It takes a village – a Computer Village.
Computer Village is a community- based technology and training project founded in 1995 by Don M. Holt, a former sales executive for Xerox, to help low-income individuals learn about technology and how to use technology to their benefit.
“Each instructor believes that every client comes with his or her special talents, which may be latent in computer savvy. We are giving back to the community,” Holt said.
“Creative reviews and lesson plans with real life examples which our students can relate to are constantly used.”
The down-home name of the business reflects it mission.
“Classes are built around the African Village concept. Love and respect for our brothers and sisters of the world is actively practiced,” Holt said.
Computer Village is a not-for-profit 501(c) (3) corporation with the mission to bridge the digital divide within socially and economically distressed communities in the St. Louis area by using technology as a catalyst for improvement.
“I believe in collaborating with anyone and everybody so that we can help people understand technology,” Holt said.
Computer Village serves more than 600 clients weekly, with sites housed in churches, community centers, schools and shelters in 22 locations throughout the area, including four sites in Metro East.
Many Computer Village learning centers charge no fees to individuals and families who attend the main facility at 4411 N. Newstead Ave. in the Penrose neighborhood of North City, as well as the office north of downtown at 1451 Mullanphy St.
Computer Village operates an extensive outreach program that provides on site computer and technology training for after-school, summer school, welfare-to-work and adult education programs. Computer Village works in collaboration with other non-profits and receives funding from grants, corporate contributions and its fee-based programs, such as computer repair and sales and small-business computer-training programs.
Computer Village teaches basic computer application training, computer repair, how to install solar panels, software development, growing vegetables, even bio-tech applications – all with an eye to exposing the unexposed to 21st century opportunities.
Children are even able to join group learning about robotics. Youth instructor Ahmed Abdullah II loves robots and thought he should share his knowledge on robotics with others.
“Robotics has all meanings of mathematics. If kids jump-start on it, that would help math become easier in school,” said Abdullah, director of technology for Computer Village and its chief local software writer.
Abdullah gave encouraging words to the youth.
“Instead of waiting for the next game, why not make your own game?” Abdullah said.
Computer Village is actively involved in an ambitious robotics project – a multi-national competition to develop software and programming for communication and control protocols for exploratory robotic rovers on the moon. The Computer Village team is in the running with a number of other teams vying for a piece of the $30 million Google Lunar X Prize.
Students at Computer Village have a hand in creating the means for controllers from Earth to direct the moon rover – about a quarter of a million miles from Earth.
Robotics instructor Paul Muhammad loves that he is able to help children learn about robotics and the many ways it can cross over into the future of technology.
“It’s an overwhelming joy to see how we are unlocking their potential,” Muhammad said.
“We’re going to the moon. That magic is in the kids, and they can see it,”
Abdullah said.
For more information, call 314-533-1900 or visit www.cvillage.org.
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