

We eyed a piece of land opposite SDV as an excellent site for a court. We approached the chairman of the village, and in a matter of minutes we had a go ahead.

A pole was donated by the nearby police station, and another by a neighbour of SDV. We went to the nearby town and bought ropes and strings made of sisal and set to making a net.

By late afternoon, the poles were planted, the net strung up, and a ball materialised. It wasn't a volleyball, but a netball, but that didn't stop us from playing - until our hands were bruised.

The next day, a volleyball was donated and now we have regular games and the training of a number of youth who showed interest in the game has also begun.

And now, we are eyeing the nice stretch of concrete just outside SDV - it could make a very good basketball half-court.

A Third School Joins

Mutufu Primary School joined the program at SDV last week.

Similarly to other schools, ten students and a teacher walk down to our center, twice a week for an hour each time.

Of all the three schools, Mutufu Primary is the furthest, and their walk is close to half an hour each way.

We are in touch with the Headmaster and the teachers, and are trying to see if we can come up with a plan where the students and the teacher don't spend so much time walking back and forth.

The Houses That Children Built

Outside the formal sessions, where we train youth and adults according to a syllabus, the center is open for anyone to come and use the computers. Almost always there are volunteers to guide those who ask for assistance.

Early on, we had suggested to a couple of children who were interacting with the computers for the first time, that they try draw a house using Microsoft Paint.

A week or so on, drawing a house has become one of the most popular activities among the children who visit us. And almost always, the new initiates are assisted by those who have mastered the skill, without any assistance from the volunteers.

And, much to our delight, we discover houses of various shapes and colours, saved under My Pictures. This is all the more poignant since most of the children don't have access to crayons or color pencils or paper to draw on.

Moving To The Rhythm Of The Village

We have very few rules at SDV.

Children often wander in from the field or on their way to fetching water. Similarly, older youth and adults drop by when they find the time.

Life is not governed according to a schedule here. And things beyond one's control, such as a sudden heavy downpour, can influence the day's activity.

In response to this, we are trying to allow patterns to evolve naturally, instead of imposing a structure.

We have tasked ourselves with optimising the use of the resources at SDV and the volunteers' efforts, given our environment. Where necessary, we are putting in place a few practical policies to guide the process.

Here is an example of one that came about in the course of the last couple of weeks.

Children will be asked to leave SDV at around 6:30. This one caused much uproar among the kids, and they had a point. They argued that they can only use the computers after school, and even then they have to share them with the adults. So, we made a compromise, during our lengthy negotiation. From four to six pm, most of the computers will be reserved for children.

Even so, it is always a difficult moment when we ask the children to leave.

A more weighty issue we are dealing with concerns the adults. We have a number of individuals, ranging from police officers, nurses, government workers, NGO staff, qualified young people in the process of searching for employment, who visit SDV regularly. The volunteers have been training them, mostly on an individual basis.

We very much want to train them in groups, as it is currently very taxing for the volunteers and we cannot really meet the demand. However, we recongnise that we cannot realistically create a training schedule that can accommodate them.

So, we have suggested, as an experiment, that we offer training in groups of four, and we keep a dynamic schedule for each group. And where possible, we try and combine groups.

We are not sure if this will work, but if we find that it doesn't, we will think of a different approach.

Through it all, we are reminding ourselves that it is not the structure we build that will be permanent, but hopefully the process by which we build, will be.

More Photos

If you haven't discovered it already, we have created a Flickr Album to share photos related to SDV and our surroundings.

Formal Sessions Have Begun

Eight students and a teacher from Buhugu Primary school were the first ones to take part in a formal session at SDV, on Tuesday, June 27.

In consultation with the school, we created a program where these selected students and the teacher walk down to our center twice a week, for one hour, during school hours. The children range in age from eight to fourteen.

They receive training, for free, of course, and in the process we are also grooming them to be future volunteers. For once they complete the training, they will train other students and teachers from their school, in partnership with trainers from SDV.

And on Friday, we initiated a similar program with a second school, Bumatufu Primary, which is also located within walking distance from the school.

Meet Katy

As mentioned in the previous blog post, Katy Weprin, a student in the US, has helped us in a very big way.

