hi,<br><br>Will you be combining OLPC XOs with donated computers for the students or just using XOs or just donated used computers. You might want to take a look at the Sugar on a Stick project where we are working on making donated computers run Sugar off of USB sticks so each student still has thier own environment but they can use whatever computer is available.<br>
<br><a href="http://sugarlabs.org/go/Sugar_on_a_Stick">http://sugarlabs.org/go/Sugar_on_a_Stick</a><br><br>Cheers,<br>Caroline<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Dec 17, 2008 at 1:29 PM, Michael Hsu <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:michael.hsu99@gmail.com">michael.hsu99@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">Dear OLPC Boston,<br><br>My name is Michael Hsu and I am at the Kennedy School. I have met some of your group at the MIT Museum but regretfully due to finals, was not able to meet with more of you.<br>
<br>I am writing to inform you that my Professor, Calestous Juma, on the OLPC board, has a project in Western Kenya. My understanding is that it will not be completely OLPC but this may be an excellent way to compare the OLPC in
a development setting against traditional PC's. <br><br>Obviously, funding is crucial and any assistance on this end would be appreciated, so please consider and spread the word for those who can donate. Additionally, the project intends to organize a group of 10 volunteers to go to Kenya for four weeks from July 10th until August 7th. Details below...<br>
<br><a href="http://207.56.85.76/Kenya-Osogo" target="_blank">http://207.56.85.76/Kenya-Osogo</a><br>(personal note: I went on 3 trips to Kenya and the entrepreneurial spirit among the people I met is truly inspirational)<br>
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Bold Tech Vision for Western Kenya</h1>
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Submitted by tanderson on Fri, 12/12/2008 - 8:00pm. </div>
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<p><b>Harvard Professor plans innovative tech Institute in Kenya. 4 week tech volunteer trip planned. </b>International development expert develops model media lab for community of 60,000 people in Western Kenya where he was born.</p>
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<p>Calestous Juma is Professor of the Practice of International
Development and the Director of the Science, Technology and Innovation
Program at the Harvard Kennedy School. He volunteers as a member of
the International Advisory Council of World Computer Exchange (WCE).</p>
<p><span><span lang="en-US">Recently, Professor Juma took the lead with WCE </span></span><span><span lang="en-US">to
help get more schools in the Western Province of Kenya connected to the
Internet. He is helping to plan a shipment of 200 donated used
computers from WCE to connect seven high schools in Port Victoria in
Budalang'i Division where he was born and raised. These schools have
about 4,000 students. The community has 60,000 people who will also be
invited to use this new tech resource. Dr. Juma has asked WCE to
include a copy of the 11-million page eGranary Digital Library that was
developed by the University of Iowa. </span></span></p>
<p><span><span lang="en-US">The John Osogo school will
serve as a focal point for One Laptop per Child on whose foundation
board Dr. Juma serves. In addition, it will help to distribute other
educational technologies, scientific equipment and books.</span></span></p>
<p>Dr. Juma said, "I enjoy working with WCE. Together,
we are planning to bring a team of volunteers from the U.S. and other
countries to help our local volunteers in Kenya redevelop the John
Osogo secondary school into a technology resource for students in
nearby schools. - and for the community. The John Osogo school is
especially important to me because I studied there as a child, long
before continuing my education in Britain and long before I started
teaching at Harvard and other universities. I was taught there by a
Peace Corps Volunteer."</p>
<p>L<span><span lang="en-US">ast year, his former
teacher and Dr. Juma arranged for some computers from WCE to be placed
at this school. Something amazing happened there. With almost no
supporting program, two students taught themselves and came in 5th on
project design and presentation in a national science competition.</span></span></p>
<p><span lang="en-US"><span>Professor Juma is now
contacting his friends and colleagues to explore if they might be
willing to join him in financially Sponsoring part of the $22,330 for
content materials, sourcing the computers and the logistical and
shipping costs needed to make this happen. Dr. Juma said, "I hope they
will help to develop "my" Victoria Institute of Science, Technology and
Innovation. </span>As part of this, the seven participating schools
will match each donation with funds raised from parents, schools, local
government, Rotary Clubs and local companies." Their match is a key
ingredient in showing the priority they place on their children
receiving these computers and ensuring a strong sense of local
ownership.</span></p>
<p><span lang="en-US">John Ouko is principal of the John Osogo school. He said, "</span>The
main objective here is to build a strong technological network as the
basis for community development in Budalang'i Division. The ultimate
goal is to establish the Victoria Institute of Science, Technology and
Innovation in the area, which will service technology-driven
development in the entire Lake Victoria Basin bestriding Kenya Uganda
and Tanzania. This Institute will link schools, institutions of higher
learning, research institutes, industry, government and communities in
a unique development-focused web powered by information technology,
research and innovation. We are now putting in place the building
blocks for transforming the region into an IT hub, starting with IT
Labs at John Osogo Secondary School and a Community Information Center
nearby." John Osogo school will serve as a pilot model school in IT
learning and research for high school students and teachers. Running
concurrently with this will be a Community Information Center - a
modern resource providing library services, Internet access,
mobile/satellite telephony, information and research services. The John
Osogo IT Lab and the Community Information Center will collaborate in
providing outreach services for community development.</p>
<p>Gary Hansen, Professor & Associate
Dean, Technology Management Program, University of California, Santa
Barbara stated "We are delighted to be a lead university collaboration
with students from Education, Computer Engineering, Psychology, Global
& International Studies ready to participate. "</p>
<p>The long-term vision is for this to evolve into a college and a university offering experiential education.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="en-US">WCE has been planning
on having an eCorps tech team visit Kenya during July. Dr. Juma and
John Ouko have requested that 2 of the team work for a month in Port
Victoria and stay at the Institute that is right on the shore of Lake
Victoria. There is a picture of the Institute and information about it
at their <a href="http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Victoria-Institute/" target="_blank">WEBSITE</a>. </span> </p>
<p> <span lang="en-US">Prior brief <a href="http://www.worldcomputerexchange.org/old/partner_plans/Kenya-Osogo-Plan.doc" target="_blank">I<b>mplementation Plan</b></a>.</span></p>
<p>The average annual income in Kenya is $1,700 and about 7% of the people are currently using the Internet.</p>
<p>eCorp trip planned. After the container arrives, we plan to recruit
10 tech volunteers for a two-week trip to Kenya. If you are interested
in staying a bit longer and helping for 4 weeks in Kenya please
contact: <a href="http://Kenya@worldcomputerexchange.org/" target="_blank">Kenya@WorldComputerExchange.org</a> We will ask that you complete our <a href="http://www.worldcomputerexchange.org/files/Application-eCorps.doc" target="_blank">eCorps Application.</a>
The visit is scheduled to depart for Kenya from various countries on
the 10th of July and the 2 for Port Victoria will stay 4 weeks until
the 7th of August. Lodging will be provided in the building in the
above picture. You will pay directly for your meals, medical &
evacuation insurance, vacinations, and visa. Your donation will cover
your flight cost and a $400 administrative fee for World Computer
Exchange. We can arrange the flight, but the cost will be different
depending on from which country each eCorps volunteer travels.</p><br>
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<br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Caroline Meeks<br>Solution Grove<br>Caroline@SolutionGrove.com<br><br>617-500-3488 - Office<br>505-213-3268 - Fax<br>