Team4Tech volunteers advance global literacy during pandemic

At NetApp, we’re all about serving others and doing our part to build a better world. Volunteering is in our DNA, and NetApp^® employees volunteer thousands of hours in their communities every year. Then the COVID-19 pandemic came along, disrupting every area of our lives. Although nothing could ever stop us from giving back, we were instantly forced to adapt and rethink the way we do it.

We soon learned that a global pandemic is just a speedbump to volunteering, not a roadblock. After all, we’re problem solvers with plenty of big hearts, advanced tech, and smart people to rely on. The funny thing about problem solving, however, is the surprises about what matters most to making something work. The experiences of NetApp volunteers with Team4Tech are a case in point.

Team4Tech is an education-focused nonprofit founded in 2012 by two Intel employees, Julie Clugage and Lila Ibrahim, who saw the potential of harnessing the knowledge and skills of technology companies to advance education for underserved students. The organization grew out of the Intel Education Service Corps efforts, which inspired thousands of Intel employees around the world to volunteer their time. Less than a decade old, Team4Tech consists of 19 corporate partners and 28 nonprofit partners working together to improve educational outcomes. Team4Tech employs a collaboration model that keeps volunteers on their toes and encourages them to get creative about problem solving. And the program doesn’t accept just anyone who volunteers; the application process is competitive.

In 2020, NetApp team members supported Team4Tech initiatives for advancing literacy in Ghana and information and communication technology (ICT) programs in Rwanda. Here’s how NetApp volunteer Mary Hayes explained the task of the small, multidisciplinary team supporting the Ghana program. “Our team – in 10 short weeks – is charged with evaluating and improving teacher training, crafting a countrywide literacy policy, outlining a financial sustainability model, and identifying ways to collect and use data to continually optimize the program.” Clearly not a job for anyone who’s not willing to fully commit and make personal sacrifices to move the program forward.

Traveling to Africa to advance education horizons probably sounds cool… At the very least it probably sounds more interesting and fun than spending additional time on Zoom during a work-at-home year. Based on the experience of NetApp volunteers, however, it turns out that Zoom fatigue disappears when you’re working to advance the education opportunities for underserved kids.

NetApp team member Richard Beauregard noted that although the inability to travel to Ghana was disappointing, he was ready for a perspective-broadening challenge. “When an e-mail came into my inbox about a new pilot volunteer opportunity with Team4Tech, I was intrigued. Being able to support literacy in Ghana from my apartment sounded like a positive challenge that I could use in such a crazy year. Listening to the initial Zoom meeting pitch, I was very excited. If COVID wasn’t around, it would have involved a trip to Ghana to help implement our solution. How cool!.”

Katja Morgenstern, another NetApp volunteer, explained how her mindset shifted after she was chosen for a Team4Tech project. “While I was excited to be a part of this team project, I was also a little skeptical about how we could all stay engaged and involved, while being remote. Add to that challenge the other global pandemic we are all sharing in, Zoom fatigue. How do you do all this and not add to the Zoom fatigue? Turns out that there are some fantastic tools to keep your attendees engaged and not feel like you are all so disconnected in our virtually connected world.”

For NetApp Customer Success Specialist, Kevin Moore, the appeal of Team4Tech was gaining the opportunity to learn how other cultures succeed while also being part of the effort to create a framework that increases the literacy rate of entire communities.

Team4Tech volunteers on the Ghana and Rwanda projects all said that the volunteering experience was more challenging than they expected and that their experiences have led to personal growth. “I have realized that I need to not get stuck in a ‘have to do it myself’ mindset and look beyond my capabilities to see what is out in the wild and can be leveraged,” said Richard. “One of my teammates suggested a chatbot as a potential solution to a problem. My first gut reaction was ‘wow, that would be really hard to pull off in 12 weeks and none of us are coders.’ After our meeting, I paused and reflected and thought that there had to be something in the wild we could leverage – and lo and behold there was. I reached out to my team with these options and we were all so excited.”

Brandi Einhorn, who was supporting the Gashora Girls Academy of Science and Technology as part of the Rwanda project, also talked about a mindset shift. “We learned that what was required for change to happen was not the technology – the government already supplied computers and most people have phones. It was not the internet, Gashora deals with the same internet challenges, yet they are a leader in ICT education in their country. It was a shift in mindset. The Rwandan Heads of Schools needed to believe in the value of the program. They had to do more than just learn, they had to want to create a plan of action.”

Mary echoed Brandi and Richard’s thoughts on Team4Tech volunteering challenges and lessons. “Our team is still at work, tackling the challenges that present themselves just when you thought you had it all figured out. But there’s strength in numbers and comfort in knowing that together, we’ll find our way. And in this case, when we do, the recipients of our efforts will change the course of children’s lives.”

The NetApp work on Team4Tech projects continues in 2021. NetApp volunteers will support three projects this year:

• In Kenya, the team will create a Technology Resource Lab at the Flying Kites’ Teacher Training Center and train teachers in basic computer literacy.
• In Ghana, the team will work with Worldreader to improve digital reading in underserved communities to create a world where everyone can be a reader.  
• In India, volunteers will work with Learning Links Foundation and teacher training to improve literacy and numeracy among students in government schools. 

If you’re looking for a new challenge and a way to give back to underserved youth around the world, we’d love to hear from you. Visit the NetApp Serves website for more information.