KiBO Foundation and global IT provider Cisco have partnered to empower children with special needs with modern technology. At an event held at Hill preparatory school in Naguru last Friday, 25th July, a little over 100 children with special needs from five schools graduated from a short computer course which was taught by KiBO’s mobile computer Lab in partnership with Makerere University.
The KiBO Foundation is a youth focused social enterprise that has a track record of empowering communities in Uganda since 2007. KiBO runs a unique high impact program based on three big ideas of Technology, Leadership and Giving Back, to foster transformation in the community. “We at KiBO believe that technology must be integrated into our daily lives and it must be accessible by everyone.” Abraham Temu the Founder and managing director said The organization has partnered with two global IT providers; Intel provides content for digital literacy while Cisco provides content for IT essential program. These partnerships according to Temu help create an integrated world where equal opportunity is available to all irrespective of who they are.
Hital Muraj corporate affairs manager Cisco, East and Central Africa said “children with special needs have sort of been left behind, but it’s important to Include them in this new wave of technology and open them to global networks so they can connect with other people.”. She added that “Cisco has training programs that teach them to have valuable technology skills”. The global IT company has also gone ahead to innovate new products that are targeted towards enabling people with special needs to integrate easily with their communities.
“We have a video technology currently in development that is meant to help the deaf to communicate. The way it works is that the deaf person communicates through signs and the device translates this into audible words that the normal people can understand and vice-versa. This technology is currently still in research phase, but should be out by the end of next year.” Hital said.
Cisco has also partnered with deaf Aid in Kenya to help hearing-impaired people in Kenya learn valuable job skills, improve their standing in society, and increase their economic opportunities.
When world celebrated theoretical physicist and cosmologist, Stephen William Hawking was diagnosed with a motor neuron disease related to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a condition that later on made him almost entirely paralysed, the doctors gave him only 3 years to live! Of course Stephen defied all the doctor’s predictions. When Hawking’s physical abilities declined to point where he couldn’t talk or write, it was only through the power of technology that the world would benefit from his genius. It could be efforts from the likes of KiBO and Cisco that could breed the next Stephen Hawking.
Feature Image: Participant recieves certificate from Hital Muraj (m) coorporate affars manager East and Central southern Africa CISCO as Abraham Temu (L) Managing director KiBO looks on. (R) Mayor of Entebbe Muncipality
