I've just returned from a trip to Ethiopia, for a project that Computer Shopper is taking part in with IT charity Computer Aid.
When we think about charity projects in the Third World, our minds tend to generate images of malnourished children whose lives are at risk from unsafe water and disease. Such factors are, of course, problems in Ethiopia, but not everyone is at risk. Put bluntly, not everyone in Ethiopia is dying, some are living; trying to earn money to support their family and build a better future for their children.
This is where IT is so important. We in the developed world are wholly reliant on technology. Most of us couldn't imagine going to work without a PC at our desk, a phone to stay in touch with friends and family or the internet as a source of information and communication. IT is a staple of our society, it's an integral part of what makes us "developed" countries, and it's an area in which the Third World has a lot of catching up to do.
Rather naively, I hoped to blog about my experiences in Ethiopia. However, I soon found that internet access was very scarce and unreliable, if you could even manage to find a PC at all. Even in the cities, many buildings had no phone lines, and in some of the places we visited there wasn't even any electricity. We ate our evening meals in candlelight and the torches we brought with us proved invaluable. To me, it was a wonder that families living in rural areas could survive at all.
Computer Aid is trying to rectify this problem across the developing world. Their projects bring PCs into schools in the developing world, and in Africa, this is essential. In bringing IT to schools, these projects help to form a middle-class in countries such as Ethiopia.
IT skills are essential for children to receive higher education and find professional employment later in life. They can then go on and earn the money needed to support themselves and their families, without being reliant on handouts from the developed world. These projects target the future of a country - they give children the skills that they need to stimulate their own countries' economies, develop their own skills and a real chance to break themselves free from their dependence on people born in more developed lands.
In Ethiopia, I saw a country with beautiful scenery, rich history and wonderful people - but they need our help. Computer Shopper will continue supporting Computer Aid in its efforts, and if you'd like to help us, you can donate a little through our Justgiving page.
It costs £2,700 to install and provide support for a suite of 20 PCs in an Ethiopian school. This suite can serve more than 1,000 students, so just £2.70 can change a person's life in ways we cannot even comprehend.
When we think about charity projects in the Third World, our minds tend to generate images of malnourished children whose lives are at risk from unsafe water and disease. Such factors are, of course, problems in Ethiopia, but not everyone is at risk. Put bluntly, not everyone in Ethiopia is dying, some are living; trying to earn money to support their family and build a better future for their children.
This is where IT is so important. We in the developed world are wholly reliant on technology. Most of us couldn't imagine going to work without a PC at our desk, a phone to stay in touch with friends and family or the internet as a source of information and communication. IT is a staple of our society, it's an integral part of what makes us "developed" countries, and it's an area in which the Third World has a lot of catching up to do.
Rather naively, I hoped to blog about my experiences in Ethiopia. However, I soon found that internet access was very scarce and unreliable, if you could even manage to find a PC at all. Even in the cities, many buildings had no phone lines, and in some of the places we visited there wasn't even any electricity. We ate our evening meals in candlelight and the torches we brought with us proved invaluable. To me, it was a wonder that families living in rural areas could survive at all.
Computer Aid is trying to rectify this problem across the developing world. Their projects bring PCs into schools in the developing world, and in Africa, this is essential. In bringing IT to schools, these projects help to form a middle-class in countries such as Ethiopia.
IT skills are essential for children to receive higher education and find professional employment later in life. They can then go on and earn the money needed to support themselves and their families, without being reliant on handouts from the developed world. These projects target the future of a country - they give children the skills that they need to stimulate their own countries' economies, develop their own skills and a real chance to break themselves free from their dependence on people born in more developed lands.
In Ethiopia, I saw a country with beautiful scenery, rich history and wonderful people - but they need our help. Computer Shopper will continue supporting Computer Aid in its efforts, and if you'd like to help us, you can donate a little through our Justgiving page.
It costs £2,700 to install and provide support for a suite of 20 PCs in an Ethiopian school. This suite can serve more than 1,000 students, so just £2.70 can change a person's life in ways we cannot even comprehend.
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1 comments:
An article worth a visit
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