Headquarted in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, with local offices in Kenya and Tanzania, Viafrica Started in 2003, to support social and commercial initiatives in Africa by using ICT to improve education for the purpose of enhancing economic and social development in Africa.
Viafrica initiates projects itself, such as Classworks programme that has already provided more than 200 schools with computer rooms. The organization also supports projects of third parties with specific ICT knowledge and means.
The projects are made possible through financial contributions by well-wishers, organization’s commercial activities in Africa and PC-Donations by organizations and companies that are willing to give their used hardware, of which Viafrica collects and sells them to enable Sub-Saharan Africa experience the value of ICT.
The services that are in the CLASSworks programme include: CLASSworks Infrastructure, which provides professional hardware and software solutions for educational institutions including training courses and three-year support.
Second is CLASSworks Extension, which enables schools to order additional digital devices from Viafrica to enhance their ICT education. The devices include USB microscopes and digital cameras.
The CLASSworks Academy is the third programme. This provides a digital e-learning environment that resembles the national educational curriculum of Kenya and Tanzania.
The CLASSwork online provides schools with permanent access to the internet through mobile networks. Educational institutions can also design their own presence on the web through the use of a modular content management system. For primary schools, Classworks Mobile has been designed for schools that have no computer rooms. They can use laptops, tablets or netbooks through the use of mobile network to provide ICT education.
For school teachers, Classwork Support has been designed to support them more intensively in their ICT education. Viafrica usually finances 75% of the projects and schools 25% of the necessary investments, as well as the usage costs.
Since its inception in 2003, Viafrica has implemented a total of 230 projects, with CLASSworks computers implemented being 4508, teachers trained 506 and a total of 200226 students have benefited from these programmes.
Managing Director, Joost Dam says ICT needs to be embraced since it’s an important component in achieving national development.
“ICT is the future and therefore it’s an honor for Viafrica to contribute in improving ICT education in Africaâ€, added Joost.
“It is a challenge to serve everyone and therefore I call upon people of good will to step in and give a helping hand†added Peter Gitau, Managing Director Viafrica Kenya. He further states that ICT plays a key role in achievement of “Vision 2030â€.
For students, Viafrica’s projects have acted as a catalyst to shaping of their futures. “The future is bright because Viafrica opened a way for me to learn and know more about ICTâ€, said Opiyo, a beneficial of CLASSworks initiatives.
The organization is calling for philanthropists, companies and organizations to partner with them, give PC donations and any kind of financial assistance in order to reach and serve millions of students in Kenya and Tanzania