(Photos: Nigerian students power up their laptops)

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"Nice" is foreign to you, isn't it?

I congratulate the people behind this. Even if this solution is not ideal, it is 100% better than DOING NOTHING!

Your comment (without context) frankly stinks. Although I can understand the sentiment behind it. Even I can't help but think the following:

o If it is $100 per laptop (we know it's more, but that's not the point) and there are 70 students there, then that is $7,000

o that buys:

- an awful lot of books
- wells and building equipment
- grain, self sustainability

It's an awful bind. Long term - education is a vital part of escaping poverty (but not the only one) and this laptop is an ideal vehicle to assist that education. Short term - the money spent on 70 laptops could have been spent on books (nothing wrong with books - I am old enough to have solely learnt through books) as well as other things the children need (e.g. like another classroom).

Perhaps a better strategy may have been five or six of the laptops (2 for each class) and spend the remainder on books, infrastructure etc. After all, my children (who go to excellent schools) have to share computers.

As I said, in my darker moments I can understand No_Axe's comment that the children might be better off selling 64 of the 70 laptops and using the money to buy essential items.

But at the very least someone's doing something. Which is more than what No_Axe is doing (or me at the moment, for that matter. But I will change that by donating to this cause. I challenge No_Axe to do the same!)

The Banjo

Posted by: BanjoPaterson   Posted on: 04/11/07 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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