The Linux Professional Institute (LPI), the world's premier Linux certification organization and its affiliate, LPI-East Africa will host a "Linux Essentials" exam lab during Software Freedom Day, September 1, 2012, at Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya. LPI-East Africa is also co-sponsoring an "Open Source Developer Challenge" during the event with the Linux Professional Association of Kenya.

"Our affiliates and other Open Source organizations around the world have enthusiastically embraced our Linux Essentials Program as an important public education resource for the advancement of Linux and
Open Source Software.  LPI applauds our affiliate, LPI-East Africa, in bringing this program to Kenya and, in particular, to Software Freedom Day--a globally-recognized and long-established public advocacy event
for Free and Open Source Software," said Jim Lacey, president and CEO of LPI.

The Linux Essentials' program and its' corresponding "Certificate of Achievement" defines the basic knowledge required to competently use a desktop or mobile device using a Linux Operating System. For more information on Linux Essentials see: http://www.lpi.org/linux-certifications/introductory-programs

The Linux Essentials' exam lab will be during SFD at 2 p.m., Saturday, September 1st at Strathmore University, Nairobi. The Linux Essentials' exam will cost approximately US $65 or KSh 5,500.  In order to take the
exam, candidates must register for an LPI ID at: https://cs.lpi.org/caf/Xamman/register

Prior to SFD, LPI-East Africa will also host a 4-day workshop on Linux Essentials to assist exam candidates to prepare for the exam. Training workshop fees will include a free training manual and the cost of the Linux Essentials' exam. Further information and registration for both the exam lab and training workshop can be found at: http://www.lpakenya.org

The "Open Source Developers Challenge" on August 31st is targeted at students who are developing software applications and solutions using Open Source tools. Students will present their projects to a conference audience, where a panel of judges will evaluate and rank the projects according to set criteria. The challenge is open to students in all universities and tertiary training institutions where they are studying Computer Science and other related courses. Challenge winners will receive such prizes as laptops, smart phones, LPI exam vouchers and LPIC-1 training manuals.  For more information on the "Open Source Developers Challenge" see: www.lpakenya.org

Long time LPI supporter and Open Source advocate Jon "maddog" Hall will deliver the SFD keynote at Strathmore University. Other distinguished guests at SFD will include senior leaders in government, academia and members of the local business community.

The Linux Professional Institute is globally supported by the IT industry, enterprise customers, community professionals, government entities and the educational community. LPI's certification program is supported by an affiliate network spanning five continents and is distributed worldwide in multiple languages at more than 5,000 testing locations. Since 1999, LPI has delivered over 300,000 exams and 100,000 LPIC certifications around the world.