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Technology Training Helps Break Kenya's Cycle of Poverty
In July of 2000 AIM missionary Steve Peifer saw something that changed his life. While visiting a Kenyan school he noticed that all of the children were lying on the floor. "Because it was a dirt floor, I asked the teacher why they were doing that. The response was, "It's Thursday, and they haven’t eaten since Monday. When they sit up straight, they faint.’ I remember walking out of that school thinking I could never go back to my old life." In response to this event, Steve began a feeding program that quickly grew to 25 schools, feeding 8400 children. But he knew that to truly break the cycle of poverty, more had to be done than simply feeding the children.
"I had the thought that maybe a computer center could circumvent some of the limitations of the Kenyan educational system." Steve approached AIM’s Walter Middleton, the manager of AIM Tech, a technical ministry of AIM, to see if he could provide any help with developing a low cost computer center.
"I came to him with an idea for a center, and he came back with a plan and a budget. He used an old shipping container because it’s made of steel and it is hard for thieves to break in. He cut windows into it, built nice shelves, and put the solar and electrical equipment in. He is one amazing "Children start showing up at 5 a.m. for a chance to have an extra 30 minutes."guy." The container was outfitted with ten laptop computers and children began to learn typing and MS Office applications. The computer center currently serves two schools with about 900 children. And the children love it. "From 7:30 to 8:00 they allow the first ten kids to have an extra 30 minutes on the computer before school starts," says Steve. "Children start showing up at 5 a.m. for a chance to have an extra 30 minutes."
The biggest thing this program has done is to give hope to the students. You can’t believe how many students have told me they have hope for the future because of this.Steve hopes that the benefits of the food and technology programs will be far reaching. "A generation that finishes high school and learns technology won’t have to be poor. With feeding and technology, we can break the back of poverty in this country. The biggest thing this program has done is to give hope to the students. You can’t believe how many students have told me they have hope for the future because of this. Children can’t learn without the proper nutrition. If we can feed them and teach them technology, we can change the face of Kenya in a generation. And Jesus will get the credit."
Get Involved!
The cost per center: $15,000. This includes construction costs, solar panels, and a standardized set of laptop computers and software.
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