Obama Spurs Hope in African Nations for Educational Development

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 31, 2009

Contact: Sarah Hayes
(858) 342-1379
Shayes11@gmail.com

Obama Spurs Hope in African Nations for Educational Development

Dakar, Senegal – On May 27th eLearning Africa will conduct their fourth pan-African networking event in Dakar, Senegal. eLearning Africa is the continent’s largest annual assembly of eLearning and education professionals from Africa and beyond. The event focuses on discussing and training it’s participants on how to use a variety of technologies for development and education within their different African countries.

“The recent election of US President Barack Obama has elicited an unprecedented frenzy of hope across Africa,” stated Kenyan Journalist, Reuben Kyama. “With an African-American president in office, the majority of the continent’s 750 million people anticipate a new dawn in the realm of socio-economic and political affairs.”

To ensure the participation of Africans with financial constraints, the eLearning Africa conference organizers have set up a scholarship program. Through the generous support of donors and organizations providing grants, teachers and educational professionals from every African nation and region are provided with the opportunity to learn how to expand their educational systems. Conference participation will help the African practitioners lay the groundwork towards achieving the Millennium Development Goal of "Education for All".

Joseph Kipkoech Langat from SNV North Rift Portfolio, Kenya, was able to network with Oracle at a past eLearning Africa event and has made great educational strides since then.

“Through this initiative, we now see scope to enable improved access to, and quality of, primary education for 72,000 children in the North Rift area,” stated Langat. “This is the first time that e-schooling has gained traction in Kenya. If we are able to demonstrate success in Eldoret and foster improved engagement among the key stakeholders, including schools and their teachers, the Kenya Private Schools Association, the Ministry of Education (and local government departments), Computer Aid UK, Oracle and others, this success may have the potential to expand significantly beyond the current 72,000 children.”

Applications for scholarships are assessed by the conference Scholarship Committee which includes a rigorous evaluation process. The awards are granted based on the applicant's need and job relevance as well as the funds available to the organizers. All of the funds raised through the eLearning Africa Scholarship Program, are allocated exclusively to African participation. Last year, 10% of the conference participants (more than 150 Africans) were supported by the eLearning Africa Scholarship Program.

For more information on the eLearning Africa Scholarship Program or to make a donation visit www.eLearning-africa.com

eLA – eLearning Africa, 4th International Conference on ICT for Development, Education and Training
May 27 - 29, 2009
Hotel Le Méridien President, Dakar, Senegal

About eLearning Africa:
eLearning Africa is a conference organized by ICWE GmbH (www.icwe.net) that focuses on ICT for development, education and training in Africa. The event establishes and links a pan-African network of decision makers from governments and administrations with universities, schools, governmental and private training providers, industry and important partners in development cooperation. Each year a different African country will serve as the venue.

Since 2006, eLearning Africa has gratefully received funds from the following institutions: AfDB (African Development Bank), CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency), GTZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit), IDRC (International Development Research Centre), IICD (International Institute for Communication and Development), KERIS (Korea Education & Research Information Service), Microsoft Africa, PHEA (The Partnership for Higher Education in Africa), SPIDER (Swedish Program for ICT in Developing Regions), UNECA (The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa), UNEP (The United Nations Environment Programme), VVOB (The Flemish Association for Development Cooperation and Technical Assistance), WBI (World Bank Institute) and WWEDU (World Wide Education).