Here's Katy in her own words.

My name is Katy Weprin and I live in Studio City, California. I am a 17 year old senior at Grover Cleveland High School, as well as a Senior Girl Scout in the San Fernando Valley of Southern California.

When a girl reaches the level of Scouting that I have, they have the option of earning the Gold Award, which is the highest award given in Girl Scouts. A national award, with national standards, it represents initiative, leadership, creativity, communication skills and the ability to make a significant contribution to the community.

For my Gold Award, however, I wanted to reach far beyond my local community to make a difference globally to underserved countries.

I have committed, through my project, "Link'n Kids", to initiate a drive for technological equipment which will aid the Youth for Technology Foundation in Sironko, Uganda.

I am partnering with local business leaders and entrepreneurs, and asking them to help by making donations of unneeded technology, particularly notebook-style computer.

So far, I've collected 20 good working and semi-new laptops from a single company.

The Sherman Oaks/ Studio City Rotary Club has also shared their generosity with a check of $250. This money will go to the specific needs of the Sironko Digital Village.

Although the Gold Award project will be over in September, "Link'n Kids" will likely continue for some time.

I'm excited about what I've accomplished and I wish I could see the shining faces of the children at the Sironko Digital Village.

I'd like to thank Njideka Harry and Sri Arumugam for their devotion and commitment to my project. They've both been there to guide me every step of the way. I couldn't have accomplished what I have without their help.

Thank you Katy for all you have done. We hope that you will come visit us, perhaps soon. You have a home here in Sironko.

Twenty More Laptops

What can a seventeen year old student from California do to help the youth in Sironko?

Katy Weprin, who has been partnering with us over the last few months, has showed us that being a world away is no barrier.

Thanks to her efforts, we will be receiving twenty laptops, which were donated by a company in her community.

We are very excited and are working on getting them to Sironko.

This generous act is going to go a long way in helping the youth in Sironko. Currently, it is not unusual to see around ten young people crowded around a laptop at our center.

Please read the follow up post where Katy shares the story behind this in her own words.

The Electricity Challenge

There is an electricity crisis in Uganda. The output from the dams and the diesel generators do not meet demand, especially during peak hours.

We knew that this would be one of the challenges we would be facing, and since the launch we have been watching the pattern of when planned and unplanned cuts happen.

And what we have seen has convinced us that we need to look for a backup solution. The only feasible one that we see, though not ideal, is to invest in a generator.

Laptops Vs. PCs - Part II

So far, the laptop is winning - quite convincingly. Here, we took one to a nearby "cafe" while some work was being done on the building.

We first posted about this topic, here.

The Launch

There were no special guests, speeches, ribbons, food or drinks.

Yet, by mid afternoon, the center was packed with hardly any room to move about. There were close to two hundered mostly young people according to our estimates.

Many more came by throughout the day as we played music videos and nature documentaries with the aid of the projector, a large newly white-washed wall and hired speakers.

In a separate section, in two corners, young people were huddled over laptops, exploring and teaching each other.

Most of the eighty or so people who signed our visitor log database application, had their first interaction with a computer in the process.

And the best part was that those who have been working on this for months, took a step back. The event was thoroughly in the hands of young volunteers who became part of the project in the last few weeks.

We couldn't have imagined a better start.

A heartfelt thank you to all of you helped make this happen from all of us here. We wish that you could have been with us.

Meet The Fabulous Four

They have been scrubbing, painting, wiring and taking care of the innumerable details over the last week.

And when not renovating or talking to the community members about the project, three of them have been patiently sharing their computer knowledge with others, young and old, and also with each other.

Often drenched in sweat and sometimes hanging from the roof, and at other times surrounded by people eager to learn, these volunteers have given so much that it is hard to put into words.

From the right: Geoffrey (aka Rogers), Aloysius, Masisa (aka Chairman) and Sam.

Making A Little Go A Long Way

Working up to the launch we've been thinking on our feet everyday, playing a game of prioritising and improvising.

It might be hard to believe, but the funding we had available before the launch was less than $300.

We have been dipping into our own pockets when necessary, which is probably the best indication of how we feel about this project.

