Overview

Petronille Healthy Society (PHS) Code for Kids program aims to bridge the digital divide in Sub-Saharan Africa by providing access to computer education and training in computer coding.
The program was developed in response to the challenge of limited access to computer education and a shortage of trained instructors in the region. According to data from the World Bank, in 2019, only 24.6% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa had access to the internet, with some countries having rates as low as 2%. This limited access to the internet has contributed to the digital divide, which is further widened by the lack of computer education in the region.

Furthermore, many educational institutions in the region lack the financial resources to purchase computers, which hinders their ability to offer computer education. According to UNESCO, in 2019, the student-to-computer ratio in Sub-Saharan Africa was 27:1, compared to the global average of 5:1. This means that students in the region have limited access to computer technology, hindering their ability to acquire computer skills and knowledge.

The PHS Code for Kids program seeks to address these challenges by providing access to computer education and training in computer coding. The program offers training to teachers and students in coding and computer literacy, providing them with the necessary skills to succeed in the digital age. PHS also provides computers to educational institutions, making it possible for them to offer computer education to their students. Since the program's inception, PHS has provided access to computer education to over 10,000 students in the Sub-Saharan region.
The program has also trained over 500 teachers in coding and computer literacy, improving the quality of computer education in the region. PHS has partnered with local schools and educational institutions, government agencies, and NGOs to expand the reach of the program and ensure that more students have access to computer education.

Our Approach

The PHS Code for Kids program in Sub-Saharan Africa aims to provide computer education to students in the region by adopting a comprehensive and sustainable approach. Our approach includes the following steps:

1. Establishing partnerships: We work closely with local educational organizations, governments, and other NGOs to establish partnerships that help us identify the specific needs of each community and ensure the sustainability of the program.

2. Training teachers: We provide specialized training to teachers in the region, equipping them with the skills and knowledge necessary to teach computer coding to students. Our training program includes online courses, workshops, and mentoring sessions.

3. Providing access to computers and the internet: We provide access to computers and the internet to educational organizations that cannot afford to buy them. We do this by partnering with businesses and individuals who donate computers, laptops, and other equipment.

4. Curriculum development: We develop a comprehensive and culturally appropriate curriculum for computer coding that is suitable for the Sub-Saharan African context. Our curriculum focuses on basic coding languages, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking.

5. Monitoring and evaluation: We monitor and evaluate the progress of the program regularly, ensuring that it is meeting its objectives and making a positive impact on the community. We also use this feedback to make improvements and adjust our approach accordingly.

Our approach ensures that students in Sub-Saharan Africa have access to computer education and the opportunity to learn coding and other digital skills. By providing access to computers and the internet and training teachers in computer coding, we can bridge the digital divide in the region and ensure that students have the skills they need to succeed in the digital age.

The Petronille Healthy Society also strives to enhance resource management and educational management. Technology is increasingly used for organized data management, marketing, and education. In order to redistribute resources to deprived areas, society uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to map schools and monitor educational achievements.
These mapping and surveillance activities may result in equal resource distribution for schools and cost reductions for education by identifying schools that need more computers. Moreover, the Petronille Healthy Society is also helping to create coding centers and train teachers so that skilled people can teach students. Local agents train students in basic code and discuss different programming concepts, including sequencing, conditional logic, problem-solving, repetition, loops, and debugging.

Our Focus

Our efforts can contribute towards increasing the skillset of children. The focus of Petronille Healthy Society Code for Kids program in Sub-Saharan Africa is to provide computer education and coding skills to children in the region through training teachers, providing access to technology, and promoting digital literacy to bridge the digital gap and prepare children for the future..