OLPCorps FSU Rwanda

Florida State University & Global Peace Exchange: Rwanda

Logistics

Organizational Background: The [Global Peace Exchange] (GPE) is a student-run development organization out of Florida State University operating out of Rwanda since the summer of 2008.

Target Population: All terminal year classes at Bukomero primary school will participate in the program. This will allow a specific group of students to obtain ownership of the laptops who can then act as mentors to their younger peers. Location & Site Details: The project will be located in rural Byimana, Rwanda at Bukomero Primary School and Umuryango Children’s Network (UCN), a seven minute walk from Bukomero. Half of the laptops will be located at UCN which houses the first and only internet connection in Byimana with a pre-existing technical center of five computers. This internet connection can provide access to updated applications and new materials to build upon the existing resources of the laptops. UCN also has electrical capacity to maintain one hundred laptops, while Bukomero does not. The remaining fifty will be placed in one classroom within Bukomero.

Duration: GPE project managers and volunteers arrive in Rwanda on May 14, 2009, beginning English language trainings at Bukomero and cementing logistics for the laptops. Site leaders will remain in Rwanda until August 5th, at which time the program will transition into the hands of locally-based partners.

Security: UCN staff will be responsible for laptop oversight on their property while laptops at Bukomero will be stored in a padlocked cabinet each night.