Narrowing the Digital Divide a case study of “learning by doing” approach to narrowing the Digital Divide in East Africa (Kenya) by Dubai Women's College students

It is globally assumed that improvements in Information Communication Technology (ICT) will enforce a better global communication; improve business processes and commercial activities, thereby leading to superior standards of living for individuals while benefitting society. This paper narrates the experiences of fifteen HCT students who visited Kenya in an attempt to narrow the existing “Digital Divide” by building computer networking labs in some of the vocational institutes in remote East Africa. This paper encapsulates key reflections of the study tour participants who embraced a “learning by doing” model in order to gain valuable international work experience and narrow the digital divide in four educational institutes in Kenya. The success of this initiative mandates that we document the learning from this experience in order to ensure success and sustainability of future projects of similar calibre. We believe the process of conducting “international field-trips” followed by reflections formulating lessons learnt from these trips will be useful for future volunteers.