And we are stunned sometimes when pausing to consider how much has happened in a matter of days.

A result of all this is that now we feel confident in telling our potential partners, contributors and donors that the resources they put towards this effort will be well spent indeed.

Open and Free

We debated whether we should charge a small fee or provide access for free. It wasn't a hard decision to make in the end.

We have promised free access to the entire community for the first six months.

With most families relying on subsistence farming, this is not really a cash-based economy. The reaction on people's faces when we mentioned that there would be no fees confirmed for us that we have made the right decision.

After six months, we will take stock, consult with the community and make further decisions.

A Good Problem To Have

Here the rain is plentiful and the soil is fertile and the population density relatively high. Where one village ends, another one begins.

There are three schools within walking distance from the center, and between them they have close to three thousand students. All of a sudden our four stand-alone laptops and a PC seem rather pathetic!

But we are smiling. This is the kind of challenge we love. And we are already working on getting more laptops and developing a training model where the trainees become trainers.

"Can We Start Today?"

We can feel the excitement in the air. Everywhere we walk, people stop and talk about the project.

When we visited the schools and talked to the staff, there was an audible gasp. Some teachers were almost jumping out of their seats to be trained right away so they can train others.

They have been giving advice, ideas and suggestions. Self-appointed volunteers are already cleaning and painting the building. And as we setup and test the equipment, we are already involving young people and showing them the ropes.

If community ownership was once a dream, it is now very much a reality.

Here are some quotes from our interactions:

"We have heard so much about computers, but we don't know what this thing looks like." (This is something we heard again and again.)

"I'm the Headmaster of this school. When I go to Kampala, I see children using computers, and I don't know how to use them. This has to change." Laughter. "This has to change."

"This country is developing fast. We need to keep up with it."

"Uganda is not static. We are moving forward."

"You have come at a right time."

"The Building Belongs to the Community"

As we walked around to people's homes and talked about the project, the response has been overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic, from young and old.

We visited the community elders first and a number of them expressed their support and pledged to help the project get started.

And this has resulted in an unexpected turn of events. The owners of the building that we found ideal for the project, but for which we didn't want to pay rent, have had a change of heart. We will be receiving the keys today!

When we set off, we didn't know how people would receive this project. Such a positive attitude from the community has now become a major driving force and we are making progress faster than we had expected.

We are now working towards an official launch this Sunday morning and are spreading the news in schools, the church, the student hostel and by word of mouth.

Hello, Mulembe, from Sironko!

Sironko is lush, green and beautiful with wonderful views of the surrounding mountains.

We arrived in Budadiri yesterday morning to a very warm welcome. It's been a dream experience so far, filled with warm interactions, smiles and laughter.

After a hearty lunch, which included the staple matooke (plantains), we set off to have further discussions on the building we wrote about here. It is quite ideal for our purposes, set in a quiet peaceful spot, with a good amount of space for all the activities.

But, the owners, even after a lengthy discussion about the project, wanted us to pay rent to use the space. We thought long and hard, but felt quite strongly that it was important that the community provided space at no or negligible cost.

In the evening we approached another community leader and shared our story. His response was very positive, and he felt with us that it was imperitive that the community shares the ownership of the project.

He suggested two locations as a possibility: a room at a nearby school, or one near the Budadiri market, and promised to secure one of them by the end of the week.

So, while the space will not be as good, we feel very encouraged to be working with a like-minded person.

We will spend the coming week visiting homes, purchasing furnitures and doing other preparations for the launch. If the last two days are anything to go by, it is going to be an incredible adventure.

Volunteer Meet-Up: Kampala

Viva Cafe, on the busy Kampala Road, was the venue for our first volunteer meet-up in Uganda. We chatted, discussed the project details, asked some tough questions, got to know each other better and had some good laughs.

From the right: Charles, Susan, Pamela and Aloysius.

Some of the volunteers are based in Kampala and will contribute towards project coordination, planning and monitoring. They also hope to travel to Sironko, about six hours by road, to experience first-hand the project setting and its realities.

Touch Down

It's a beautiful day in Kampala, partly cloudy and a comfortable 24 degrees Celcius (75 F).

