Orange is one of the largest telcos in the world, and its namesake Foundation has for years had an interest in pushing digital literacy in markets they work in. One of these programs is called Digital Schools (“Ecoles numériques”) and relies on the deployment of Kiwix hotspot loaded with educational content (in French or English depending on regions): when parents can’t afford books Orange provides their kids with Wikipedia, Khan Academy, and dozen more pieces of content that meet the local standards for primary school. Contents are selected via the Kiwix imager.
In terms of equipment, a standard trunk contains one Raspberry Pi, two dozen tablets, a beamer, bluetooth speakers, solar panels and off it goes, with the support of local Orange staff who then deploy this equipment in rural areas.
The program now supports 1,400 primary schools across 17 African countries – almost half a million kids each year- and it works: attendance and results are going up (because let’s face it, kids are kids and they’ll always love digital, interactive stuff).
Video below is in French but if there’s only one sentence that needs translating is this one: “Every kid that gets an education is a prison that closes down”.