Building Digital Classrooms, Benin 2026
- 2 days ago
- 1 min read
In May and June 2026, the WildTech team traveled to Benin's Atlantique Region and delivered a complete digital education program in just two weeks, funded by the U.S. Department of State through the IREX Mandela Washington Fellowship.
The impact, by the numbers:
27+ teachers trained
2 schools fully equipped
5,496+ students reached
38 refurbished U.S. computers deployed
9 university students Cisco-certified
"Click" the Video to see the Cycle of Tansformation (COT) in Action
Two schools, two new computer labs. At CEG Zè (May 27–30) and CEG Sekou (June 2–5), teachers completed four days of intensive ICT training aligned to Benin's national curriculum, each finishing with a ready-to-teach, technology-integrated lesson plan. Every machine runs educational software in French, and each school now has a RACHEL+ offline server delivering Khan Academy, CK-12, PhET Simulations, and Wikipedia, with no internet connection required.
A local technical backbone. At IRGIB Africa University in Cotonou, nine students completed a Cisco IT Essentials certification, a globally recognized credential. These graduates now support the teachers at both schools, refurbish incoming computers, and will train the next cohort, keeping the program running long after our team flies home.
Earned, not given. This program is built on ownership, not handouts. Students earn their equipment by completing their training and teaching others, so the impact compounds year after year.
Our thanks to local partner and Mandela Washington Fellow Pamphile Dedji and the Benin YALI Alumni Association, whose leadership makes this work possible on the ground.
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