Online Learning for Neighborhood Children in the Community during the Covid-19 Lockdown

Mr. Phillemon Awene and Mrs. Maria Awene, Oniipa

The WIFI access point installed at the roof of a house with electricity and power-line Internet connection (PLC) offers “Guest Access” to the surrounding houses in the community. This has enabled access to online school participation for the children of the families in the neighborhood. In Namibia, only 2% of schoolchildren had the opportunity to access online school during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020.

“We are very thankful for the Fusion Grid in our neighborhood. We are not among electricity beneficiaries in the project but of the Wi-Fi (Guest-access); Due to Covid-19, grade 0-9 does not longer attend face-to-face classes. However, our children were among the few children registered with the Ministry of Education for online learning, because we have the guest access WiFi. It was always marvellous, sometimes we have challenges of slow Internet especially when downloading learning materials but the Wi-Fi at hand, it was awesome.

We have electricity at home but due to some shortcomings of the supplier, we wish we had a solar to cover us in times of blackouts. If any opportunity would arise in the future, we would obviously take the solar, too.”