This briefing comes with great joy from the team that was tasked to conduct
the Nyeri pilot for the Wikimedia for schools project. The team that went to
Nyeri; comprising of the team leader Stephen, the two wonderful ladies Grace
and Ann and I are glad to confirm to all of you that the pilot was a
success. The team managed to interact with a whooping eleven schools in
total, the highest number achieved compared to the other two initial
projects. However, this is a gain to all of us as an institution and should
encourage us to go the extra mile in all our endeavors. A detailed report
will be availed to everyone once we finish up on its nitty-gritty and
compilation. Gratitude goes to the Wikimedia foundation and all the members
of the Kenyan Chapter who played a part in ensuring the success of this
project. Furthermore, I would like to commend on the good workmanship of my
fellow team members and the unending team spirit that was portrayed at all
times. That is a team one can 'die' to be with. Lastly, I would like you all
to put your heads into thoughts regarding the words of one of the principals
we met. He said, "we do have the technology, but how is the technology
helping us achieve our daily goals and objectives?" Thank you all and be
blessed!
WebRep
Overall rating
WebRep
Overall rating
Hi guys,
As most of you know, apart from my involvement in Wikimedia, I'm also actively involved in the Mozilla Project. The local Mozilla community has been steadily growing over the past year and now with the recent launch of Firefox 4 desktop and mobile browsers, we'll be joining Mozilla communities from all over the World in celebrating the new browser by hosting a local party at ihub on April 15th from 6 pm.
We'll also take this opportunity to unveill our new community site.
So I'd like to take this opportunity to officially invite you to the party. If you'll be available, please confirm your attendance via rsvp: mozilla-kenya.org/rsvp
cheers,
Alex.
Hi guys,
I will accompany Bruce to tomorrows meeting where we will be meeting the Guy
who was contracted to install some products to schools country wide.
Please feel free to air your questions that we could ask them during the
meeting.
Regards
On Mar 29, 2011 10:01 AM, "Limoke Oscar" <oslimoke(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> Hey.
> Guys am back home and feeling great.I just want all of us to know that we
> are doing a great work and the World is watching us and is proud of our
> efforts.Lets keep up the spirit.Will post you more in the coming days once
> am settled...
> cheers and great work guys.
>
>
> On Tue, Mar 29, 2011 at 6:29 AM, stephen wanjau <wanjaustev(a)gmail.com
>wrote:
>
>> Hi guys,
>> May I take this chance to inform you that the Nyeri pilot went live as
>> scheduled and so far we have visited two schools.
>> Namely ;
>> Nyeri high school and Temple road secondary.
>> It has been quite a great success.
>>
>> Important to NOTE,the bug that was preventing computers running on XP
from
>> indexing has been taken care of by some software-which is a c++ library
>> that I think was missing,Alex sent me the link where I found this
library.
>> Cheers,
>>
>> On Mar 23, 2011 7:13 PM, "Chris Riwa" <chriwaustin(a)gmail.com> wrote:
>> > Thnx steve, lets do this.
>> >
>> > On 3/23/11, stephen wanjau <wanjaustev(a)gmail.com> wrote:
>> >> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> >> From: stephen wanjau <wanjaustev(a)gmail.com>
>> >> Date: Wed, Mar 23, 2011 at 4:51 PM
>> >> Subject: Fwd: Nyeri
>> >> To: chriwaustin(a)gmail.com
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> >> From: stephen wanjau <wanjaustev(a)gmail.com>
>> >> Date: Wed, Mar 23, 2011 at 4:50 PM
>> >> Subject: Fwd: Nyeri
>> >> To: gkariuki99(a)gmail.com
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> >> From: stephen wanjau <wanjaustev(a)gmail.com>
>> >> Date: Wed, Mar 23, 2011 at 4:05 PM
>> >> Subject: Nyeri
>> >> To: gkariuki99(a)gmail.com
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Hi chris,
>> >>
>> >> I hope you are fine.I am writing this to serve as a notification that
>> the
>> >> Nyeri pilot shall be going live
>> >> On Monday the 28th March 2011.
>> >>
>> >> Regarding the same we shall leave Nairobi on Sunday 0830h (GMT).The
>> Nyeri
>> >> shuttles are found along Latima <http://goo.gl/maps/UH7L> RDkindly
give
>> me
>> >> a call on the safaricom number below to facilitate the same.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> regards
>> >> Nyeri Team Leader
>> >> Stephen Wathika Wanjau
>> >> Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture And Technology.
>> >> Bsc. Mathematics (*Statistics*) and Computer Science.
>> >> Cell:+254 722 238 165
>> >> +254 736 429 517
>> >>
>> >> Facebook: www.facebook.com/swanjau
>> >>
>> >> Twitter: www.twitter.com/haha_wanjau
>> >>
>> >> skype:stephenwanjau1
>> >>
>> >> "*changing how the world works*"
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Stephen Wathika Wanjau
>> >> Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture And Technology.
