Computers for Sierra Leone
by Purnimaa Arun
Peace Pals Education Network (PPEN) in Freetown, Sierra Leone,
is about to receive a shipment of 20 Pentium II computers.
This is being made possible through the
World Computer
Exchange (WCE), a non-governmental organization (NGO), which
provides fundraising and project planning assistance, computers,
digital libraries, e-waste knowledge and internet access in
developing countries.
The computers sent will serve as a gateway through which the
children in rural areas can expand their horizons by accessing
the wealth of information on the internet.
The cost of Pentium I, Pentium II and Pentium III computers is
US$27 (approximately €19.06, £13.27), US$47
(approximately €33.17, £23.10) and US$67
(approximately €47.29, £32.92) plus shipping
respectively, sent in shipments of 200-400 computers and
distributed among 20-40 schools.
For more information, please visit the
WCE website.
Isha Miranda Advises How To Design Courses For Refugees
by Souraya Ahamada
In an interview with RESPECT, Isha Miranda,
a RESPECT
University tutor, kindly shares her experience on delivering
an online course to refugee or displaced people and to encourage
other people to share their knowledge and start similar
projects.
RESPECT – Could you tell us what made you
want to teach this course?
Isha - I was involved on various occasions
from 1999 to 2006 in some livelihood rehabilitation and
development work in the North Central Province as well as the
Southern Province of Sri Lanka.
During this time, I noticed that different programs such as
Ongoing Ethnic Conflict and the 2003 Floods &
Disaster Management delivered through the
United Nations Volunteer Program,
and the Tsunami and Poverty Evaluation in which I took
part, couldn't make a permanent change on the refugees'
situation.
Therefore, I decided to start teaching Managing Small and
Medium Enterprises specially to the refugees and displaced
people. This is only a small piece of a long-term project as my
main goal is to develop schools and vocational institutes and
prepare youth for the present job market.
Isha Miranda
