Why We Do This
Computers are at the center of all aspects of life in the 21st century. Having access to technology and developing the skills and knowledge to critically navigate the digital world are now essential to thrive in the modern world.
We are committed to digital literacy in Ghana because:
Africa is the future
In terms of population, Africa is currently the second largest continent and the fastest growing population in the world. It is imperative that access to digital technology and the skills to use it effectively are available throughout the continent to ensure that the next generation of Africans not only consume in the digital world, but produce and innovate.
Plot Source: UN World Population Prospects (2017)
Giving students equal opportunity
Access to technology and the ability to learn how to use it effectively should not depend on where you were born. Whether browsing the internet or developing complex computer code, students across the world from rural Ghana to New York state need to learn ICT skills from an early age to thrive in the 21st century.
Technology empowers
Today’s students will build the solutions of tomorrow. By cultivating ICT talent in students from a young age, we empower individuals from all backgrounds to create a better future.
The Digital Divide is Unacceptable
In sub-Saharan Africa, less than 10% of households have a computer and 24% of people have access to the internet. This should be contrasted with the figures in the United States where 92% of households have a computer and 93% of people use the internet. This broad gap places African nations at a disadvantage on the international stage in an increasingly globalized world.
OUR MISSION
Technological Inequities: Growing up without access to a computer or digital device, and by extension access to the internet,
means that “digital intuition” is not learned from an early age as it is in developed nations. Upon reaching adulthood, such
individuals are at a considerable disadvantage in economies and societal structures of the 21st century. Such access
disproportionately affects rural communities, particularly those in Africa. African nations have endured a long history of
colonization and exploitation by nations which have themselves benefitted from this exploitation in ways that have enabled
them to excel in the digital age. Bridging this divide is essential to ensure that the future population of Africa can equitably
participate in the globalized and digitally-connected world, not only as consumers but also as creators. It aims to further the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, specifically targetting
- #1 - Poverty Alleviation : End poverty in all its forms everywhere
- #4 - Education : Provide quality education to children
- #8 - Jobs : Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth
- #9 - Innovation : Build resilient Infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation
- #10 - Reduced Inequality : Reduce inequality within and among countries.
Solutions to Empower: This work aims to bridge the educational divide and empower local schools and the communities they
serve to leverage technological and intellectual resources to their full capacity.This begins to bridge the educational divide and allows local schools to leverage these new technological and intellectual resources.
A Focused and Sustainable Approach: The ultimate goal of having “one computer for every child in Africa” must be achieved by working in partnership with individual communities to develop Kente Connect in an organic and sustainable way. Doing so will enable the members of our team to develop expertise in the non-profit ecosystem while establishing mechanisms to allow us to function as autonomously as possible while contributing to existing efforts as appropriate. As such, this work has begun in the community of Adanwomasi, Ghana in the Ashanti region expressly because of the established relationship with members of that community, namely Sir Philipp Bimpong and Eric Kwame Boakye, who can support the development of the organization’s efforts locally. Furthermore, Angela Tabiri and Sam Meehan have long established professional relationships with the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences in Accra, Ghana which can help facilitate broader local support from local leading academic institutions.
Finally, we have established a partnership with Maxim Nyasa, a non-profit sharing our overarching goals who has been established in Ghana since 2015 and has begun establishing missions in neighboring African nations and with European support from the Netherlands and Belgium. With our focus being targeted in Ghana, our efforts serve to amplify this common, but broader, broader African mission. In the future, the reach can and will be expanded to more communities in Ghana, but for the time being we follow the philosophy of quality over quantity. When it comes to digital literacy, we feel this is best approach because our mission is to providing infrastructure – material infrastructure (i.e. computers) and intellectual infrastructure (i.e. training). In terms of material infrastructure, secure, accessible, and high quality technology will serve the broadest community of people – teachers, tudents, and community members. In the case of intellectual infrastructure, high quality training with a focus on both “teaching the teachers” while directly enriching ongoing classroom activities will impart key knowledge that can be passed on to others. In both avenues, having each intervention adhere to high standards will ensure the maximum possible positive impact. In other words, we believe in quantity over quality because “quality begets quantity”.
About Us
Kente Connect is a registered 501(c)3 organization in the United States. Within Ghana, we work in partnership with Maxim Nyansa IT Solutions.
We value transparency. Our essential organizational and financial records can be found here.
Contact Us
- @kenteconnect
- info@kenteconnect.org
US Location
321 Homewilde Lane
Northfield, VT
05663 USA
Ghana Location
AD-320-3849
P.O Box KJ 785
Kejetia – Kumasi, Ghana