Our new computer lab at ACFS Community Centre in Meadowlands, Soweto was officially launched on 26 February 2020.
The lab, which was developed with the help of the Vodacom Foundation, has 25 computers and 1 000 registered learners in grades 5-12. These kids do not have smart phones they can use to access the internet, or access to computers at their school. Thanks to free connectivity and data provided by Vodacom, these kids can now develop computer skills, learn about the latest technology, and access the wealth of knowledge available through the Internet.
Although the lab has only just been officially opened, volunteers at the centre have been teaching basic computer literacy and helping pupils with their homework since 2019.
“In the beginning, the children didn’t know how to use a computer, how to type or what a mouse is,” explains volunteer teacher, Lucky Ndzunga. “Now they know the difference between a left and right click on a mouse and are able to search the internet.”
Ndzunga says illiteracy levels are high, but the educational software they use helps kids at the centre to read and write. Learners work in teams and sometimes compete against each other, with those who do well being rewarded with a chocolate. Matric pupils can use the lab to access previous exam papers and watch videos that explain subjects such as maths. Volunteers also assist matriculants with their university applications.
ACFS launched the computer lab in response to the need to do more than just feed hungry children. To escape from the poverty they have been born into, these children must be given the same opportunities as their more privileged peers to learn about the world around them, and become familiar with and comfortable using the technology of the future.
[Source: New Frame]