History

OUR HISTORY AND THE ORU REFUGEE CAMP IN NIGERIA.

hange Agent Network, Inc and the 842 Computer Training Center are products of a vision that began in September 2002, after Mr. Desmond Ovbiagele; Chief Executive Officer of 842 Technologies; a budding information technology firm based in Lagos Nigeria, paid his first visit to the Oru Refugee Camp in Oru-Ijebu Ogun State on September 7, 2003. He was invited by one of the refugees, Mr. Eric Willise Wowoh, a Liberian National. Prior to this date, Mr. Desmond Ovbiagele had known Mr. Wowoh for 18 months, after having first met him at a local church service. Mr. Wowoh had left the refugee camp for THE HOUSE ON THE ROCK CHURCH in Lagos that Sunday morning in order to see a friend. Pastor. Jackson Tugbeh a Liberian native was then the Musical Director of the above mentioned church. His mission was to ask for some financial assistance for both school fees and feeding. However, every effort to see Pastor Tugbeh that day, was unsuccessful. Broke and busted with no single penny left to transport himself back to the refugee camp, Mr. Wowoh became frustrated and had no option but to approach Mr. Desmond Ovbiagele, who was taking a look at some books at the book stand of the church and asked for help. Amazingly, Mr. Ovbiagele was only at this church at the invitation of a friend of his on that Sunday.

Constant communication with Mr. Wowoh over the ensuing 18 months apprised Mr. Ovbiagele of the general condition of affairs on the camp: the inability of a large proportion of the refugees( victims of various civil conflicts around Africa) to effectively fend for themselves; the dependence (for the fortunate belonging to qualified categories) on the limited budget of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) for feeding; lack of access to viable forms of employment in a nation already burgeoning with unemployed university graduates; isolation from, and in some cases, fear of the mainstream Nigerian society, low self esteem and limited opportunities for self employment and etc.
Mr. Desmond Ovbiagele's visit to the camp brought home the reality of these conditions. The seeds of an idea for the tutelage of computer courses to whomever was willing; nurtured by Mr. Wowoh's personal desire for computer literacy took root. While we did not and still do not harbor the illusion that acquisition of computer skills would create instant wealth for the recipients, the idea was to create a platform for the re-building of their self-esteem and ambition; an important step in social integration within the Nigerian society or other offshore communities (for those pursuing resettlement programs to developed countries around the world).

The first desktop computer was delivered to the camp on January 21, 2003 and given to Mr. Eric Willise Wowoh for personal training. This piece of equipment was located in Mr. Wowoh's personal room in the camp; the plan being for him to undergo an intensive program in PC operations ( conducted by Mr. Edward Tamba, a fellow refugee working as a lecturer at a neighboring computer college) prior to the public offering of computer training services to be coordinated by Mr. Wowoh himself to the generality of the camp. However, the necessity to locate the computer at a site easily accessible to both male and female refugees led to the our decision to physically construct a building within the camp premises that would serve as the center for the proposed training operations. Subsequent to the allotment of suitable land by the Camp Management, this building project was completed in the second week of May 2003. Additional two computers were delivered in the 4 weeks prior to the building completion. Three portable generators to augment the epileptic electricity supply prevalent in the area and five ceiling fans for ventilation were also delivered.


The first school building before completion                         After completion


Additional two computers were delivered in the 4 weeks prior to the building completion. Three portable generators to augment the epileptic electricity supply prevalent in the area and five ceiling fans for ventilation were also delivered.
The response of the refugees to the free computer services was very tremendous. Many of the refugees were instrumental in the construction of the building in record time. They helped through various forms of services such as fetching of water for the bricks construction, the laying of the building's foundation, bricklaying, carpentry, plastering. Others with technical computer awareness acquired through individual PC literacy efforts, volunteered their services to train fellow refugees in the rudiments of computing.

