Thank you! We have raised the $32,000 needed to contruct the computer lab and it was completed in early 2014! See photos and read about the story of the project below.
We have long talked about someday creating a computer lab on the school’s campus. This Spring, the school was presented with an opportunity to make this happen sooner than we thought. This past May, the Chinese telecom company, Huawei, donated 10 brand-new desktop computers along with $8,000 to be used to fund the infrastructure and multimedia equipment for the computer lab. Currently, the computers are sitting in storage but we would like to make use of this generous gift by creating a computer lab on campus. The computer lab we envision would house 20 computers (enough for a class of 40 students, two to a computer) once we complete construction in late 2013. The students would learn basic computer skills, as well as basic programming. The students and staff would also have access to the internet, and to the vast amount of information and networking that comes from that access. It would extend their learning and allow them to grow in new ways, and to be further connected to the world around them. The cost of the brick building, including desks, 10 additional laptop computers, electrical infrastructure, and other miscellaneous/transportation expenses, is $32,476. Our newest volunteer, English Teacher/Computer technician, Brandon Ferdig plans to travel to Magulilwa with the additional computers. We expect Brandon to arrive in January 2014 as the lab is being completed and he will immediately assist in computer service, classes, and English tutoring. This year, we asked if you would be willing to help to make the lab possible. Through your generous support we were able to reach our $32,476 goal! Your donations will help provide these students an incredible opportunity to expand the amount of information and technological preparedness they have when pursuing opportunities after secondary school. Please watch the short video for more information about this project, including interviews with some of the grateful Magulilwa students who have benefitted from your generosity. They have dreams of becoming engineers, doctors, teachers, lawyers, and future leaders in their community and beyond. Thank you for being a part of this story.