Huawei has unveiled the DigiTruck project, in partnership with Belgium nonprofit organisation Close the Gap, to provide digital skills training to rural and remote communities in Kenya
The DigiTruck is Huawei’s latest effort driving their digital inclusion initiative Tech4ALL.
Huawei DigiTruck is designed to increase the awareness and accessibility of digital skills by delivering digital skills to remote homes through mobile digital classrooms converted from truck containers.
The DigiTruck is equipped with wireless broadband-enabled by fixed wireless access, laptops and smartphones, enabling Internet skills to be taught aboard and incorporating VR content in digital education. It also has solar panels and batteries capable of powering it, so it can reach remote rural villages with no electricity where local teachers, women and youth can be trained.
The devices inside the truck are refurbished, extending the life of these devices; responsible e-waste management will be one topic taught on the DigiTruck as well as being safe online.
Olivier Vanden Eynde, founder and CEO of Close the Gap, said, “With the different DigiTrucks we have been able to reach even the most isolated communities that have little or no access to ICT, also bring quality training and education to these areas.”
Ritchie Peng, chief marketing officer, Huawei Wireless Solution, added, “The empowering use of ICT is closely connected to socio-economic development. Our 20 years of experience connecting rural communities in Africa has shown us that wireless broadband access is significantly changing the way we live and work in the digital world.”
The Huawei DigiTruck will move around rural communities on planned dates with partners to provide digital skills training to teachers, digital literacy training to those who have never been online, and show youth how to study and earn income online.
A total of 7,000 teachers and community members are expected to be trained on digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and online job opportunities within the first year of implementation.
