EIFL is an international not-for-profit organization dedicated to enabling access to knowledge through libraries in more than 45 developing and transition countries in Africa, Asia and Europe. EIFL’s Public Library Innovation Programme (PLIP) supports public libraries in developing and transition countries to use information and communication technology to implement innovative community development services. EIFL-PLIP also shares knowledge and encourages replication of successful public library services that serve community needs. Learn more at www.eifl.net
Masiphumelele library is one of 14 winners of an EIFL Public Library Innovation Programme (PLIP) replication grant. The grants enable public libraries in developing and transition countries to replicate successful public library services created during the first phase of EIFL-PLIP.
The Internet Access and Youth-centred ICT training project at Masiphumelele library has been made 
possible from the grant from EIFL-PLIP. We have received some new computers and upgraded the others to Windows 7 for uniformity. Our facilitator, Nyasha Sithole who has already been active in facilitation within the library, was enrolled in False Bay College, to do additional computer training.
Nyasha Sithole started courses for beginners from February onwards. Recently the courses have been extended to include the intermediate computer training course and a job readiness course once a week. In the job readiness course students create CVs and identify and apply for employment online. This class links the need for employment with the acquisition of computer skills.
Our latest group to learn computer skills is the ‘English for Life’ literacy class. Our computer assistant, Xolani Mavi is part of the literacy class and he takes his classmates for a short computer class after the literacy lesson. He is able to share his expertise in his computer class and practice his English at the same time.
Our facilitator, Nyasha Sithole has trained 5 students from his intermediate course to assist him with teaching when needed. He meets regularly with them to discuss the way forward. His curriculum is a very organised and is based on the ICDL training.
The computer room was officially launched on 25th April. City of Cape Town staff, NGOs, local organisations, partners, and beneficiaries attended the event, which advertised the programmes on offer. It also invited input from the public about future projects and classes etc. The main agenda was to increase community awareness of the centre to attract more students to the new facility.
Nyasha Sithole delivered a heartfelt speech thanking EIFL, Edunova and his students. He has been with the library since 2009 and is totally committed to the programmes’ longevity and equipping as many people with the skills that he has acquired. During his speech he spoke of the powerful transition that his students have undergone from ‘not having any idea how to type or use a mouse, to compiling an excel budget’. Nyasha is proud of his achievements, but also shares in the pride of his students when they reach their goals.
Sue Alexander