foko

Few minutes after the E-bit gates on October 17th opened, dizains and dizains of students invaded the Palais des Sports et de la Culture. They first had to sit and watch the Ministry of Youth and Sports propaganda on HIV prevention and misuses of Internet before getting to our Free Quarter. Children from 6 to 10 were the first attendees : What are we going to do with them?? asked Mahefa from C3LF. With the very bad feeling that E-bit choice to name Youth Day a Fun Day to all media was with the expectations that a ICT to youth should only be about gaming and games, all Foko were instinctively putting their professionalism in use and got the kids attention to media tools.

Patricia who is studying her 2nd year in Communication at Ankatso University of Antananarivo was helped by Solofo from ESSVA 2nd year in Communication (as well!) to give photography lessons to mid-schools students. Can you imagine that you can take your picture and put it to be seen by your friends in Tamatave? said Michel when loading pictures. Faraniaina was stuck on the Asus Eepc with 20 kids around her, these 5-year-old wanted to write a mail ! Gaëtan and Koloina were taking videos on their friends amazing job  but looked very skeptical when watching them struggle with the very slow internet connexion.

The Projection area was the only space were this very informal event took more formal ways. Hery-zo gave a great presentation on e-education and didn’t miss to mention that collaboration is the only key to success. A notion the Marie Manjaka 5th grader understood easily but a lot of Malagasy still need to learn. Stéphane joked on links between Naruto and Linux Pingun when Manda was taking the stage. A lot of questions were asked by teenagers on ways to get softwares for free, why not try free softwares? he answered.

more to come

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