There has been a real enthusiasm for this cost-free educational service from both the elderly and the youths, as for some, this would be the most positive development to impart them personally throughout their 13-years sojourn on the camp from inception in 1990. For example, many of them are dependent on (often) uncooperative commercial business center workers for the typing and sending of emails to loved ones and relatives overseas., and are frequently financially exploited in the process. Internet and word processing skills acquired from the project initiative would increase their self-sufficiency ( and save a few precious cent as well)

The center was officially launched on May 24, 2003 and the first enrollment of students stood at about 120 from various nations across Africa such as Sudan, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia and Cameroon. Training services were provided in the following areas of computing:

·         Basic Computer Operations

·         Internet Usage

·         Windows And Office Xp Manipulation

·         Ms Word

·         Ms Excel

·         Ms Powerpoint

·         Ms Outlook & Access

·         Ms Frontpage

We also provided services in Basic Pc Hardware Repair and Maintenance Services in the following areas:

·         Pc Repair

·         Building

·         Troubleshooting

·         Upgrading

Certificates in Fundamentals of Computing, PC Hardware Training, Website Design were issued to students upon successful completion of the relevant modules (provided via both teaching instruction and computer based training programs) tenured between 3 months minimum and 12 months maximum. After a short while, we envisioned the necessity of expanding the center's facilities / resources in the below-outlined areas in order to enable it provide a more comprehensive service to the camp population.

Additional Desktop Computers

Provision of suitable power generating capacity to support the operation of the computers, fans light bulbs and other electrical equipment required for day-to-day functioning of the center.

Construction of an extension to the computer center building to accommodate extra students and equipment.

Monthly cash stipends to provide minimum compensation to the volunteers; enough to meet their basic daily needs.

Provision of Internet access at the center to connect the camp residents directly to the local and international community

The Salvation Army Nigeria territorial Command donated a 7.5KVA ListerPower Generating Plant to the Center.

The West African Theoretical Seminary of Oshodi Lagos donated four computers

Educational Cooperation Society Victoria Island Lagos gave three computers

Stanbic Bank Nigeria Limited donated one computer making a total of 11 computers altogether at the Center.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Lagos, Nigeria gave a printerand a scanner to the school.

Many Nigerians also donated ceiling fans and chairs.

In 2004, Bishop. David Olukoya of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries who read about the school in The Guardian Newspapers gave 50,000 Naira Nigerian Currency to the school.

The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Kings Court Parish, Victoria Island, Lagos donated 40,000 Naira to the Center.

OUR SECOND BUILDING CAMPAIGN IN THE CAMP:

It was barely a year when our first school building could no longer accommodate all of our students due to their huge number. Therefore, we decided to construct an additional center in the camp to deal with the overwhelming population of the programs. This second building project was completed within three months. All of the construction works of this building were done by local refugees who were residents of the camp; ranging from concrete work, carpentry to electricity.

Our new building was not just a training center in the camp but also served as a community multipurpose hall for the refugees. It was used for community meetings, weddings, birthday celebrations, naming ceremonies and so on.

Between 2003 and 2007, we were able to train and graduate about one refugees and others at our center. It must also be noted importantly that, most of the beneficiaries of our training programs are making meaningful and awesome contributions in their various societies. It warms our hearts and encourages us to realize that, most of these grandaunts have gainful employments in their various nations and cities after returning home or being resettled abroad.




Graduation Photos at the center.

Looking at the achievements of CHANGE AGENT NETWORK in the Oru Camp and Mr. Eric Willise Wowoh eventual departure for the United States of America on a refugee resettlement program in 2006, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in collaboration with the Justice Development and Peace Commission came on board and took over the administration and funding of the 842 Computer Training Center from our organization after three years of humanitarian service.

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ORU REFUGEE CAMP

The Oru International Refugee Camp was established in 1990 by the Federal Government of Nigeria due to the influx of Liberian Refugees who were fleeing their home country as a result of a brutal civil war which started on December 25, 1989. At that time, the Oru Camp was predominantly occupied by Liberian Refugees most of whom were repatriated in 1998 owing to the false impression created that the Liberian Civil War was over based on the result of the July 19, 1997 Liberian Elections. However, most of these repatriated refugees were forced to return to the camp once again because of security and renewed fighting in that country.  Additionally, refugees from Sierra Leone, DR Congo, Sudan, Rwanda, Ivory Coast, Cameroon and etc joined the camp residents. The over all population of the camp then stood at about seven thousands (7,000 refugees) as was reported by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR)

The National Commission For Refugees (NCFR) of the Nigerian Government, in collaboration with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and the Justice Development and Peace Commission were the major players in catering to the needs of the refugees and the general management of the camp.

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