You gave them power
The hydroelectric dam that supplies electricity to Bangui, Central African Republic (CAR), has limited capacity. It can’t provide power to everyone twenty-four hours a day. Typically, each neighborhood receives power about eight hours a week.
At ACATBA, the local translation center, whenever the power cut out, the primary router and IT equipment used for backup and file-sharing would power off abruptly. According to Nate, an IT specialist who works next door, those power cuts were causing serious risk to the equipment, especially the hard drives. One drive had to be replaced recently due to irrecoverable damage.
The power cuts also hindered translators because they lost access to the local network and internet and sometimes unexpectedly lost their work.
To solve these destructive power problems, Bill Mayes, the IT project manager for Africa, approved the installation of a solar panel for the server room. And partners like you made it possible.
“With this system in place,” Nate says, “the equipment sees much fewer power cuts, which will help tremendously in extending the life of the equipment.” Having reliable power for backup equipment also ensures that translators have uninterrupted access to the network.
Options in Bangui for quality IT equipment and support are limited, so Nate and his coworkers feel like they have to work twice as hard.
You can support the translation efforts of our brothers and sisters in Africa by giving to our Technology Solutions.
Any efforts by SIL Africa and JAARS to support the efforts of [translation work here in CAR] are tremendously appreciated.