>> >> Bsc. Mathematics (*Statistics*) and Computer Science.
>> >> Cell:+254 722 238 165
>> >> +254 736 429 517
>> >>
>> >> Facebook: www.facebook.com/swanjau
>> >>
>> >> Twitter: www.twitter.com/haha_wanjau
>> >>
>> >> skype:stephenwanjau1
>> >>
>> >> "*changing how the world works*"
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Stephen Wathika Wanjau
>> >> Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture And Technology.
>> >> Bsc. Mathematics (*Statistics*) and Computer Science.
>> >> Cell:+254 722 238 165
>> >> +254 736 429 517
>> >>
>> >> Facebook: www.facebook.com/swanjau
>> >>
>> >> Twitter: www.twitter.com/haha_wanjau
>> >>
>> >> skype:stephenwanjau1
>> >>
>> >> "*changing how the world works*"
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Stephen Wathika Wanjau
>> >> Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture And Technology.
>> >> Bsc. Mathematics (*Statistics*) and Computer Science.
>> >> Cell:+254 722 238 165
>> >> +254 736 429 517
>> >>
>> >> Facebook: www.facebook.com/swanjau
>> >>
>> >> Twitter: www.twitter.com/haha_wanjau
>> >>
>> >> skype:stephenwanjau1
>> >>
>> >> "*changing how the world works*"
>> >>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> WikimediaKE mailing list
>> WikimediaKE(a)lists.wikimedia.org
>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediake
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Limoke Oscar,
> Freelancer,
> GeoInformatics and GIScience Student
May I take this chance that already makes me feel like a hero as the team
leader for Nyeri pilot to give you a brief summary for the pilot.I am
putting together the titbits to have a detailed report that I will avail at
WWW.Wikimedia.or.ke.
I must first thank God for everything and then thank my team for not only
their egregious perfomance but for also making the trip an erudite &
exuberant experience,and not forgetting all the members of Wikimedia Kenya
who took part in a way or the other to make the pilot successful.
We managed to have 10+1 schools onboard! The extra school came up as we did
our presentation in one of the schools, kumbe among the active audience was
a teacher from another school in Karatina (which is around 40km from Nyeri)
she was so impressed by what we were offering to schools and she even went
ahead to request us to passby her school.we could not make it Because our
schedule was tight,but we took it upon us to show her how to install and go
about the Wikipedia for schools.I decided to go the extra mile, which is
never crowded and I armed her with a copy of the DVD and the users manual
albeit I did not tell her to sign the completion certificate because we did
not personally visit the school.
We managed to do presentations in five schools.we could not make to do this
in all the ten because examinations in most of the schools were underway,and
I think this should be factored in projects we could undertake in the
future.
During the presentations we flaunted the Wikimedia foundation projects but
later narrowed down to Wikipedia which in this case was our prime objective
of the visit.
We showed them how to create Wikipedia accounts and how to write articles
for the encyclopedia.infact we lured them to do more by writing short
articles-a line or two about their respective schools.
Sad to note though,the viruses at these schools computers had no benign
intent.two of the laptops that we had with us were infected and the kiwix
application couldn't run anymore!we had connected these laptops using
crossover cables to expedite the copying process after seeing the dire need
to have more computers copy the kiwix and the zim file simultaneously.I
think that was a "lesson well learnt" .but this did not deter us from
carrying on.Thanks to technology.
All in all the trip was successful.
Now sounding reminiscent,Nyeri is the home of scouting and the final resting
place of the founder of the world wide brotherhood of scouts Robert Baden
Powell.
Once again thank you everyone for every input into this noble course.
On Mar 29, 2011 10:01 AM, "Limoke Oscar" <oslimoke(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> Hey.
> Guys am back home and feeling great.I just want all of us to know that we
> are doing a great work and the World is watching us and is proud of our
> efforts.Lets keep up the spirit.Will post you more in the coming days once
> am settled...
> cheers and great work guys.
>
>
> On Tue, Mar 29, 2011 at 6:29 AM, stephen wanjau <wanjaustev(a)gmail.com
>wrote:
>
>> Hi guys,
>> May I take this chance to inform you that the Nyeri pilot went live as
>> scheduled and so far we have visited two schools.
>> Namely ;
>> Nyeri high school and Temple road secondary.
>> It has been quite a great success.
>>
>> Important to NOTE,the bug that was preventing computers running on XP
from
>> indexing has been taken care of by some software-which is a c++ library
>> that I think was missing,Alex sent me the link where I found this
library.
>> Cheers,
>>
>> On Mar 23, 2011 7:13 PM, "Chris Riwa" <chriwaustin(a)gmail.com> wrote:
>> > Thnx steve, lets do this.
