AFRICA
OUR WORK IN AFRICA
We have been working in Africa since 2005 and have programmes in Kenya, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
KENYA
Our programme in Kenya is based in the market town of Naivasha; north-west of Nairobi and 80 kilometres from the capital. We work with the Naivasha Technical Training Institute (NTTI) to provide access to ICT to schools, students and businesses in the region.
NTTI provides quality technical training to empower young people in different fields to become future entrepreneurs, innovators and inventors.
MALAWI
Malawi is a low-income country and is classified as one of the worlds poorest. Only very few schools have sufficient computers for students to learn ICT. Our partner NGO, Computers for Malawian Schools (CFMS), is based in Blantyre and supplies computers to the whole country. We provide support for schools to help them access computers and improve their facilities for IT.
CFMS have their own training centre, providing digital skills training as well as access to IT services, like printing and the internet, to the local community.
We install complete e-Learning labs in schools to help improve digital education and so children can learn using technology in a safe and comfortable environment. We provide practical digital skills training so students can benefit from learning and gaining hands on experience using specific programmes and develop their workplace skills.
ZAMBIA
“More than 18,000 computers distributed to 1,000 schools yet the ratio of students to computers is still 27:1”
The ratio of students to computers in secondary education in Zambia is a staggering 27 to 1. ITSA’s partner NGO, Computers for Zambian Schools (CFZS) is helping to change this. CFZS are based in Lusaka, a small team with 4 employees, they work closely with the Ministry of Education to facilitate quality digital education in the country.
CFZS has distributed more than 18,000 computers to over 1,000 schools in Zambia. The computers enable the schools to provide their pupils with the essential ICT skills they need to thrive in an increasing digital economy.
We deliver digital skills training for teachers to help improve the digital skills of teachers and educators. Overall, the number of ICT teachers in Zambia is far less when compared with other subject teachers. This is partly due to the fact that there are very few teachers who study ICT at Higher Education level. This results in a teacher-pupil ratio that is very skewed.
The training enables them to utilise digital technology effectively to help when planning and delivering their lessons as well as grading students’ work. For teachers with no previous IT knowledge the training is revolutionary; not only improving the quality of their lessons but also saving them valuable time.
To support young graduates CFZS runs an internship programme helping them to gain valuable work experience, before starting out in their careers.
ZIMBABWE
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in southern Africa known for its dramatic landscape and diverse wildlife. The country’s economy has suffered in recent years and poverty and unemployment are endemic throughout the country.
IT Schools Africa established an NGO, IT Education Zimbabwe (ITEZ), run by Charlie Chabveka, to manage the distribution of computers in Zimbabwe. ITEZ is based in Harare, and supplies computers and provides advice to schools to help improve their digital facilities. They have successfully distributed over 12,000 computers to more than 400 schools in the country.
Our digital skills teacher training programme started in 2021; focusing on primary school teachers to help improve their digital skills. ICT was only recently introduced on the national curriculum for primary schools, and many teachers simply don’t have the required skills as ICT was not part of their teacher training.
We aim to train 200 teachers each year as part of our goal for more teachers, students and local community members gain useful digital skills.