This CNN Hero upcycles old computers to open new worlds for young Kenyans

“I do know the ache of poverty, and that is why I really feel so keen about it,” mentioned Cheboi, a software program engineer who splits her time between the US and Kenya. “I by no means forgot what it was like with my abdomen churning due to starvation at evening.”

In 2012, Cheboi obtained a full scholarship to Augustana Faculty in Illinois and commenced her research with virtually no pc expertise. She handwrote papers and struggled to transcribe them on a laptop computer. She mentioned she by no means felt comfy utilizing a pc till her junior 12 months when she took a Java course required for her arithmetic main.

“After I found pc science, I simply fell in love with it. I knew that that is one thing that I needed to do as my profession, and likewise convey it to my neighborhood,” she mentioned.

Cheboi switched to a double main and earned a bachelor’s diploma. But she says expertise like touch-typing that got here seamlessly to some have been nonetheless a steep studying curve for her. At one level after school, she needed to follow for six months earlier than she may cross a coding interview. It is a talent that’s now a core a part of the TechLit curriculum.

“I really feel so achieved seeing youngsters which can be 7 years previous touch-typing, understanding that I simply discovered methods to touch-type lower than 5 years in the past,” she mentioned.

Cheboi made inroads with companies in her occupation, and in 2018 she started accepting recycled computer systems from them. She began small, carrying the machines to Kenya in check-on baggage and dealing with customs charges and taxes herself.

“At one level, I used to be bringing 44 computer systems, and I paid extra for the baggage than I did for the air ticket,” she mentioned.

TechLit Africa now works with freight and transport firms to move the donated computer systems so it is extra value environment friendly. The donated {hardware} is wiped, refurbished and distributed to associate colleges in rural Kenya, the place college students aged 4 to 12 obtain each day courses and frequent alternatives to study from professionals and acquire expertise that can assist enhance their training and put together them for future jobs.

“We’ve individuals who personal a particular talent coming in and are simply inspiring the children (with) music manufacturing, video manufacturing, coding, private branding,” Cheboi mentioned. “They will go from doing a distant class with NASA on training to music manufacturing with our artists.”

Cheboi’s group maintains on-line and onsite possession of the computer systems, offering tech help, software program updates and troubleshooting. TechLit Africa installs new buyer working methods geared in direction of kids, and colleges are requested to pay a small price for the providers, which incorporates TechLit educators onsite from 8am-4pm.

The group at the moment serves 10 colleges, and by early subsequent 12 months, Cheboi hopes to be partnered with 100 extra.

“My hope is that when the primary TechLit youngsters graduate highschool, they’re capable of get a job on-line as a result of they’ll know methods to code, they’ll know methods to do graphic design, they know methods to do advertising and marketing,” Cheboi mentioned. “The world is your oyster if you end up educated. By bringing the assets, by bringing these expertise, we’re opening up the world to them.”