If I had not seen this happen with my own eyes, I would not have thought it possible. Satellite internet in a place not even on Google Maps! There is now a functioning computer lab at my school which is very top of the line – pictures to follow. In terms of education, this is like opening a whole world to some learners who have never been more than 10 Km from this spot.
It has taken two and 3/4 months and another day *, a ton of phone calls, strange matatu connections (especially the 9:30 PM Thursday night ‘special ride’ to town after Misiko flashed the torch all over), electrical and cabling nightmares, long hours with strange IT people (strange only because they do IT – otherwise they are pretty normal). It is beyond imagination that six months ago I could drive down Tasman Ave. in San Jose where Cisco is located and today a firewall from Cisco was delivered – on a very, very long drive on an incredibly rocky unpaved road. It was just as if it occurred in a commercial to prove the ‘connection’.
My Form 4 learners now have 345 days until their big exams (KCSE) and I am truly hoping this makes a HUGE difference for them.
A special thank you to all those who put up with me crying, wacked out complaint e-mails around the world, ridiculous IT questions, equally ridiculous electrical questions and having to suffer through this experience with me. You are all a brave lot and deserve tons of hugs for your support.
* I jumped for joy too early yesterday. The power outage in Iten took out the router. It had to go back to Kisumu for an overnight ‘fix’ and is supposedly being installed today while I am in town.
Thought Full - It's "IN" the intention! 