Mobile Computer Labs​

Most schools in Haiti cannot provide computer literacy and internet to students in schools before they graduate to prepare them for the modern world. Mobile Computer Labs will teach students Microsoft Office, keyboarding, website/app development, and bring internet access to thousands of students, teachers, and community members each year in rural (and urban) Haiti. Mobile Computer Labs will also enable fundamental learning and will leverage technology, such as teaching software systems that provide basic reading and writing skills, which is especially critical in rural areas. 

Students, teachers, and parents will be better prepared for the modern world. Haiti will become a better destination for investors. More jobs will be created, and a trained populace will qualify for them. Poverty will be reduced. Thus, connecting more people to broadband and increasing digital literacy is important for overall economic development. 

Hundreds of millions in the developing world, including Haiti, lack access to the internet and are not computer literate. In Haiti, only 35% of the population uses broadband internet.  Access is particularly unequal between rural and urban areas and among genders since only roughly 7% of women and girls have internet access. This situation restricts the countries development, as it is one of the least developed countries in the world, and its competitiveness since the regional rate for connectivity is about 80%. Thus, Haiti has a hard time attracting foreign investment. Haiti has over fifteen thousand schools. The vast majority do not provide computer training and cannot afford to.

Haiti and its population are suffering from digital illiteracy due to lack of access to the internet and access to computers.  Accordingly, the goal of the Mobile Computer Labs is to begin a cycle of digital literacy in Haiti that will begin with the current generation of school-age children.  

Mobile Computer Labs will travel to schools and set up temporary laptop computer labs to teach computer skills, provide Internet access, and increase digital literacy.  These movable labs rotate through different schools for three to four months intervals.  At the end of each rotation, Mobile Computer Labs install a permanent lab with desktop computers in each school for continued training and Internet access. With more desktop computers, the permanent school labs will continue to grow to accommodate more students and will then extend to serve the community at-large after school hours and on weekends.

Select participants will be eligible to learn more advanced skills, such as website building, coding, and application development. Mobile Computer Labs will obtain laptops, desktops, solar panels, generators and other essentials to run the program. Information technology experts will provide instruction and all students who successfully complete the curriculum-appropriate tests earn a certificate. Using best practices, Home Roots Foundation, a USA-based nonprofit, will help implement this program.

Computer and digital literacy for the populace will hasten economic growth by making Haiti more attractive to foreign investment, this will create more jobs and ameliorate many longstanding socio-economic problems.

Our target population is the 80% majority, under resourced and poor population in Haiti; specifically school-age youth. First, as a nonprofit working primarily in education, we focus on school-age impoverished pupils. Second, the program will also serve the community at large after school hours and on weekends. We also recognize gender imbalances and seek to recruit and ensure women have high participation rates, especially in rural areas. Since there is a high rate of illiteracy especially in rural areas, the program will also teach basic literacy using computers and apps. 

 The problem fundamentally is one of lack of resources, investment, and neglect of the needs of the poor people. Digital literacy for Haiti  will result in a more tech literate populace which will spur more investment into the country and create more jobs and income for the people. As the people get savvier and groups can communicate easier with each other, they can organize better and advocate for themselves more efficiently.

Technology is indispensable to modern society and digital literacy is requisite in a 21st century world. Lack of digital access and skills precludes poor individuals from participating in the modern economy. Thus, we will teach computer literacy, digital skills and provide internet access to thousands of students and community at-large a year.

Our nonprofit, Home Roots Foundation, already supports schools in Haiti by providing supplies, books, and tutoring to poor students. It has always been our goal to teach digital skills and one day build a STEAM school. This solution is a first step! 

The Mobile Computer Lab Program was originally piloted in the capital Port-au-Prince but had to cease because of COVID-19. During the pilot, our IT consultants informed us of the need for better computers.

One area we are currently working in is the very isolated and rural Jean-Rabel, Haiti. We work virtually via Zoom to provide training to famers on various topics pertaining to agriculture (seed, animals, access to financing). We are planning to bring a comprehensive program that centers on women and includes digital literacy training for students and the community. 

The few schools that have computer labs in Haiti limit it to just that particular school and only a relative few are taught digital skills. Our model is innovative. Its 'mobility' enables us to teach a significantly higher number of students per year. Also, the community benefits because we leave a computer lab with the internet at the school that not only students, but the community can access and receive training in. This is part of the agreement we will have with the schools we work with. We are also helping the students become certified. Haiti is a country with a young population, our approach will help the youth prepare for a digital economy now and in the future.

