Solar-Powered Computer Project In The Jungle

Photo by Issa Nyaphaga(c)2010

The Solar-Powered Computer Project in the Jungle brings the latest technology to the heart of the rainforest in rural Cameroon, where most indigenous villagers have never used a computer and have severely limited access to any technology.

This project is made possible through the partnership of two local non-profit organizations: Hope International for Tikar People (HITIP) and Linux Friends. Linux Friends has donated flexible solar panels and six computers to create a low-power computer project in the Tikar region of Cameroon. Linux Friends also provides technical assistance and training to the villagers regarding installing, using, and maintaining the technology.

The impact and success of this project has been due to the leadership and participation of people with disabilities, women and youth in organizing, energizing and mobilizing community members to learn to use new technologies for their first time in their lives.

This project opens up a whole new world of possibilities for isolated, rural communities that live without phones, newspapers, television, or internet. In a region where polio is still a stark reality, this solar-powered technology provides an equalizing force that fully integrates all members of the community, including individuals with disabilities.

Women are the backbone of the Tikar community. Through access to technology and education they will be able to improve the quality of their lives and they will be able to provide a better life for their children. Currently, only 15% of the Tikar population has birth certificates because mothers are often illiterate and are unable to document the births of their children. Birth certificates are critical for children to receive medical care and to attend high school and college.

The social innovator behind this idea is Ibrahim Abdoulaye, a seventeen year-old polio survivor and wheelchair user who lives in the village.

Ibrahim was the first person in his village to receive a wheelchair from HITIP and since that time he has been unstoppable. He coaches the village football team, he has completed his primary education, he repairs other villagers' wheelchairs, and he is an avid photographer. He is also now the solar panel and computer technician for the project. In Ibrahim's isolated village, there is no running water, no electricity, and no internet. Ibrahim is a self-taught mechanic and is the only electrician in the village and he is a natural when it comes to using, repairing, and maintaining computers.

Ibrahim is a role model for the young children and teens in the village due to his perseverance, patience, and passion for helping others. He is the inspiration behind the Solar-Powered Computer Project in the Jungle and he is a leader who uses technology to stand for social justice.

For more information: www.hitip.org ;