‘Whatever the cost of our Libraries, the price is low compared to that of an ignorant nation’ 

Walter Cronkite 

Two months later, after a busy fabrication process that kicked off in April 2023, the newly refurbished Kang’aru Digital Hub re-opened on 1st of June 2023 and hosted Google, who made it all possible as our very first guests. 

With a very dedicated team, transformed from a single container formerly known as Our Reading Spaces Library, it is now home to approximately 1,500 students and about 180 teachers from six neighbouring schools. From just hosting about 15 students at a time, the new hub can host up to 100 students at once. The aim is to empower the Kairi community with digital skills and improve the overall reading culture. 

The Hub has come at a time at a very crucial time when the Kenyan government transitioned from the 8-4-4 curriculum to competence-based-curriculum (CBC), posing a challenge to many schools, especially in the rural areas, including Kairi, as CBC is based on incorporating ICT skills, and most families within the Hub’s region cannot afford a computer.  

The hub is going to ease the burden on many parents who have been spending a lot of money purchasing bandwidth and have their children research via their mobile phones while most have no access to smartphones and therefore denying the students access to the right information on time. 

inABLE has also employed qualified ICT Instructors and an intern to ensure continuity of ICT Skills knowledge transfer and educational research. Thanks to Google, all the teachers and trainers now also have access to Chromebooks, further encouraging independence and private lessons, especially for most of the students who are interacting with computers for the first time.  

The following schools currently benefit from the Hub;

1. Immaculate Girls High School – 360 students 
2. Rumwe Mixed Secondary School – 220 students 
3. Kairi Primary School – 130 students 
4. Nguna Primary School – 350 students 
5. St. Trisha Academy 63 students 
6. St. Stephen Catholic Primary School 363 students 

On the 1^st of June 2023, the hub was officially re-opened by the Google Team, led by Laura Allen, Head of Strategy & Programs, Accessibility & Disability Inclusion, Sara Basson, Program Manager – Accessibility and Disability Inclusion in Emerging Markets, and Alexander Jensen, Accessibility Program Manager, External Engagement, North America and were also joined by Irene Mbari-Kirika, Founder and Executive Director at inABLE. The launch included song and dance, cutting the ribbon, and finally, planting a tree to mark the day. 

The before and after photos of the Kan’garu Digital Hub: 

Written by: inABLE PR Officer Esther Mwangi