A Library and Technology Centre has been built by the Company in partnership with Old Mutual Zimbabwe, which has a strong background in community development.
The idea for the Technology Centre was born out of concern for the lack of technology available to local students. There are currently 17 primary and 10 secondary schools in the immediate villages surrounding Chisumbanje, none of which have access to computers or the Internet. This means that approximately 750 children per year are leaving school and entering the employment world with absolutely no computer literacy, significantly lowering their ability to find gainful employment and placing them at a severe disadvantage compared to their peers living in less remote areas. In order to address this pressing issue, the Centre is predominantly made available to students in their last year of schooling and to any other students who excel at their studies or show an aptitude for computers.
The Centre also incorporates a library and study area for all students and the general public to utilize. There is currently no community or council library in the area and so the students’ access to information and research materials is limited to the resources that their particular school is able to provide. The introduction of the library has also significantly helped students and the community to improve their reading skills and increase their knowledge base.
