Umjindi Resource Centre
Education in Barberton

Digital village that helps the Barberton, community, South Africa, Mpumalanga, schools and underprivileged people get better education and self efficient through access to online resource.

The Umjindi Resource Centre, a Section 21 (non-profit) company, provides access to information, educational resources and basic business services to scholars, students, pensioners, local entrepreneurs, visitors from other countries and adults of all descriptions. The Centre is located on the lower level of the Barberton Public Library and provides educational resources and facilities for the approximately 11,500 learners in the 33 schools situated within a 15 kilometer radius of its location, as well as for educators and the community as a whole. It provides a wide range of facilities and resources for young children, learners, educators and adults alike. A nominal membership fee is charged on a quarterly basis but, where appropriate, financial assistance will be provided to cover membership fees and will be granted according to pre-set criteria. Duplication, lamination, faxing and bookbinding services are also provided to the community at cost. It affords every member of the community to use state-of-the-art information technology, regardless of personal means. We have seen people using our facilities to learn, play, reach out to loved ones and to solve problems. Participation in school, in studies even in society is based heavily on a person’s ability to acquire information. And with more and more people having access to up to date information through technology, those who do not have the luxury of accessing this information fall behind quicker than we imagine. Although we provide technology and access to computers, the internet and knowledge it is important to remember that we provide this to humans. Although we provide convenient tools they would be worth nothing if they did not enrich human lives. We are all stakeholders in South Africa’s future, and in the future of all the members of our community.