(Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) - EarthWalk Communications of Manassas, Virginia, USA participated in the USAID Africa Regional Education Workshop - a week long conference that provides educators and policy makers a unique opportunity to connect and discuss education challenges and future programs that will aid Sub-Saharan Africa troubled education system. The theme of the conference was Education in a Changing World: From Vision to Action. Major topics such as affordable, sustainable technology, teacher training and increasing educational access for marginalized students--especially girls and children in remote regions--were at the forefront of discussions.

Several low-cost laptop solutions such as the Intel ClassMate PC and XO laptop were exhibited. Incorporating affordable ICT solutions into the curricula is deemed a major necessity if students are to succeed in the future global marketplace. As part of the interactive display, the XO and ClassMate PC laptops were paired with EarthWalk’s SideKick “PowerPack”, an external, all day, universal battery that powers laptops for up to eight hours without interruption or electricity.  Prior to the conference, EarthWalk donated an eCharger and sixteen SideKick “PowerPacks” to the USAID-Ethiopia office who in turn placed the equipment in a school challenged by limited electricity.

One of the conference presenters, Larraine Denakpo from the Academy for Education Development, spoke to attendees about AED’s ICT programs throughout Western Africa and the incorporation of mobile learning labs with EarthWalk SideKick “PowerPacks”. The SideKicks were piloted last summer as part of a USAID project in Senegal that aimed to help middle school student in rural regions receive computer training.

“We have been able to reach over 5000 middle school students using the mobile lab approach, taking laptops and charged (EarthWalk SideKick) batteries to schools with no or unsure electricity,” said Ms. Denakpo about the success of the programs.

Our most exciting events have been summer camps in rural schools with over 100 students at a time where we combine training in software use and community projects. These would not have been possible without EarthWalk’s SideKick batteries and eCharger.”

EarthWalk hopes to replicate stories like this all over Sub-Saharan Africa. EarthWalk’s sustainable technology is specifically designed for learning environments in all regions and can be powered via generator or solar energy. There mobile laptop labs require 85% less electricity than traditional desktop labs, can withstand tropical and desert climates, and when paired with the SideKick “PowerPacks”, limited electricity is not an issue. Over the coming months EarthWalk will be exhibiting their technology at two major conferences: CTO Nigeria in Lagos, May 13th-18th and eLearning Ghana in Accra, May 27th-30th.

EarthWalk Communications, Inc. was established in 1996 with the vision of being a leading provider of technologies and tools to improve computer and Internet use in the classroom. Today, the company's established customer base is in thousands of US school districts and international institutions around the world. EarthWalk has gained a reputation for solving problems and delivering cost-effective technology through their fully-customizable, integrated products.

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