MEDIA COVERAGE
The Peninsular, Doha Qatar, April 2009
MIT Technology Review Magazine, May 2007
MIT Tech Talk, Graduation Edition, June 2006
MIT Tech Talk, Aisha's and Shawntel's Kenya Trip, May 2007
Imara Media, Aisha's Presentation, June 2007
Laare's ECAST Model presented at ICTD 2009 Conference, Doha Qatar, April 2009
Shawntel Hines presented a demo at the International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development in Doha, Qatar. ICTD 2009. Of all the demo presentations, Shawntel's presentation was one of just a select few that were mentioned in the newspaper! Here's the news on Qatar's leading English daily The Peninsular
Internet Installation, School and Government Outreach Implemented, July 2007
Lacotec's founder, Eric Mibuari, travelled to Laare in July 2007 and finally succeeded in getting an internet connection installed at the centre. This connection is through Safaricom's GPRS service. This now presents the centre with greater possibilities for communication with the outside world and collaboration with other institutions in Kenya and abroad. New equipment including 12 desktop PCs, Lego Mindstorms kits, 4 laptops, and dustcovers were also delivered in July and some of this equipment has been installed. The primary schools in the Edubuntu outreach initiative were finally given the computers. A detailed update on summer 2007 activities is coming up soon.
Two MIT Students Travel to Kenya, January 2007
MIT students Aisha Walcott and Shawntel Hines have returned from Kenya. They spent the month of IAP (January) working at the centre and also collaborating with various institutions like Strathmore University and the University of Nairobi. During their time in Laarei, Aisha and Shawntel launched a new primary school outreach programme and carried out a very successful community wide Information Technology awareness event. At least eight primary schools are being issued with laptops running EdUbuntu. This is a linux OS with specially tailored educational software that helps elementary (primary) school pupils learn how to use computers and also how utilize the special EdUbuntu software to improve their understanding of Math, Science and English.
This trip and the work being done have been made possible by MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL), MIT's Public Service Center (PSC) , the Chancellor's office and the MIT Libraries.
Pictures from Aisha's and Shawntel's trip