Internet accessibility could be considered as one major problem in the West African nation of Sierra Leone. Many of its nationals especially students are faced with completing their research work and objectives more so if they are residents in rural areas. Well, there seems to be an end to this problem after a team of three innovators introduced a server which gives students access to massive S.T.E.M learning content.
Abdul Rahim Jalloh, Emmanuel Kamanda and Lovetta Bangura, who goes by the team name (LOREM), represented Sierra Leone at the Generation Unlimited imaGen Ventures Global Youth Challenge, where they won the astonishing sum of 15,000 dollars after pitching the intervention of the EASY S.T.E.M (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) Server. To their biggest credit, they competed against 10,000 global submissions from 37 countries.
The easy stem server is a database server that gives college students access to massive S.T.E.M learning content offline. “So, we have this server wherein you can upload content like UNICEF LEARNING passport, UPSHIFT, quality open source S.T.EM content in which the schools in the remote areas can still have access to it,” Lovetta briefly reacted. The product received positive acclamation for its unique business model which laid premium on affordability and reliability.
THE TASSO ISLAND PILOT PROJECT
Tasso Island is a small island located in the country. The community was used as the ground for the EASY STEM server test. The target group was dozens of school-going pupils who found internet access less affordable and hard to come by. In an interview, the team lead Abdul Rahim Jalloh explained that “the main problem is that most of them do not even have access to the internet. And for those that actually do, they say that due to the high data rates in Sierra Leone, it is very expensive.”
When the EASY STEM server was introduced to the locals residing in the island, everybody including the elders found the project less complicated and understandable. “So, with a hotspot, you will just put your WiFi on your phone or laptop then you will see the EASY STEM server and then click to connect to it. And then you also have to go to the web’s domain which is easystem.com and then you can start using it,” Emmanuel Kamanda revealed on how Easy Stem works.
The acting Headman of Tasso Island happily stated that “we are very happy about this development, which is a computer course. And I hope it will be beneficial to our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
The Easy STEM server provides offline access to STEM educational materials for students even in the most remote villages, offline. When you have the Easy S.T.E.M server and you have a workable device, you can definitely access the best materials from all around the world at your fingertips.
Foday Kabia, a primary benefactor and school-going pupil, mentioned that “with the EASY STEM, I have learnt how to use a computer, navigated through the introduction to coding, and how to build electronic circuits.”