Camara Rwanda, a Hub of Irish Charity, Camara Education received a prestigious international innovation award from the Global Development Network (GDN) at an award ceremony in Bogota, Colombia last weekend. GDN is a leading international organization, which focuses on international research and policies, which accelerates developments to improve people’s lives.  The award which comes with high recognition is one of the most prestigious global awards to be handed out within this sector. The sponsor is the Japanese Development Institute, JICA which represents one of the largest agencies for development in the world.

Camara beat 251 other International projects to win the first prize of The Most Innovative Development Project.  Camara’s “social enterprise” model, their network of Education Hubs, and their actual on-the-ground Kigali operations convinced the jurors, from the World Bank, AUS-Aid, Japan Development, Kenya Central Bank, among others to place Camara Rwanda first in this category.

Edward Rwagasore, a senior official at Camara Rwanda told the press that they are currently working with 33 academic institutions spread across the country, with numbers set to grow. “We have set up computer labs in all those schools which are equipped with Camara PCs that are fine-tuned and installed with pre-configured Linux software based on the educational package, Edubuntu,” said Rwagasore.
The package is dubbed Camarabuntu. It comes with numerous applications that prove handy in enhancing computer literacy. They include programmes that develop mouse and keyboard skills, interactive software and an offline version of Wikipedia among many other programmes.
Rwagasore added that Schools partnering with Camara Rwanda receive a wide range of support services that include teacher training on ICT usage as a tutorial tool, technical support on PCs and parts as well as supply of relevant software and material. Explaining one of the reasons why his organization emerged best, Rwagasore said that volunteers, drawn from the local youth, are responsible for a lot of what Camara does.
Receiving this award on behalf of Camara Rwanda, Dr. Frank Oliver Lehmann, a former German Investment Banker and one of the Mentors and Directors of the Rwandan Hub said, ‘This is a fantastic endorsement of the work done by the Teams in Dublin and in Kigali, Rwanda. The Camara model is measurable, sustainable and delivers on the ground in Africa in a very effective way’

Camara Rwanda limited’s mission is to facilitate access to technology to schools and educational institutions around Rwanda, and therefore empower education in the country through the use of ICT, in particular delivering refurbished computers and training teachers on ICT.
Computers are shipped in from Camara Education, the mother charity organization based in Dublin, Ireland which has extended its operation to seven African countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Lesotho, Tanzania and Rwanda.
The computers are originally collected from Irish companies and individuals who believe that reusing technology is environmentally friendlier than recycling and buying brand new computers. According to US Department of Defence standards, Computers collected are then are data erased.
They are then checked for defects if any and made sure that they are in good working conditions in order to be reused in schools. Before schools get computers from Camara Rwanda their needs in ICT are assessed and recommend on laboratory layout also putting emphasis on electrical installation and general safety measures.  Once all these requirements are in place, a last evaluation visit is made to make sure that all recommendations and precautionary measures are taken care of.