"Today is one of those days you'll never forget."
Rob is referring to his first day with the Instant Network Team—and in a refugee camp. And not just any camp, but one of the largest in the world, with at least 130,000 inhabitants from across the region. The term ‘camp’ doesn't quite do it justice, Rob feels. "It’s more like a city cut off from the world, where people have often been living under harsh conditions for decades. One of the few sources of hope—and perhaps the best chance of ever leaving Nyarugusu—is the network of about twenty schools scattered throughout the camp." Together, they provide education to around 40,000 eager children. Eleven of those schools are Instant Network Schools supported by the Vodafone Foundation. With digital equipment, teachers and students gain access to a wealth of valuable educational programs.
A Team on a Mission
And that’s exactly why Rob is there with an international team from Vodafone Foundation. "Ioana from Vodafone Romania, like me, is part of the Instant Network Emergency Response Team. French Sarah and English Phil are from the Instant Network Schools team. Educational experts Seun and Kent are joining from UNHCR Denmark." Together, this team will check, repair, and update all the equipment. They'll also evaluate whether the educational programs are effective for both students and teachers. And they’ll roll out a new initiative focused on soft skills like collaboration: Life Skills.
Heat and Red Dust
"The earth here is fiery red and bone dry," Rob writes in his report. "Ultrafine dust gets into everything—your clothes, your luggage, your ears and eyes. But also into the tablets, laptops, and servers." So a key task is to clean and seal the equipment with Loctite. Rob’s pro tip: that super-strong adhesive is essential because screws tend to loosen when devices are transported over rough roads in Land Cruisers.
Resilience and Determination
At VodafoneZiggo in Maastricht, Rob works as a Partner Manager, overseeing collaborations with service providers. But he also has a technical and military background— and a thirst for adventure. "I’d wanted to join the Instant Network Team for a long time," he writes. "To challenge myself and put myself in these kinds of situations—situations where people need help, and you need to be resourceful and resilient to provide it." These qualities are tested frequently on Rob’s first mission, as surprises abound:
"Poor mobile coverage causing good equipment to fail. Missing screws that we eventually find in a small phone shop outside the camp. Exposed wiring—extremely dangerous for the whole school. Hacked tablets, tampered with by clever kids who want to play games. Unexpected language barriers during a survey in French for children who only speak Swahili. Strict camp opening hours—the gates are completely shut on weekends. And of course, the redder-than-red dust that turns into sticky mud during sudden storms, clinging to everything."
Open Eyes, Open Heart
In short, challenges are everywhere. But the hardworking team lets nothing stand in their way to ensure the Instant Network Schools function at their best for the children and their teachers. After a week and a half, all tasks are completed. Rob writes that he's been tested physically and mentally. "Nine intense days of nonstop work, adjusting to the local cuisine, operating on little sleep, and witnessing how the refugees in Nyarugusu struggle every day—it was an experience that opened my eyes."
He also describes the highlights. "The colors, the chaos on the roads, and especially the children—before you know it, you’re surrounded by fifty of them. Everyone wants to touch you or shake your hand. And then those smiling faces when they’re learning with the tablets—that moved me deeply. Before this, I’d only been to countries where education is a given. Now I’ve seen firsthand what a privilege it really is. And how heartbreaking it is when that privilege is at risk."
Rob concludes his travel report with a word of thanks: "Many thanks to UNHCR for the hospitality, and to the Vodafone Foundation for supporting such an important and life-changing educational program. I’m incredibly proud to be part of VodafoneZiggo."
