By Elisabeth Kisakye and Leisa Burrell
“We use solar-powered tablets to conduct community education campaigns on financial education, contraception and HIV, health, vaccinations, civic education, and now to inform communities about measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” says Dayn Amade, founder of the Tablet Comunitário/Community Tablet.
In the wake of the outbreak of the novel corona virus and realizing the need to disseminate information about the spread and prevention of COVID19 and other health-related issues, the Community Tablet initiative, with support received from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), is conducting digital campaigns in communities that are otherwise excluded from digital information.
The Community Tablet initiative is the first digital school in Mozambique. The Community Tablet is a container consisting of four to six large LCD screens, powered by solar panels and transported by trailer, which can be attached to anything – from a motor vehicle to a donkey.
The interactive touch screen can be linked with cameras and a large screen to allow inclusive and group outdoor video conferencing. The touch screen can also disseminate videos, and can also be used as a digital white board. For connectivity, the tablet is linked to the internet network via the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) or by satellite. This infrastructure is also prepared with a plug-and-play cold chain compartment, which can incorporate fridges or a freezer to allow for the storing and handling of vaccines