Mahama Camp: From No Web To WEB 3

Save the Children, in collaboration with Net Hope, connected 10 sites to the Internet across Mahama camp in 2021. An average of 2036 people connect to the network each month. The most visited site is Save the Children’s online library, which hosts an average of 353 visits each day.

Everald arrived in Mahama camp in 2015 with a family of eight. They were fleeing the violence in Burundi. He is now 21 years old.  He explains: “I started using this internet when it was first installed. I sometimes come to Save the Children’s library to browse, read of the news. During the holidays, I use the connection to complete my school e-learning system.

The Internet really changed our life here in Mahama camp. I have never heard about other refugee camps which are connected to public WIFI. We can’t deny the fact that this has added something good in our lifestyle, and also connected us to more online opportunities, including education opportunities and jobs. If this is strengthened, refugees will come up with many ideas that can help their life improve.

I would like to thank Save the Children that thought about it, and installed this internet in the camp, but there is a still long way to go. The internet is weak and, because we don’t have electricity at home it is hard to find where to connect, it requires us to come here at library. Save the Children should install the internet at least to all child and youth-friendly spaces, and the high number of people that overcrowd one location can result in poor performance of the Internet.”