ICT Camp for Rwandan Female Secondary School Students

ICT Camp for Rwandan Female Secondary School Students

Camp TechKobwa is an ICT camp for Rwandan Secondary School students sponsored by Peace Corps, Michigan State University, and IBM with the support and technological expertise of ELE Rwanda, Girls in ICT and Klab and further financial support from the U.S. Embassy in Kigali. The camp will run from the 2^nd to the 8^th of August, 2014 and will be held at G.S. Janja in Gakenke District.

They have invited 12 schools from the 10 districts to participate: E.S Murunda and G.S Murunda in Rutsiro, G.S Janja in Gakenke, G.S Kibangu in Muhanga, G.S Nyinawimana and E.S Mulindi in Gicumbi, G.S Karuganda in Burera, G.S Zaza “A” in Ngoma, G.S Gatore in Kirehe, Muhanzi Secondary School in Rwamagana, G.S Banda in Nyamasheke, and G.S Rosororo in Ruhango.

Each school will send one ICT teacher and five students to the Camp, free of charge. ICT teachers arrived on July 29^th, 4 days before the official opening of the camp for an in-depth Training of Trainers led by Rwandan technology experts and faculty and professionals from IBM and Michigan State University. The goal is to equip the teachers with new technology skills, effective pedagogy, and facilitation skills which they can utilize in leading the student portion of the camp as well as when they return to their schools.

The students camp in 7 days long and will expose girls to a variety of lessons, from basic computer skills, photography, digital media, programming, and research methods. Through donations from IBM and Michigan State University, they are also offering the girls the chance to experience, build and utilizing robotics. They also encourage self-confidence, goal setting and self-expression to support the girls in being leaders in their community, country and personal lives.

The goal of the camp is to expose Rwandan girls to technology in a creative, non-threatening environment that encourages them to explore, engage and consider future careers in ICT.

The closing ceremony will be on Friday, August 8^th, 2014 at 10:00am at G.S Janja St. Jerome in Gakenke district. Members of the press are invited to attend it.

Contacts:

1. Camp Director: Elisabeth Turner – eturner8@gmail.com, +250 787 305 955
2. Press Contact: Cady Jeanne Y. – cadyjenny1@gmail.com +250 788 258 986