We are excited to be taking part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge 2021 for the fourth consecutive year. Last year our teacher training project in Zambia was hugely successful, we reached our fundraising targets and have exceeded our target of the number of teachers trained. In just under one month the Big Give​ Christmas Challenge launches on #GivingTuesday (midday 30th Nov)  - ​Could you support us?
Please save the date 30th November 2021 – 7th December 2021. 

​For one week only, online donations raised for our teacher training project in Zimbabwe, will be DOUBLED as part of a match funding campaign. For example, an online donation of £100 would be doubled to £200. If Gift Aid is claimed, the donation could be worth £225.
(Donations are doubled whilst matching funds last.) 

​Project Overview 
Our goal is to train 200 teachers and improve the digital skills of teachers and students. Consequently students will leave school confident and digitally focused to improve their future education, employment and life prospects. Schools lack the resources to provide digital training for teachers. Teachers are left lacking the skills, motivation and confidence to provide a positive digital learning experience for students. 

We believe the impact of our project will be improved digital literacy for better educational opportunities for Zimbabwean students. Over time we expect a digitally enabled workforce to emerge in Zimbabwe, increasing efficiency and production. 

For further information  please contact jenny@itschoolsafrica.org 
Please note only donations made through our Christmas Challenge campaign page on the Big Give website, using a valid debit or credit card, from midday Tuesday 30th November to midday Tuesday 7th December will be matched.  

Our aim is to help people in Gloucestershire to improve their digital skills. We have partnered with ​Digital Unite to deliver digital skills training through digital champions, shared learning and best practice to enable digital and social inclusion.

In the last year, we are delighted to have trained over 40 Digital Champions across Gloucestershire. Working with our community partners we aim to support more people to improve their digital skills and realise the benefits of being online. ​Many of those who aren't online don't feel comfortable learning on their own and need personal, one to one support focusing on overcoming the barriers of being online and engaging use of the internet. 

 We want to grow our Digital Champions network; could you volunteer as a Digital Champion and help change someone’s life? If you think you'd like to help please email contact@itschoolsafrica.org

The aim of our project is to improve the digital skills of teachers and students to aid vocational skills and facilitate entrepreneurship. The project will improve the proficiencies of teachers, children and school heads and will help to integrate the use of ICT into teaching and learning. 

​Currently, schools do not have the resources to provide digital training for teachers. Teachers are left lacking the digital skills, motivation and confidence to provide a positive digital learning experience for students.
Without a digital education students are missing out on the opportunity to learn how they can apply technology to their lives, to use it practically and innovatively to help improve their future prospects.

The training courses are specifically aimed at developing knowledge and skills to assist teachers when delivering ICT in education. This helps to give them the confidence to use ICT more in the classroom, making teaching easier and more interactive for the students.

"There is an increased need for more knowledge on how to use IT in the learning process, an area where most teachers have been found wanting. It would be great to have more training where teachers are empowered to effectively and efficiently use this technology."
IK Chibona, Deputy Head, Usher High School, Zimbabwe

Could your company or school support our project?
​Join us in training 200 teachers and enabling students to leave school confident and digitally focused to improve their future education, employment and life prospects.  
Contact : jenny@itschoolsafrica.org

We want to support and connect digitally excluded communities in Gloucestershire. The DigiBus project will take digital technology and learning to the people who need it most; crossing the county in a converted double decker bus, stopping in towns and villages for a few days at a time providing a free digital skills training service. 

Digibus aims to educate and inspire; as well as providing vital digital skills training, it will demonstrate how other exciting technologies work. 

Volunteers needed:
Digibus are now looking for volunteers to help our IT trainers give digital skills support and to drive the bus, so please if you'd like to get involved, or stay updated about Digibus, including timetabling and events. For more information and to sign up to the newsletter email: digibus@itschoolsafrica.org

To find out more and please visit the DigiBus website here. ​

We are delighted to share our achievements in Africa and the UK over the last 17 years.  Whilst we are known widely for our work in Africa to improve digital literacy for school children, our work in the UK is hugely important to us and we look forward to supporting more communities in Gloucestershire in the coming months ​as our DigiBus launches. This exciting and innovative project will provide free digital support where it’s needed the most.

​Our achievements since 2004  
With your generous support, we are proud to have achieved:
5,300,000 children in Africa given access to digital education
100,000 computers and laptops collected 
17,000 learners given digital skills support in the UK
830 teachers trained in Africa 
33 e-Learning labs installed in schools and community centres 

The team at ITSA recently wished Roger a very well deserved and happy retirement. For over 15 years Roger (known to us all as Rog) has been travelling up and down the breadth of the country collecting computers and monitors from schools and businesses, loading them on to his van and bringing them back to ITSA as well as taking them (once the hard drives have been wiped) to the various prison we have used. 

Many people might not be aware but before working with ITSA, Roger had a history of going in and out of prison – (purely for legitimate reasons!) as he used to collect and deliver  bicycles for the Inside Out Trust – a charity where prisoners repair bikes which get sent out overseas. So it was a natural fit that Rog started working for us as he knew the challenges he would face.

