MIT Solve

Solution Overview

Solution Name

TEENS AND GADGET RELATIONSHIP

One-line solution summary.

Tending Rural ICT Child by giving them equitable rights to information communication and technology skills.

Elevator pitch

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What is your solution?

Teens and Gadget Relationship (TGR) is a program designed for local vulnerable children of school age, to ensure the early achievement of ICT-based knowledge. It is also to address the increasing computer illiteracy among young children living in the rural Eteo Community of Eleme Local government of Ogoni who have had no privilege to the growing world of Information Communication and Technology.

TGR is initiated to give equal ICT access to Orphans and Vulnerable Children and disabled children and also to point strongly to the usage of ICT as an educative tool through advocacy.

What specific problem are you trying to solve?

To solve the problem of massive failure of orphans and vulnerable children in Nigerian's National Examinations by addressing the route cause, which is computer illiteracy. For the past two decades, national examination has been Pen on Paper (POP) format, but of late, changes in trend has improved to Computer Based Test (CBT) format. This improvement did not take cognizance of the Orphans and vulnerable children living in poor remote communities like Eteo, without improved educational facilities.

Over 177 Orphans plus vulnerable children are affected by this social marginalization because they are been enrolled in public and private schools that does not have ICT facilities. Consequently, massive failure had always been recorded during CBT examination.

Who does your solution serve? In what ways will the solution impact their lives?

TGR shall serve the Orphans and vulnerable children and children with some forms of physical disability in Eteo community who are socially marginalized by giving them equitable access to ICT skills like their counterpart who are living and schooling in the urban communities.

TGR shall create a mini computer laboratory on the platform of Luther Welfare For Children At-Risk Development Centre, that shall be used to educate OVC to be computer literates, and get them ready for CBT examination and also to improve their social standard of living.

What steps have you taken to understand the needs of the population you want to serve?

The first step was trying to understand the needs of the target population through voluntarism- services on community-based organization leading in the global best practices for OVC care and their caregivers. The aim was to directly impact some relevant computer knowledge to children in question.

The second step employed was to run a Pilot Test of the program. This pilot test proved that there is a great need for TGR in the community setting. This led to establishment of a mini computer learning centre; with just a laptop but could not be sustained due to large turn- out by OVC in the community, and inadequate finance to procure more equipments.

Which aspects of the Challenge does your solution most closely address?

Improving learning opportunities and outcomes for learners across their lifetimes, from early childhood on (Learning)

Our solution's stage of development:

Pilot: An organization deploying a tested product, service, or business model in at least one community

Explain why you selected this stage of development for your solution—in other words, what have you accomplished to date?

TGR is a program that has been tested and had gain good level of acceptance in Eteo community, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria. The program trained over 25 orphans and vulnerable children in the community in the year 2018. Though, it could not be sustained due to inadequate equipments and financial support.

Where our solution team is headquartered or located:

Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Team Lead:

Thomas Osaroekaa