The world of VR made a reality for rural Kenyan children

A group of youngsters from a community in Kiambu, Kenya is experiencing the world of VR headsets for the first time. Gathered in their village hall, it’s clear many of them don’t know what to expect as the organizer, Paul Simon Waiyaki Wa Hinga distributes the devices. Waiyaki is a former teacher who was looking for a better way to engage his students. He noticed there was a lack of technological know-how in many Kenyan villages and started touring the area teaching locals about the importance of VR technology via hands-on sessions. “Africa VR Campus and Center is an organization that is dedicated to training VR/XR/AR (virtual reality/extended reality/augmented reality) but not in shiny workshops and other areas but in grassroots rural Africa where we come with our gadgets, internet solutions, and we connect the community,” he says. “And the reason why we do so is, of course, for social economic empowerment because they too have stories to tell in the metaverse, they too have got their own local grassroots industries that can be incorporated in the metaverse, and that brings economic empowerment and financial wellness to them,” he adds. Bringing boxes of futuristic goggles to impoverished rural communities is fraught with difficulty, he says. Some villages don’t have the infrastructure or internet coverage to host his sessions and, he says, he often gets strange looks from locals as he unboxes the new technology. The reaction from those who do join the sessions, however, more than makes up for those challenges. “I have seen that I can also travel to another country while I am still in Africa. That is so wonderful and I am so amazed. I can actually see space and all the stars, so that is a very good thing,” says Virginia Wanjiku after trying on a VR headset for the first time. Wanjiku and the rest of the group are taking part in a three-day training session. After that, those who are interested can join the team and learn how to use VR and other technologies. Waiyaki says they will also start to make a living. This article was provided by The Associated Press.