>> >
>> > On 3/23/11, stephen wanjau <wanjaustev(a)gmail.com> wrote:
>> >> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> >> From: stephen wanjau <wanjaustev(a)gmail.com>
>> >> Date: Wed, Mar 23, 2011 at 4:51 PM
>> >> Subject: Fwd: Nyeri
>> >> To: chriwaustin(a)gmail.com
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> >> From: stephen wanjau <wanjaustev(a)gmail.com>
>> >> Date: Wed, Mar 23, 2011 at 4:50 PM
>> >> Subject: Fwd: Nyeri
>> >> To: gkariuki99(a)gmail.com
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> >> From: stephen wanjau <wanjaustev(a)gmail.com>
>> >> Date: Wed, Mar 23, 2011 at 4:05 PM
>> >> Subject: Nyeri
>> >> To: gkariuki99(a)gmail.com
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Hi chris,
>> >>
>> >> I hope you are fine.I am writing this to serve as a notification that
>> the
>> >> Nyeri pilot shall be going live
>> >> On Monday the 28th March 2011.
>> >>
>> >> Regarding the same we shall leave Nairobi on Sunday 0830h (GMT).The
>> Nyeri
>> >> shuttles are found along Latima <http://goo.gl/maps/UH7L> RDkindly
give
>> me
>> >> a call on the safaricom number below to facilitate the same.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> regards
>> >> Nyeri Team Leader
>> >> Stephen Wathika Wanjau
>> >> Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture And Technology.
>> >> Bsc. Mathematics (*Statistics*) and Computer Science.
>> >> Cell:+254 722 238 165
>> >> +254 736 429 517
>> >>
>> >> Facebook: www.facebook.com/swanjau
>> >>
>> >> Twitter: www.twitter.com/haha_wanjau
>> >>
>> >> skype:stephenwanjau1
>> >>
>> >> "*changing how the world works*"
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Stephen Wathika Wanjau
>> >> Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture And Technology.
>> >> Bsc. Mathematics (*Statistics*) and Computer Science.
>> >> Cell:+254 722 238 165
>> >> +254 736 429 517
>> >>
>> >> Facebook: www.facebook.com/swanjau
>> >>
>> >> Twitter: www.twitter.com/haha_wanjau
>> >>
>> >> skype:stephenwanjau1
>> >>
>> >> "*changing how the world works*"
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Stephen Wathika Wanjau
>> >> Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture And Technology.
>> >> Bsc. Mathematics (*Statistics*) and Computer Science.
>> >> Cell:+254 722 238 165
>> >> +254 736 429 517
>> >>
>> >> Facebook: www.facebook.com/swanjau
>> >>
>> >> Twitter: www.twitter.com/haha_wanjau
>> >>
>> >> skype:stephenwanjau1
>> >>
>> >> "*changing how the world works*"
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Stephen Wathika Wanjau
>> >> Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture And Technology.
>> >> Bsc. Mathematics (*Statistics*) and Computer Science.
>> >> Cell:+254 722 238 165
>> >> +254 736 429 517
>> >>
>> >> Facebook: www.facebook.com/swanjau
>> >>
>> >> Twitter: www.twitter.com/haha_wanjau
>> >>
>> >> skype:stephenwanjau1
>> >>
>> >> "*changing how the world works*"
>> >>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> WikimediaKE mailing list
>> WikimediaKE(a)lists.wikimedia.org
>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediake
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Limoke Oscar,
> Freelancer,
> GeoInformatics and GIScience Student
Guys,
This email should have come a few weeks ago but things have been terribly
busy with me. Its all in good progress, got a government job, keeps me very
close to the Kenyan Vice President and that is good for the future of my
involvement in Wikimedia Kenya. I still keep my commitment to this noble
organization.
As head of the Mombasa pilot, here is a little of my views on what was
achieved, what could have been achieved and what missed.
During the pre-visit, I went to 12 schools in total and out of these, there
were schools that just didnt have the capacity - either no computers or
their computers were just too old to do anything. There were those with good
computers but just turned down the offer to have the Wikipedia Offline
version installed since the computers were provided by a program between the
Kenya government and the Japanese government and they were under strict
instructions not to modify the current software settings. Some of the
schools were too good, had serious connectivity and good computer labs that
they didnt even use because all students had their own laptops. Its the
dynamics of life. So in total we had about 9 schools in our schedule
although we ended up doing only 7, 2 pulled out last minute - one because
they also fell in the government program and the computer teacher didnt know
until the day we got there to do the installation while the other one had
exams during the time when we planned to go to the school.
