OLPCorps Cornell Mauritania
Welcome to the Cornell OLPC site
Who we are:
- Eli Luxenberg - Information Science '10
- James Elkins - Information Science '11
- Alan Garcia - Information Science '09
- Nora Callinan - Biological Sciences '09
- Seth Luxenberg - Policy Analysis and Management '08
- Jawwad Asghar - Mechanical Engineering '11
- Billy Podlaski - Biological Sciences '11
Mission Statement
- We are a group of socially conscious, technically inclined students at Cornell University who wish to improve education in Africa. We believe that OLPC and its constructionist, hands-on learning method is the best way to do this.
- We are going to use technology for the rest of our lives in whatever profession we choose. Acknowledging this, we see it as necessary to share a part of what we have been given. We know that we can succeed when given the proper tools and we know that all kids can succeed if given the right tools. We need to go out and share the technology that has enabled us to learn.
What we want to do
- Apply for the OLPCorps Africa grant program to deploy 100 laptops to kids in Mauritania
When we want to do it
- Summer 2009 - June 20th-August 20th
Where
- Tdjikja, Mauritania
Proposal
Mauritania is a breathtaking country - full of contrasts, compromises, and contradictions. In the north, it is host to a majority of traditionally nomadic Arabic-speaking peoples (the Moors). In the south, it is home to Wolof and Pulaar speaking minorities. It is incredibly culturally and linguistically diverse for a country of only about 3.5 million people. Unfortunately, it is one of the poorest countries on the planet. After winning independence from France in 1960, it has struggled to retain industry and improve education. According to the CIA factbook, it has an illiteracy rate of just under 50%, and only 30,000 internet users. By giving 100 laptops to students, we can significantly impact the number of people that have come into contact with computers.
Tidjikja, a city of 6000 and the capital of the Tagant region, is a vibrant, yet rural town. Its inhabitants are aware of the outside world, but their only link to it is a 12 hour drive to the capital city, Nouakchott. Tidjikjaians are enthusiastic about learning and interested in other cultures. Seth Luxenberg, who is currently stationed there while working for the Peace Corps, reports that he has helped to form a local English club, and is corresponding with a vocational school in the area to teach computer skills. In addition, he teaches English and environmental skills at the local elementary schools école primaire 1 and école primaire 5. We will work with these schools to distribute the laptops to the students there.
With these laptops, students will be able to break free of the traditional "eyes front" method of learning and can learn at their own pace. In addition, their entire extended family will have the benefit of being able to interact with a computer. Our pedagogical leads are creating sample lesson plans to prepare the teachers to integrate the laptops with the curriculum, which is split between Arabic and French. We plan to set up a correspondence with a local school in Ithaca so the students can share their experiences with American students of the same age.
Logistically, the students will be on break during the summer, though the teachers will be available. With support from the local community, we hope to set up extracurricular laptop training sessions so that when the children come back to school, they will be well versed in laptop usage. Seth Luxenberg will be in the area for another year, giving him ample time to train and hand off ownership of the project to the administrators of the school or a local community group. We will transport the laptops personally from Dakar, Senegal to Tidjikja. Since Tidjikja is a rural town, security will not be a problem - everyone knows each others business and crime is very low. Seth and other Peace Corps Volunteers in town speak Hassaniya, so communication will not be a problem
