DIGITIZING DREAMS
Interactive Business Information Technology, IBIT Consultancy dreams project is a charitable section of the Organization which might lead to new business opportunities. Aiming at helping students, staff, and other small entrepreneurs grow with aid of IT resources and expertise at a break-even, markup price, (to meet expenses in service delivery excluding labor charge). Currently, our main target beneficiaries are college/ tertiary education students through the provision of brand new laptops at a cost price payable in installment. Building Digital Repositories and setup Learning Management System (https://elearnmalawi.org) in and for educational institutions through the usage of open source systems. (Dspace and Moodle) to promote access to education and study materials among various groups of learners.
Laptop/notebook computer machines are quite useful for college-level academic work. Most students in African colleges, Malawi in particular struggle with the use of unreliable second hand (used) laptops. This is mainly attributed to a lack of enough financial capital, which results in students procuring second/ 4th hand laptop machine. Used laptops seem relatively cheaper, but expensive in a long run due to frequent maintenance and become expensive over time, adds to academic pressure as laptops may die during assignments writing, frustrates students, and gives a sense of insecurity which derives focus from academic work. Read more facts on this.
Objectives
To help students concentrate and ease the academic work pressure through the provision of reliable Information Communication Technology-based study support materials.
Reduce poor student performance in Secondary and tertiary education attributed to lack of key reference study texts and other resources such as research journals and past examination papers. Through the provision of alternative unlimited multiple access to books by use of digital text local area network libraries. Powered by open source systems that are cost-effective and sustainable.
Promote and motivate Kindergarten level students towards Science and Mathematics to unearth innovative ideas towards the same through the usage of kids friendly Inspiring Technologies such as 3D Pens.
Reduce the amount of College students’ expenditure on electronics repair costs, by providing free technical support four to five years warranty on all new sold machines, which will cover the entire college study period.
Reduce greenhouse effect attributed to the high rate of improper disposal of dead electronic machines, as the new machines life span will be prolonged.
Set a model that will champion future decision making towards buying electronics in student. Through enabling access to brand new electronics mindset to students. Which will likely foster and motivate, future graduates to opt for new products. Setting a benchmark of an acceptable standard in decision making.
Possibly towards the reduction rate of laptops theft by introducing price comparative aspect with new related pricing products, to halt the second-hand laptops demand. The second-hand laptops market growth is fueling theft of the same.
Our Strategies and Tactics
In a participatory approach, the beneficiaries will be involved in several projects after undergoing training on related project’s subject areas.
Low-cost solutions, For example, use of volunteers in shipping purchased laptop computers to Malawi and resale to students and faculty at an affordable price with an extended warranty.
Networking, collaborating with stakeholders and other organizations with similar objectives such as Schools Management, Malawi Library Association, National Council Higher Education Board, etc.
Innovative applications based on available local resources, for example, Using a single desktop as a server and wireless routers to run an open-source digital repository server to allow all students with mobile wires devices to have unlimited multiple access to digitized scarce resources.
Applying research-based solutions