*Education System:*
Having achieved the 7 schools was good, given we only had 5 days to work
with. We learned a lot and this would be experience that will be useful when
we roll out the program countrywide. Our goal is to promote the use of
Wikipedia to benefit both students and teachers while keeping to the
curricular. Out of the 7 schools we visited, 2 were on the british system
and the rest were on 8-4-4. The two are quite different and although some
fundamentals still meet, I feel there is need to develop one that goes with
the 8-4-4 system which 95% of schools in Kenya are on. If we are going to
have a successful roll out of the Wikipedia for Schools project, it needs to
have a huge impact. It needs to fill in a gap that is not there. I feel the
need to set up a local project to develop content based on the current
system of education. Our system is very similar to a lot of other African
countries and this means we can have it used all over Africa. This does not
have to be done immediately, but I think it can be one of the goals of the
chapter once we are set.
*Computers:*
While we went to institutions, there is no equality and there is no telling
what kind of machines you will find at an institution. There are a number of
organizations that are distributing refurbished computers to schools but I
have to say that unfortunately, this is VERY commercialized and still makes
it hard for the schools to afford it. I believe with the credibility of The
Wikimedia Foundation, we can gather up people and organizations to donate
used and refurbished computers which go for under $150 locally. I have a
commercial plan around this that can generate funds to run the program but
not cost the school. This would be a plan that would also benefit
communities around the schools. I have discussed this idea with a few people
and they seem to think its very workable. If we are going to work with
these, we also need to go Open Source as we can, meaning Linux. I believe
this program is something we can discuss on our next meetup. Abbas and I
will also try to talk to the foundation to see the possibilities.
**Finally, while we have a huge need to get this to most schools, we can
only move at a good pace if we forge strategic partnerships with the
government and other organizations that have closely similar goals in
education development.
We need to setup more local content on Wikipedia too, this will encourage
more locals.
--
-------------
David Mugo,
ICT & E-Commerce Consultant,
http://majibu.com
Twitter: @raidarmax
Hi all? I think Bruce that is such a brilliant idea and I hope we shall get the volunteers. I hope everyone is aware of the power of teachers in society! Not only educating but also their marketing skills. If they find Wikipedia for schools nice; definitely it is!, they'l spread word faster n wider which is to our chapter's advantage...therefore I think we need representatives:-)! Cheers, lilian
On Thu Mar 31st, 2011 11:04 PM PDT BRANTON OBWARI wrote:
>Hi ,Wikimedians !
>i was having some talk the director of TLS &Logistics Group ,a firm mandated
>with setting up computer labs in schools in the country ,by the Ministry of
>Education .it is instructive to note that some of the schools we visited in
>Kakamega and Mombasa are works of their project.After an animated briefing
>on the state of e-learning platform in the country ,and what wikipedia for
>schools is all about .We observed that because TLS &Group are setting up *
>platform* and Wikipedia for schools are availing *content* in the former
>,there are ways we can collaborate and add value to the whole thing, his
>team is training 100 teachers in the larger Nyanza region ,atleast that is
>what he said, the manner of collaboration would be that, two of the
>wikipedia for schools volunteers are incorporated in their training and
>rollout of the same they are mandated with the task of talking matters
>wikipedia ,in this regards he caters for facilitation and handles logistics
>.
> i requested that i consult with fellow
>Wikimedians and get back to him on Monday on the same.
> What do you guys think ?
>
>rgds
Hi ,Wikimedians !
i was having some talk the director of TLS &Logistics Group ,a firm mandated
with setting up computer labs in schools in the country ,by the Ministry of
Education .it is instructive to note that some of the schools we visited in
Kakamega and Mombasa are works of their project.After an animated briefing
on the state of e-learning platform in the country ,and what wikipedia for
schools is all about .We observed that because TLS &Group are setting up *
platform* and Wikipedia for schools are availing *content* in the former
,there are ways we can collaborate and add value to the whole thing, his
team is training 100 teachers in the larger Nyanza region ,atleast that is
what he said, the manner of collaboration would be that, two of the
wikipedia for schools volunteers are incorporated in their training and
rollout of the same they are mandated with the task of talking matters
wikipedia ,in this regards he caters for facilitation and handles logistics
.
i requested that i consult with fellow
Wikimedians and get back to him on Monday on the same.
What do you guys think ?
rgds
Hey folks,
I urge you to look at this pad and and the Present kenyan bylwas so that we finalise on the legal aspect of the Chapter.
View it here:
http://oslimoke.ietherpad.com/1
the password is:wikimediakenya
--
Sent by oslimoke.ietherpad.com at the request of an EtherPad user.
Do not reply to this email.
Report abuse to: admin(a)ietherpad.com
Hey folks,
I urge you to look at this pad and and the Present kenyan bylwas so that we finalise on the legal aspect of the Chapter.
View it here:
http://oslimoke.ietherpad.com/1
--
Sent by oslimoke.ietherpad.com at the request of an EtherPad user.
Do not reply to this email.
Report abuse to: admin(a)ietherpad.com