Roger was presented with a unique handmade clock which was an exact miniature replica of his van, created by Marcel, made aptly from reused computer components.  "IT Schools Africa would not be the charity it is today without your enormous contribution. Most people greatly underestimate the challenges faced collecting equipment.  We cannot thank you enough for your dedication and hard work. Nothing was ever too much trouble for you.  We wish you a very deserved and well - earned retirement. You will be missed greatly by the whole team.”
​Simon Richardson, UK Operations Manager, IT Schools Africa

Our aim is to provide much needed digital support and skills to teachers working in rural settings or particularly deprived areas in Zambia. Many schools in these areas are poorly funded and under resourced which ultimately affects the education of the students. Our goal by the end of the year is to have trained over 200 teachers. Since January we have trained 60 teachers across the country, each benefiting from our five day digital training course.

The first training was delivered to teachers in the Bauleni compound on the outskirts of Lusaka. We then travelled to Kapiri Mposhi to our IT lab at the Baraka Learning Centre to deliver training to the community teachers. Teachers from 11 schools in the area attended the training. 

Next stop and this time to Eastern Province and the small town of Chadiza for more training. This time we were asked by the school to stay a second week as there was so much demand from teachers.​

The feedback has been really positive as teachers are learning not only syllabus related subjects but also the importance of security procedures and preventative maintenance for computers. 

Feedback from teachers after completing the course:
100% of teachers believed the course has contributed towards
​ their learning
The average level of skill before the course was satisfactory and after completing the course was very good

“The training was a huge success and the impact was massively positive to the teachers. Though it was the first time, it ran better than expected and all the teachers appreciated it very much. More of these trainings would really change schools in terms of ICT levels.” 
Baraka Community Partnerships

“Humbly appreciating your efforts to capacity build teachers in ICT at Chadiza School. Thanks, we have learnt a lot.” 
​Zacharia Lungu, Science teacher at Chadiza Secondary School

We are very excited about our new Digibus project, a mobile tech lab in a double decker bus, which will connect and provide a free skills training service for digitally excluded communities in Gloucestershire.

The so called digital divide is very real, as the world has become increasingly 'online' people lacking the skills or ability to access services and information are falling behind in society. Communities already digitally excluded have become further disadvantaged because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Digibus will make a difference to the lives of those most vulnerable; enabling users to better access relevant information and services, improve their digital skills, connect with friends and family, reduce social isolation and improve livelihoods.    

On board the tech lab will be fitted with computers, laptops, tablets, a
3-D printer, robotics and coding and a virtual reality system. Digibus will travel throughout the county from late summer 2021, focusing on the areas and communities where individuals have the lowest engagement with the internet.  The Digibus trainer will provide personalised sessions for visitors so they can learn as much or as little as they like; whether it's how to order their medication or groceries online, chat to friends and family, stay safe using the internet, or finding out about important services or social networks that can provide further support.
​
We are looking for volunteer bus/coach drivers to help with the project planning and to drive the bus, so please if you'd like to get involved, or stay updated about Digibus, including timetabling and events do sign up to the newsletter here.  

Covid-19 presents a great challenge for students in many African countries as school closures are likely to continue until 2021 in response to the pandemic. For most families this will be yet another setback they can’t afford and children although young, will quickly become the providers for their families.  Equipping them with real life skills will enable them the opportunity to either access better paid work or to develop their own business after leaving school. 
​
In response to the ongoing disruption the pandemic has caused, we developed an Entrepreneurial Skills for Students initiative.  The objective of the project is for students to gain vocational experience and entrepreneurial skills during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, with the aim of improving their future livelihoods. 

​Demand is rapidly growing for digital skills in graphic design, database and CRM, web building and setting up online platforms for small to medium businesses.  In addition, IT hardware and networking is becoming essential as digital development increases.  The project will enable students in Form 3 (the penultimate grade before their final, exam year), to learn how to use digital technology such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe video to gain practical skills they can use when they leave school.

The Covid crisis has really shone a spotlight on the desperate need for IT equipment and we are pleased to be helping where we can to alleviate IT digital poverty locally in Gloucestershire for:

• school children who need to keep learning remotely
• young adults support in education, digital literacy and employment  
• shielding and isolated members of our community
• job seekers ​

​With our friends, the VCS Alliance, and the help of Gloucestershire County Council we actioned the Big Laptop Giveaway, to support the most vulnerable in our local community during the pandemic.  We are pleased to report that 27 Gloucestershire charities benefitted from receiving laptops and desktop computers as part of the local campaign. 

"Without a laptop the mother was unable to access benefit applications, apply for employment, attend virtual meetings with school and social care. Her children are now able to access online education. They are all immensely grateful." 
Beki Wallace | Senior Family Support Worker| Barnardo’s Cymru and South West | Forest and Stroud Targeted Family Support Service

"Enabling isolated people to become active online really has changed people’s lives. It has helped to maintain both family and community links during what has been a tough year for everyone."
Audrey Harris | Families and Wellbeing Manager | GL11 Community Hub | Dursley

“This is my first time with modern technology, but I wish I had learned before. I can now see and keep up with all that is going on in my family without leaving the house.”
Recipient of donated laptop | GL11 Community Hub | Dursley 

We want to support more people in Gloucestershire and have a long waiting list for urgent IT equipment - if your business or school can donate working IT equipment please do get in touch. 
contact@itschoolsafrica.org