We tested out a digital literacy program in 2020 with 20 people. However, it was halted because of COVID-19. Currently, we conduct virtual training via Zoom to farmers in Jean-Rabel, Haiti using the Farmers-to-Farmers program. We work with 12 women's group and 4 mix-gender groups with membership of about 1000 people. This experience has provided invaluable lessons pertaining to logistics of working in the countryside of Haiti. Also, we now have a ready pool of 1000 people and their kids to train.  Upon initiation of the Mobile Computer Lab Program, in year 1, we will train 200 people, this will have to better accommodate and facilitate training during program rollout. Subsequently, with more laptops and the desktops we leave in the schools for the community, in 5 years, we will train thousands of people for a modern digital economy. If operated right with adequate resources, the program could reach 75k people in 5 years.

We have set benchmarks to reach at specific timepoints. At the end of this year, we want to have commitments from 10 US companies or schools and significant individuals for in-kind donations for the program.  This is our strategy to reduce cost. Also by year's end, we will increase the list of advisors in relevant industries in Haiti and the United States.  We intend to reach out to and partner with additional groups and individuals in business, IT, education, administrations and government to partner and maximize impact. We have started and will conclude inquiries on program logistics such as transportation. We have talked to schools about the program, we will add to the list and choose best fits. Our goal for the first year is to serve 200 minimum people.

We have 3 part-time individuals

We are well-positioned to deliver this solution because our team is mostly local and  experienced delivering training to small and large groups in rural and urban settings in person and virtual. Within the team, members are experienced in IT, education, administration, and technology development. Additionally, we have access to individuals that are experience in all areas relevant to our solutions who are willing to participate and see our success.

Our team is progressive and respects all irrespective of differences. We recognize that women are underrepresented in tech. We work to recruit women to our projects and actively have more girls involved in building digital skills.

We are applying to get help for the Solution which aligns perfectly with the Challenge. We are always ready to network and receive mentorship from others who could help our mission as an organization. We have beautiful ideas but need assistance in certain areas such as in-kind donations and reaching out and connecting to computer manufactures and schools with surplus programs. For us, the most important aspect of Solve by far is networking with those that can help us serve the people better. We would very much like to have the backing of MIT Solve in this regard. 

We see the beauty in our Solution in its simplicity and straightforwardness. What we need most is computer hardware, software, accessories, app development and internet. The computers would be the most costly part of the Solution, yet we can, with help, obtain them gratis in the US as a nonprofit entity. Thus, we would next be focused on raising funds through marketing and social media for the Solution. However, we will gladly accept any type of help that is available.

We are very interested in partnering with organizations that could help us achieve the Solution. This would include computer manufacturers, software providers, app developers, nonprofit executives, and faculty at MIT. We seek advice, mentorship and networking opportunities.   

We endeavor to increase digital literacy to open the 21st century economy to those excluded and underserved. Our team consist of individuals experienced in information technology, engineering, administration and teaching computer literacy to underserved populations. 

We would use the HP prize money to obtain necessary equipment, supplies, licensing, and various other expenses (computers and accessories, solar panels, generators and batteries)to train young school-age students to attain computer literacy and digital literacy. With this  funding, we would be able to train students to gain competence in app development and website building and other skills to enable them to partake in a digital economy during the school year and into the summer. In 2018, we initiated summer camp; with the help of HP, we would hold summer STEM Camp. Our curriculum would be able to expand to teaching English and better preparing the student for a global economy.

We work primarily in the area of education in Haiti where we aim to remove money as a barrier to receiving quality education. Our short-term goal is to introduce STEM curriculum in our partner schools. Long-term, we will build the first STEAM school ('A' for agriculture) eventually in Haiti. 

The money from GSR would significantly help to obtain necessary equipment, supplies, licensing, personnel and various other expenses needed to implement the web development and mobile app development component of our Solution which teaches digital literacy and basic computer skills. In addition to digital literacy, students would learn coding and math. This would be done during the school year and summer camps, introduced in 2018, where students where also taught English through our Speak English Together Club (SET-Club).   Thus, this would be a continuation of what is taught during the school year with additional components.

We have a network of educators, administrators, and STEM experts available to us who are ready to see the people of Haiti advance.