Sierra Leone

In addition to the existing DU cooperation with the Italian NGO Microcammino 2000 (Little Step 2000) in the village of Yagala, in the Koinadugu District in the Northern Province of the country, STMicroelectronics Foundation has recently inaugurated a partnership with Shine on Sierra Leone, an US based non-profit organization, for the establishment of four new DU computer labs in Freetown.

Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, with an estimated population of 1,070,200. This country is emerging from a decade long civil war and has just undergone a regime change through its third post-conflict election. Sierra Leone is also the lowest ranked country on the Human Development Index: the mortality rate, especially among young people, remains extremely high, as is the rate of illiteracy. However, the potential of digital technologies in this country is enormous. With improvements in telecommunication services in the country, users can access vital information quickly, enhancing organizational efficiency and individual effectiveness.

The new labs are currently being equipped and are expected to be operational at the beginning of 2009. Each lab, located within an existing educational facility, will offer free computer classes to both students and the surrounding community.

Sierra Leone ICB

About 1600 trainees will be trained per year for at least 3 years. The “Train the trainer” program, which is meant to educate native Sierra Leonean’s with previous computer experience to teach the ICB (Informatics and Computer Basics) course, is scheduled for January 2009. The training will be performed by ST voluntary teachers.