"God helps those that help themselves" (I hope)

When I arrived in Kongoussi, I was surprised not with the computer lab at the high school but the lack of one. Enthusiasm for information technology was abundant but expertise was lacking. In the last two months we have duct-taped our way to build a lab of eleven rather ancient computers. Then hope appeared on the horizon. Former students that have graduated from the high school in Kongoussi have banded together to raise money and find equipment to add to our well-intentioned lab. However, even with their efforts, we will fall short of having a suitable computer lab to teach the almost two-thousand students that attend the high school.

This is where my abilities fall short. I can rebuild computers from bug infested and water-damaged parts but I alone cannot fund the remainder of supplies needed to build the lab. Thus, in order to truly serve the Kongoussi community, I am reaching out to groups and individuals will to help. This blog will not only serve as my personal reflections on my service but will work to raise and fund a working computer lab so that my kids can finally join the rest of the world in the Information Age.

Starting today, I will include, first and foremost, a Computer Lab section to this blog to keep updates on what is going on with the lab, its funding, student involvement, current trainings and needs of the lab, itself.

Lab:

To start this section, I am simple going to outline the goals and needs thus far of our computer lab:

Goal: To build a working computer lab for the almost two-thousand students attending high school in Kongoussi.

What does that mean?

A single IT teacher (me) can use 40 computers to teach 650 students a trimester at two hours per week. This equals out to about 33 hours a week of lecture time. Therefore, all students in the high school would receive a full trimester of training. Then would be allowed to use the lab during open lab hours (non-lecture and work hours).

Further, because of dust, insect, frog, rain and heat issues, the lab will need repairs to its roof, ceilings, walls and seals for the windows and doors. Further, the lab room itself will need to be re-wired in order to not suffer from reoccurring power outages suffered due to circuit breaks with the current class line. Finally, an air-conditioning unit will need to be installed in order to keep the computers from over heating during the school year when temperatures reach over 110 F. (These projects are currently being handled in negotiations with the former students)

Due to the lack of electronic (let alone computer) stores and easily accessible equipment, a spare keyboard an d mouse for each computer will be necessary. Further, in order to maintain the computers over time, batter backups and surge protectors will need to accompany each machine.

Possible other equipment needs include a projector (for class demonstrations), printers (1-2) and internet/router and cables plus an internet subscription. Again, these are only possibilities or extensions of the original goal.

Finally, the funds necessary to pay for shipping, taxes and/or customs for machines bought here or shipped from foreign locations.

Those our the current needs and goals of our lab. Follow this blog for future updates.

Work:

Beyond the lab, English classes are going well. Though my schedule has gotten busier and busier, I was approached by students in Terminal (final stage of high school here) and agreed to work with them on evenings as a sort of English club. So, teaching English is really becoming a big part of this year which is really satisfying for the simple reason that it is something everyone here wants and I can easily provide.

My English classes (you could call them 7th graders) also had their first exams this past Friday which is always a time of excitement, anticipation and a bit of struggle. We include in the test, oral (for all 105 students per the class, two classes), listening, writing dialogue and translation. With only two hours, it can be a bit difficult to test students on every aspect thoroughly but I think we did a good job of getting at the fundamentals. In any case, one of my favorite things is to put up interesting 'mistakes' made my students on their exams. So here goes:

Spelling is a big part of the listening exercises. Here are some unique spellings:

window - windoor, windood, wendeow, waynddoor, wend'wo, windween and windown (that one was really popular seeing we also were tested on 'sit down')

those - doos, vose, thoses and dhose

happy - hanppy and yapy

door - dword, doow, dorw and doll

chairs - tables (?!) and theherse

student - stubent and stoodient

hungry - ingruit, angri and hundri

books - boobs (kid you not!) and boor

you - yoo and yiue

goodbye - goodbye, goodboy and goodbag

good day - good dog

good afternoon - good fneyaretabies (I think this student took spellings from my little brother, Justin)

Some great phrases that came out of the exam:

God evening, how are you?

Our teacher is in the _____. (Fill in the blank, answers below)
- teacher
- wendo
- Safi
- and you
- pupil
- hit
- evening

Sometimes, I like to think my students make the mistakes just to amuse me. Really, I know it's just because some of them have not yet gotten into the habit of looking over their answers before handing in their tests. We will work it.


For those of you that have kept in close contact with me, you will know too that I have been working hard on building a website to act as a resource for current volunteers, family members and even local community members. We had a first year of lightning strikes and bumps and bruises that took us to the limits of what we could do and beyond. Recently, I sat back down and started over with the external site, building it to be as user friendly as I could. What came out of that sweat has been thus far well received and has already gotten to be an every-other-day updating site. It is building and building by the day. You should check it out if you have not already at:

pcburkina.org

Let me know of any suggestions you might have, as we are always working to make the site a better resource in any way possible. Ultimately, this site may be the type of resource that volunteers can use to further projects in the communities started by other volunteers, start projects of their own and keep them from re-inventing the wheel, as they say. Really, go check it out. I'm kinda proud of it.

Community:

This last weekend, I went back to Rambo. It's a typical trip that I take about every three weeks or so. In any case, last time they surprised me with peanuts and all. I was overwhelmed by their kindness. This time, as I pulled my bike up to my old neighbors house, he had water, peanuts and twenty guinea fowl eggs waiting for me. For people that do not often get eggs, that was A LOT! Then, people proceed to stop by and give me more and more peanuts plus a bowl of sesame seeds. There is no use in trying to explain to them that I am here to help them and not to eat up all their crops. After all, it was a good cultivating season and everyone is thrilled to share and enjoy the fruits of their labors with those they care about. I am unbelievably lucky to be considered a part of that group. Thus, I have been regifting peanuts to those I see through my days (though the pile never really seems to diminish). Need-less-to-say, it was a good visit.

Personal:

What can I say beyond, I am busy. What a pleasant feeling. After two years of not always having the resources to do a lot of the IT work, I have been able to work on the volunteer site when I am not in class, amongst students or putting together the lab. The great reception from volunteers (and especially committee members) has been such an uplifting bit of encouragement for me.