After a couple weeks of wrangling with Uganda Telecom, the computer school is finally connected to the internet via adsl! We still have a bit more networking and setup to do, but we should be open for business by tomorrow.
Martha, Scott and Maggie Pavao, three New Hope volunteers from the US, did an excellent job in setting up the computer school during their time in Busia. As of now we have 13 computers hooked up--7 for the internet cafe, 5 for the computer training programs, and the manager's computer.
The staff and children at New Hope were absolutely thrilled to receive this computer school. Many Ugandans graduate from college without ever learning how to use a computer, so naturally the orphans and vulnerable children at New Hope are beyond excited to begin using these machines at such a young age.
I'm very excited for the next few weeks as the internet cafe opens for business. It was difficult to have to turn away so many potential customers in the past couple weeks as we waited for Uganda Telecom to repair our internet connection, but demand for internet access is huge--we shouldn't have any problem finding new customers. This is a crucial income-generating project for New Hope. If all goes well, the cafe could bring in enough income to fund at least 10-20% of New Hope's yearly budget.
Pictures coming soon!
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