Joyce Learns Computer

A while back I wrote about Marie, the girl who sells bananas, and about the visit Bry'Chell and I paid to her house. I think I mentioned that her older sister, Joyce, asked if I would teach her how to use the computer during Christmas vacation. I said I would.

Joyce has been coming over to the house the past couple of weeks at about four in the afternoon to learn the computer. The first time she was here it was clear that she had never laid hands on a computer. She put her hands so heavily on the keyboard that it went nuts--a long jumble of letters poured onto the screen.

When I first met Joyce I thought she was about 15 or 16. I've since found out she's 18. She is going into Senior 6, the last year of advanced level high school. She attends Kiayabwe High School. There are no computers there. It's less expensive than St. Mary's where Bry'Chell attends, but not nearly as good a school. I'm realizing more and more that St. Mary's is really quite a good school. I take computers in schools for granted, but here, computers are a luxury. Few schools, even high schools, have them.

Kiayabwe is also further than St. Mary's so Joyce walks about 5 kilometers each way to school. Given that school starts about 7:30 AM and doesn't end until after 5:30 PM, that makes for a long day.

Joyce has been very committed to her computer lessons. I've started her on Ms. Mavis Beacon, a typing program that I've used with Bry'Chell. Joyce has just about caught up with Bry'Chell. She's pretty much mastered the keyboard. I should give Bry'Chell more credit, Bry'Chell doesn't look at the keyboard but Joyce still does. However, Joyce can type ten words a minute. (Bry'Chell just informed that she types 12 words a minute.) I think ten words a minute is pretty good for a kid who's only been typing for two weeks. Each day I teach her something new. She can now turn the computer on and off, she knows how to open and close programs. I started her on Microsoft Word yesterday. I prefer Word Perfect, but I think Microsoft Word will be more useful for her. It's the standard for word processing, even here in Uganda.

Computer skills are just about as important here as at home. Without computer skills Joyce has few options--mostly farming and housekeeping. Neither pay well.

Joyce knows how to use the touch pad and the mouse. She can click and double click, although she doesn't always know which one to use when.

I've shown her a couple of other programs, Excel and Powerpoint. Friday I had Bry'Chell take her out and show her how to use the digital camera. After taking pictures they came in and we printed them. Photos are a big deal here. The term for photos here is "snaps"--as in snapshots. Fortunately, Bry'Chell knows the local terminology.

Sunday, Marie came over to visit with her mother. Of course, they wanted pictures as well. We took the obligatory pictures and printed them out. Everybody was happy.

Marie came by again today and just left. Her mother sent her with some mangoes and an avocado. I'm sure they should sell them, but it would be wrong to refuse such a generous gift.