The equipment, and the volunteer, reached Uganda safely on Sunday and seem to have survived the journey in tact.

They'll spend the week in the capital city, before travelling to Sironko over the weekend.

Thank You. Wanyala.

To all of you who have contributed your energy, time, ideas, resources, criticisms and encouragement, thank you. Or wanyala, as people in Sironko would say.

Starting next week, we will mostly be blogging from Uganda.

The idea to bring young people and technology together in Sironko was first voiced over some emails in January of this year. We are now on the verge of making it a reality. We travelled this far, this quickly, thanks to so many people giving freely and without strings attached - it's been a heart-warming and inspiring experience.

This is just the beginning. We look forward to sharing the stories as this journey continues.

Planet Earth

Yesterday, we added to our digital collection the recently released series Planet Earth, by BBC.

It is spectacular, giving a grand view of our planet. If anything in our collection has the power to wow and inspire the young people in Sironko, this is it.

Uganda - A Diversion

It's less than two weeks before the laptops arrive in Uganda. In the meantime we are taking a small diversion with this blog post. We want to share a few images as well as some words, taken from two popular guide books to the region, to entice further exploration of Uganda - virtually or in real-time.

Images sourced from traveladventures.org

"Uganda has changed. And how!" - BG

"Uganda is Africa condensed, with the best of everything the continent has to offer packed into one small but stunning destination." - LP

"Ugandans... genuinely do come across as the most warm, friendly and relaxed hosts imaginable." - BG

"[Ugandans] are smiling and friendly, with an openness absent in other places - truly some of the finest folk in Africa." - LP

"Uganda is widely and rightly regarded as one of the most crime-free countries in Africa." - BG

"Uganda is home to the highest mountain range in Africa... It is the source of the mighty river Nile... offering the best white-water rafting in the world. It has the highest concentration of primates in the world, including the majestic mountain gorillas..." - LP

"the scenery is so striking that it looks like a watercolour" - LP

If you are not already in Uganda, we hope that you pay us a visit sometime in Sironko and leave enough time to explore the rest of the country too.

If you are a virtual explorer: more pictures here and country information here.

The Software Question

Will it be open source or proprietary?

Both. We are constrained by resources to solely depend on proprietary software, and don't feel that it is up to us to dictate what software platform or applications individuals should have access to.

Based on this premise, a typical laptop at the center is likely to have open source applications, such as GIMP, running on top of a Windows XP platform.

Duty Free

Since this is the first time we are taking laptops to Uganda, we weren't sure about customs duties and other related issues.

So we contacted UgaBYTES, in Kampala, Uganda, and they have been very helpful in offering their advice and support.

And the advice provided by UgaBYTES, as well as our online research, suggests that the Ugandan government has scrapped customs duties on computer hardware and software in order to promote their import into the country. Super.

A Collective Experience

A clone of this projector has just started its journey to Sironko from New York City.

The story starts with a friend suggesting that a projector would be a good addition to the center as it would help provide a collective experience (in contrast to the single person experience that a computer offers) and thus possibly bringing people closer.

We thought it was a "beautiful" idea, to quote one of our initial responses. (We liked it especially since very few households have a television set in Budadiri - our base in Sironko district.)

So, our friend sent an email to his friends at the university sharing this idea. They responded, rather generously, and within weeks we had a few hundred dollars. We must admit that we were quite pleasantly surprised by all of this.

Now, we had to get creative to find a way to send the projector to Uganda. We got lucky and received an enthusiastic response from an Airline Ambassadors volunteer, Patriece, willing to take it with her on an upcoming trip to Uganda. The catch - we had just one day, today, to purchase and deliver the projector to her in New York City.

Hoping against hope, we called a friend in NYC and she totally amazed us with her willingness to put in the time and effort to find the model we wanted and to hand deliver it to Patriece, all on last minute's notice.

So, after many phone calls, IMs and emails between four people in three different states, not to mention negotiating with the salesperson to get the same great deal we saw at an online store, the projector is now on its way across the Atlantic.

It all happened so quickly that we still can't quite believe it. A very big thank you to everyone who lent a helping hand!