IBIT Consultancy’s Birth
IBIT’s Consulting project, was initiated and registered by Mwayi Mchuchu on 12 January 2015, but became active in 2018 February, after securing capital from personal savings
Get to know Mwayi Mchuchu (Founder)
I am a self-driven, idealistic hardworking passionate IT professional, with
more than 12 years as an IT support officer and a graduate of the University of Greenwich (class of 2018). BSc(Hons) BIT UOG
Worked with Mzuzu University since 2008, worked and studied various IT, Management, and Marketing Courses whilst putting much focus on the IT career, and won several performance-based awards such as Best Technician of the Year 2010 and 2012. Throughout the years I have also worked as an IT specialist volunteer in several community, educational, and charitable organizations such as;
Butterfly Space Malawi, CCAP Special Needs Education,
fair Denmark Malawi, Malawi community development offices Mzuzu, Secondary School IT rehabilitation project (Mzuzu University), and volunteered IT support for Kaka community day secondary school.
My work scope at Mzuzu University enabled me to interact with students and members of staff more often through supporting their IT needs of which computer maintenance has been the main rendered support. Throughout the years I have observed that the common root cause of computer hardware-related problems has less to do with the poor computer usage or our erratic power environment, though these two are part of the contributing factors. But the main reason has been the machine’s lifespan, 90% of the personal laptops being used by university students are at the end of their life span, Most machines are 4th to 6th hand machines in their fourth or more years from the date of manufacture.
Working in a higher learning environment has also enabled me to appreciate the value of education and understand the demand gap between reputable educational institutions and prospective learners. Each year universities are experiencing a huge number of applications for both generic face-to-face and Open Distance Education Programmes. There is also a growing number of applicants above the age of 30 for undergraduate programs. The trend is the
same even in secondary evening/weekend open classes. This indicates a competitive employment environment as the number of graduates rises, employees without a first degree feel the edge to go back to school and catch up to retain job security. The number of university entrance applicants is five to ten times more than the accredited Public university’s enrollment capacity.
Mostly enrollment is limited due to available classroom space and other constraints. This does not take into account other prospective applicants who failed to apply due to their current engagement being work and or business but have a desire to study. Such observations help me realize available opportunities in the education sector such as fostering e-learning platforms and affordable laptop projects. Information Technology is instrumental in today’s learning.
VISION / MISSION
VISION
To become a reliable low-cost IT Resource and services support firm that makes a difference.
MISSION
Digitizing Dreams Everyone has a dream. “In to day’s thunder speed, technologically driven environment dreams need digitization”.
FACTS THAT LED TO IBIT CONSULTANCY’S New Affordable Laptops Project
Unreliable Second (used) laptops are expensive than brand new ones.
The initial cost of a secondhand laptop is cheaper to a student, but if procured without a warranty support, the accumulation of the maintenance costs and the likelihood of the laptop to completely die requiring replacement is more than the once off amount of a new basic laptop with warranty.
Higher pricing of electronic goods in Malawi.
Malawi is one country with high value added tax rates on goods, electronics haven’t been spared despite efforts to wave the same in the name of promoting information technology development. Shipping plus overheads costs are other main factors contributing to higher electronics prices in Malawi. For example a new laptop pegged at $200 on amazon ends up being sold at $550 or more to a Malawian consumer (average basic laptop price in Malawian electronics shops ). Most users prefer used electronics as the obvious option given budgeting constraints.
Institutional computer labs aren’t a replacement for student’s need for a laptop.
While the computer labs play a key role in delivering lessons and internet usage for students. The labs have specified open and closing times, usually the times the labs are open it is the same time the student are in class. All public universities in Malawi are embarking on students classroom space and not lodging, this resulted in student commuting outside campus making the use of computer labs after classes inconvenient. Think of ten student using one machine to write their assignments and are all saved on the same machine in different directories. There is a higher possibility of plagiarism. Universities are pushing for student’s work authenticity this might just contradict that.
The greenhouse effect.
Malawi has no single electronics recycling company, the many second hand machines available dying each day are just dumped anyhow without following the E- Waste guides for example ISO/TC297. Improper disposal of electronics slowly continues to contribute towards the green effect. The donations of used machines though warmly welcome are sort of making Malawi an electronics dumping area. Very few in-fact only one organisation. Fair denmark is doing a great job by continually providing support to the donated used machines in secondary schools, to prolong the computers lifespan. The organisation also collects and ships electronic wastes from their donations for proper recycling. Otherwise most other donations are once off with no sustainability plan, the machines works for a year or two eventually packs, later eat-up the much needed room space in college institutions, making it look as a dumping area of used electronics as.
Setting a precedence to student decision making in procuring standard electronics.
A student who has been used to relying on used machines besides the pain of frequent maintenance and frustrations, is more likely to opt a second hand similar item in the future even with enough finances to procure a standard new product of the same. So promoting students’ access to brand new machines might set a presedence for future desicion making after graduation to always strive for the best options (The Attenuating Role of Decision Justifiability).
