Reduce the digital gap and we reduce poverty!

Life has been busy for all the staff and children at Añañau. Last month, they gave us an update about how the organisation is recovering from the effects of Covid, as well as what they had been getting up to in June and July.
                            
As summer came to an end and autumn crept in, the staff at Añañau told us what September had brought for them. They told us that the Covid vaccination programme in Peru was going well, which meant that schools could reopen, and education could continue. However, they also mentioned that due to the infrastructure of some schools in Peru (lack of clean water and electricity), it may be hard to keep sanitation efforts up.
 
This time around, we learn how much of a positive impact technology is having for everyone at the project and how, that when disadvantaged communities have more access to digital technologies, the poverty gap starts to close. 
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Distance learning and mobile phones
 
As was reported last month by Añañau, lots of the children, especially the older ones, are having many of their lessons online.
 
Here is what they told us about how the student’s learning is going:

“During September, we continued face-to-face activities of helping with homework and remediation with the children. We have been doing this in small groups and with an adapted schedule.
 
We see that the children are very happy to come to the project (Añañau) again and receive guidance and attention. Emotionally, it helps them a lot knowing that they are not struggling alone and that they can have social contact again with other children of their age, as well as with the tutors.
 
They are also making better progress with their schoolwork, and we see that they are improving. When they receive help and have access to the necessary educational resources, the children are much more motivated.
 
We see that because of the new reality with the distance learning program of the Ministry of Education, the children are unfortunately spending a lot more time on their phones! All families had to get a smartphone to send homework to the teachers through WhatsApp(!). However, they are also developing more Information Computer Technology, and other media, skills by using the laptops at the project. This has had a positive outcome towards reducing the digital gap for disadvantaged communities. This is something we worked on a lot during educational activities before the pandemic - but now even more.”
 
Laptops, volunteers and other updates​

Añañau also told us about how they had received recycled laptops and what that meant for them. They have also been able to have international volunteers back at the project to help. Here is what else they said:
 
“Añañau was very happy to welcome Tony Selvaggio, CEO and representant of eSmart Recycling, for a visit at the project on September 11th. eSmart Recycling is a technology recycling company with a strong focus on sustainable education that bridges the digital gap. Their mission is to recycle old technology from individuals and companies, at the highest compliance standards, and use a portion of the proceeds to fund tech labs for kids without access to computers worldwide. With their visit, they donated 10 recycled laptops to Añañau for the computer lab. This is the start of a sustainable support cooperation with Añañau for the long term.
 
From September, Añañau received the first international volunteers again at the project centre in Cusco, Peru. We are very happy that the situation with Covid in Peru is improving substantially, and that international travel to us is possible again - as well as volunteering at the project centres in Cusco. The volunteer’s help and support means a lot for the project.
 
To donate to Añañau, head over to the Contact Us page.
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Disclaimer: All the information present is accurate and correct. However, some sentences may have been rewritten for purely an understanding purpose