Dream Lab is opening doors

Alumna to help pupils bridge digital divide

SEVENTEEN-year-old Nadine Maselle has opened new doors for her peers with the donation of a computer lab at Salt River High School, where she will teach maths and science, and how to use computers and coding.

The donation of the “Dream Lab” facility was made possible through a partnership between the Facebook Community Leadership Program (FCLP) and the Dream Factory foundation.

Maselle, a South African fellow of the FCLP and an alumna of Salt River High, is an electrical engineering student at Northlink College.

Last year, she was selected as one of three South African fellows of the FCLP, a global initiative that invests in people who are building communities using Facebook’s tools and platforms.

Maselle said that she was introduced to coding and programming during June last year while in Egypt on the AFS and BP STEM academy programme.

“When I was in Grade 9, we did not have a teacher or computer lessons.

“I decide to self-teach myself computers with the help from my twin sister. I (also) decided to help other pupils (learn) how to use a computer and how to understand maths and science. I have always had a desire to help other people, ever since I was young,” she said.

“I have always wanted to help other people, ever since I was a youngster

Nadine Maselle FCLP fellow, engineering student

The FCLP, representing 43 countries, gives 100 participants from across the world the support, tools, funding and the belief in themselves that they need to best lead their communities.

“The project (computer lab) started when I was accepted at the FCLP, we looked at what we really needed at the school. It was computers, because most of the learners did not know how to operate a computer or even switch one on.

‘‘This lab will encourage other pupils to have a motive for learning.

“They will have that encouragement to open the books. It will help them with CVs, applying for universities and gaining basic computer skills for the workplace,” she said.

With the aim of introducing robotic coding and programming, it will help the pupils at Salt River High to get to know the world of technology.

“I hope other pupils can be more open to learning,” she said.