Technology For Development
The Association of Linux Friends is an institute of free computer training programs which started in the town of Bamenda, Cameroon in the year 2006.It later moved to Limbe precisely in the fishing village Wovia. Still in Limbe, it moved from Wovia to Aminatou square and then to its permanent building at Hilltop-Sokolo-Mokindi. From the year of conception of the project to the year 2013 the Association was renting the building in which it carried out its activities. But from the 2014, the Association had a permanent structure. At the beginning of the project we used Thin Clients that was bootable from a diskets, it was expensive to transport these materials to Cameroon from Switzerland through the ship, it consumed more electricity so the Association decided to switch to low power computers such as Raspberry Pies and also solar energy to reduce electricity consumption. At the beginning of this project in Wovia, the number of students started timidly and later moved to ten (10). But as time went on, the number of students increased. After the training every year, we have graduation and certification. The zeal to study more increased but there was lack of finances on the part of the students. This gave rise to the idea of granting scholarships to interested students to move into the Advance class through applications. The Verein decided to take responsibility of five (5) students on scholarships for the first year and for the second year five (5) students. It is a Cameroon-based organization, founded in 2006, promoted by REVAMP There is an Internet connection which is used by the Trainers to update the courses and students use it for their research. The Association have graduated fifteen batches of students. So far the Association has recorded many successes such as having good materials to teach, celebrated the International Software Freedom Day since 2007, had seminars and teachings with University students of Dschang, Yaounde I and Campus University in Douala, carried out solar installations e.g in Campo(wwf), Kumba(Presbyterian seminary), Awing, Gambe-tikar, Limbe. The Association appreciate all effort and support.