On November 3rd, Lelt Foundation opened its second technology lab in Hosanna, Ethiopia! Schools in the region cannot offer reliable computer literacy programs because of frequent power outages. With up to 15 blackouts a week in Hosanna, consistent access to technology is nearly impossible. Additionally, the majority of our students don’t have electricity in their homes, so they’ve never had access to computer sciences before, despite computer literacy being arguably one of the most important skills to learn in the modern world.
Now, however, through a partnership with VoLo Foundation, an organization that focuses on reversing climate change, Lelt had installed renewable energy sources to help power our IT labs. Our community centers have solar panels and renewable battery banks, powering our computers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, while also lowering carbon emissions significantly.
What does this mean for Lelt’s students? Our IT instructor, Amanuel Kebero, has created a curriculum that mixes basic computer skills with advanced problem solving – including use of the MIT coding program SCRATCH. Amanuel believes his class will be able to build websites and create team theses based on formulaic exploration by the end of this summer. Lelt Foundation is extremely proud to run two of the few solar-powered technology labs in Eastern Africa.
