A Free XO Laptops for rural children

s you sow, so shall you reap. Imagine the return on investment in helping children from rural and remote parts of India learn and educate themselves, just like children in metropolitan areas. A charity program called OLPC (One Laptop Per Child), a small investment in a country’s future, is making dreams come true for millions of disadvantaged children in developing countries. It is a grassroots movement that signifies growth and opportunity.

“OLPC was established by visionary Nicholas Negroponte and others at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US,” said Rangan Srikhanta, executive director, OLPC Australia. The Xo laptops are now being deployed to hundreds of villages all over the world to bridge the digital divide in remote areas of developing countries. In support of OLPC (India), TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs, aka “Talent, Ideas and Enterprise”) organised a charity gala evening of Indian dances at UWS Parramatta campus on December 5.

The auditorium was abuzz with around a hundred people who graced the charity event, all eager to view the program.

The event was inaugurated by Sumathi Krishnan’s music group, whose lilting vocals combined with soft sounds of flute and santoor a reminder of the sacrosanct cause of the event itself.

“A child’s heart is like splashing droplets of water during the rain; pure and unmindful of its capacity,” said Sumathi, who chose this as a theme for the invocation song of the event. She was exhilarated by OLPC’s noble idea and was happy to donate towards the cause.

The dance performances that followed were colourful, twinkling and varied, from

Bharatnatyam to Bhangra, which delighted the audience. The program was interspersed with Satish Jha (President and CEO, OLPC India) and OLPC Australia, and an auction to raise funds for the

Expressing the positives of owning a laptop, Satish Jha said, “When children take these laptops home, it could also spark a measure of curiosity in their families, thereby multiplying the number of people who learn from the laptops. XO laptops are light and are the size of a lunchbox, so there is no need for heavy school bags anymore.” The initiative springs from the idea that children need a low-cost, low-power and a sturdy laptop with features that will help them connect with the world and will make learning fun. The laptops have evolved over time, and now display a unique screen that is readable under direct sunlight, with shock and waterproof attributes.

The audience was moved to gasps and sighs when Rangan Srikhanta threw the XO laptop on the floor to prove that it is a roughn-tough device, unlike our delicate personal ones. Children at the venue took part in demonstrations highlighting the unbelievable features of this small, cute-looking machine: built-in wireless, inter-connectivity with other Xo laptops, chat, games, still photography, video recording options, etc.

There was an air of excitement when the auction began, and people were passionate and generous in their donations towards the cause. Ignited by the OLPC initiative, discussions like ‘adopt a village’ began taking root. TiE Board member, Neale Java said that the total amount collected from the auction, as well as the TiE Board donation of AUD 10,000 will be used to sponsor 30 Xo laptops. It is anticipated that these laptops will be deployed to a village in one or more of the states of Bihar, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Haryana. The surplus amount will be used in gathering volunteer groups to help teach schools and teachers in these villages.

The event ended with a zealous message: “Donate and change your home country’s future”. Sydney has a vibrant and socially active set of Indians, and such events should encourage us to spend money wisely. Organising similar fundraising events within the community will garner the spirit of humanity.

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Priyanka Rao