Reaching the far, the Mobile IT Unit in El Max
El Max is only one of the places where the Mobile IT Unit (MITU) came for a visit. The MITU is a UNDP backed project involving the use of buses and caravans specially equipped with fully functional media labs to provide service to a set of geographical areas, stopping at schools and communities for a certain period. Under the supervision of the NGO Gudran, an association for arts and development, the local community and the involved artists agreed to use art as an introduction to development according to its active effect on individuals and society.
Before the arrival of the MITU, the local people had never seen anything similar to it and the nearest IT Club is another 15 km away. Ahmed, aged 52, tells me that he was really curious about what is going to happen. “The area is very rural and we have not had anything like that here before. I somehow have the impression that during the past 40 years no development had been taking place in this area, and we somehow felt really disconnected. But I after experiencing what the Mobile Bus Unit was able to provide us with, I decided to buy a computer for our family, so we all can continue using it.”
The supervisors volunteering for the MITU provide the locals with different packages. For instance, they generally work on illiteracy education with women using the IE CD with has also been developed by the ICT Trust Fund. The main focus, however, is set on introducing the local youth to the use of ICT; such as the use and researching of the internet and the familiarization with various programs. They also assist them in completing homework on the computer.
Sundos, a seven year old girl tells me that she really liked to work with the computer and that she was really happy when her father decided to buy a computer for the family. “I am so excited to find out new things every day. I found a website for children which allows me to connect with kids from other countries. So most of my free time I spend in the Mobile bus.”
Although facing problems with electricity in the beginning, the locals tried anything to make it work. The MITU seems to have successfully been integrated into this rather deserted area. This is only one example of the benefits, experiences and progresses the MITU brings to areas across the entire country.
