Since opening in July of 2006, the Laboratoire Informatique Safari has offered 9-week computer skills courses to more than 300 refugees, young and old. It has quickly become one of FORGE’s most popular projects in Mwange, with waiting lists of refugees who wish to partake in computer training. LISa also provides a facility for the community newspaper, Journal Mwange, to draft and compile each issue of its paper. 3061 5 false In this increasingly high-tech economy, computer skills have become instrumental in acquiring employment in most places in the world. The DRC, the home country of Mwange refugees, is no different. Without the Laboratoire Informatique Safari, refugees in Mwange would have no way to pick up computer skills. They would return to their communities upon repatriation unprepared to be competitive applicants in the job market. 2008-05-01T02:24:32-05:00 The Mwange Computer Training Center, also known as "Laboratoire Informatique Safari" was named by the Mwange community to mean “Computer Technology Center: Journey” in French and Swahili. It is a fully-equipped, solar-powered computer lab that serves the entire Mwange community. Because very few refugees have ever touched a computer before in their lives, the computer courses focus on basic skills such as typing, navigating a computer screen, and using Word and Excel. Some advanced classes exist for more experienced users. To provide an empowering skill that will expand the vocational and educational horizons of refugees upon their return to the Democratic Republic Congo (DRC). 18 • Holding basic and intermediate computer skills classes • Holding practice hours for community members to hone their computer skills • Providing the facilities for the publication of Journal Mwange #<Location:0xb74b980> 3 • To equip refugees with valuable computer skills that will help them gain employment upon repatriation to the DRC • To train 400 new computer users each year • To offer affordable word processing and printing services to members of the Mwange community • To prepare students for potential university studies As of December 1, 2009, FORGE is no longer working in Mwange Refugee Camp. Thus, FORGE is no longer accepting funds for this project. The Mwange Computer Training Center, or Laboratoire Informatique Safari (LISa), is a fully-equipped, solar-powered computer center that offers refugees the opportunity to learn about and work with computers – something few have ever had a chance to do. Knowing that this skill will provide increased opportunity for employment in the world’s evolving economy, the classes are unfailingly full, and each of the ten Panasonic Toughbook laptops is used for as long as its battery can last in intensive training sessions. The Mwange Computer Training Center has provided computer skills to over 1000 refugees. true Leveraging the power of technology 2010-03-10T10:59:01-06:00