A laptop to change the world

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Obviously living ina bubble...

I've lived in quite a few impoverished Asian nations and taught in several of their schools. They have all the 'human interaction' they need and then some. They don't need more time surrounded by big families with no opportunities to improve their lot in life, what they need is to be exposed to the fact that there is indeed a world outside their own community, to awake in their growing minds the hope and belief that it may indeed become possible for even them to stretch their horizons.

These kids are in countries where public education is provided by the government beyond the 6th grade (if at all). I've seen them get excited and group together to work diligently over math and other basic subjects and the only thing I see them lacking is the chance to learn more. If they can get so excited simply reading a book about kids going to the zoo or a simple math problem, imagine how much more enjoyable it will be for them to gather around a computer and work out problems with feedback, possibly guidance, illustrations, animations, etc.

The whole idea behind this project is to at least try to allow these children the chance to see beyond their own immediate communities. Imagine if they could chat with someone in another country and share daily information, even if that information is only what they saw in their yard that day. The children that you refer to not being able to spell or do simple math in the more developed countries is not the result of poor education systems, it is the result of being raised in indulgent societies by parents who keep themselves too busy to take any interest in what their children are doing in school.

That shouldn't become an excuse to deny others who need a chance the opportunities to expand their worlds, and the very idea of a computer per village, let alone per child in many of these countries is a dream they dare not even contemplate. Let's hope the OLPC project can help fix that. It's at least a step in the right direction. Don't criticize it if you don't know anything about it or don't have anything better to offer. Charity starts at home.

How many computers, TVs, stereos, iPods, 10-speed bikes, cars, shoes, watches, rings, video gaming machines do you have? Are they enough yet? Do they make you happy? When you see impoverished children on your 50-inch plasma screen, does your mind or conscience connect or react at all? Think about how fortunate you are before cutting off somebody else at the ankles before they even get a chance to race.

Posted by: GaijinIT   Posted on: 03/09/07 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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