One Laptop per Child (OLPC) Vatsalya Orphanage in Bangalore

What is „One Laptop per Child“ (OLPC) A Non-Profit Initiative from by the renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Dr. Nicholas Negroponte MIT designed a simple laptop which is perfectly fitted for children. The computer and has garned phenomenal feedback where distributed. www.olpc.org

A Non-Profit Initiative from by the renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Dr. Nicholas Negroponte

MIT designed a simple laptop which is perfectly fitted for children. The computer and has garned phenomenal feedback where distributed.

Mission Statement of (OLPC) To create educational opportunities for the world's poorest children by providing each child with a rugged, low-cost, low-power, connected laptop with content and software designed for collaborative, joyful, self-empowered learning. When children have access to this type of tool they get engaged in their own education. They learn, share, create, and collaborate. They become connected to each other, to the world and to a brighter future.

To create educational opportunities for the world's poorest children by providing each child with a rugged, low-cost, low-power, connected laptop with content and software designed for collaborative, joyful, self-empowered learning.

When children have access to this type of tool they get engaged in their own education. They learn, share, create, and collaborate. They become connected to each other, to the world and to a brighter future.

Vatsalya Orphanage Premier Orphanage-Institution in Bangalore Hosts app. 50 girls in residence and children for outside schooling Very well run, both from the professional and the caring standpoint Personal trust based on a years-long relationship between Smt. Shashi Malpe and Shri René Seifert

Premier Orphanage-Institution in Bangalore

Hosts app. 50 girls in residence and children for outside schooling

Very well run, both from the professional and the caring standpoint

Personal trust based on a years-long relationship between Smt. Shashi Malpe and Shri René Seifert

Experiment „Hole in the Wall“ by Dr. Sugata Mitra Dr. Mitra put a computer in a hole, somewhere in several remote villages in India. The children there could not read and write, let alone in English. After a few weeks – to the big surprise – the children were able to converse in basic English and became knowledgable in various subjects. It turned out that the children had taught themselves and more importantly taught each other WITHOUT any teacher involved.

Dr. Mitra put a computer in a hole, somewhere in several remote villages in India. The children there could not read and write, let alone in English.

After a few weeks – to the big surprise – the children were able to converse in basic English and became knowledgable in various subjects.

It turned out that the children had taught themselves and more importantly taught each other WITHOUT any teacher involved.

Vision: OPLC for Vatsalya Equip the children at the Orphanage with one laptop from OLPC by starting in a gradual step-by-step approach. Intelligence Quotient (IQ) by definition equally distributed withing social ranks. Hence: No child is „too stupid“ not to deserve a computer. Starting age can be as early as 5 years. Implement the usage of the laptop as a profound element of the childrens‘ upbringing: Both in class through supervision of a trained teacher and on their own during their free time (  see results from „Hole in the Wall“) Set the career-path for the kids to land a job as (software) engineer, scientist, doctor or start their own businesses through the sense of empowerment. Enhance visibility of Vatsalya in the community as a pioneer to adopt technology as vital part of underprivileged childrens‘ education through all means of communication: online, blogs and press.

Equip the children at the Orphanage with one laptop from OLPC by starting in a gradual step-by-step approach.

Intelligence Quotient (IQ) by definition equally distributed withing social ranks. Hence: No child is „too stupid“ not to deserve a computer. Starting age can be as early as 5 years.

Implement the usage of the laptop as a profound element of the childrens‘ upbringing: Both in class through supervision of a trained teacher and on their own during their free time (  see results from „Hole in the Wall“)

Set the career-path for the kids to land a job as (software) engineer, scientist, doctor or start their own businesses through the sense of empowerment.

Enhance visibility of Vatsalya in the community as a pioneer to adopt technology as vital part of underprivileged childrens‘ education through all means of communication: online, blogs and press.

Critical Success Factors MONEY: Raising funds for the laptops  Price per unit: Rs. 16,500/- CONNECTIVITY: Providing sufficient internet-bandwidth to run a significant number of concurrent online-connections INTRODUCTION: Having at least one skilled person to explain best-practises of laptop-usage and transfer knowledge to existing teachers. ACCEPTANCE: Hand-over of entire operation to Vatsalya staff. Reserve one or two laptops for teachers/staff to become equally familiar. IMPLEMENTATION: „Cultural freedom“ to employ the computer both in the classroom, but moreover for the children at their own discretion during off-hours. ADOPTION: Regular follow-up initatives by external experts to share new best practises ATTACHMENT: Build relationships with OLPC for ongoing support

MONEY: Raising funds for the laptops  Price per unit: Rs. 16,500/-

CONNECTIVITY: Providing sufficient internet-bandwidth to run a significant number of concurrent online-connections

INTRODUCTION: Having at least one skilled person to explain best-practises of laptop-usage and transfer knowledge to existing teachers.

ACCEPTANCE: Hand-over of entire operation to Vatsalya staff. Reserve one or two laptops for teachers/staff to become equally familiar.

IMPLEMENTATION: „Cultural freedom“ to employ the computer both in the classroom, but moreover for the children at their own discretion during off-hours.

ADOPTION: Regular follow-up initatives by external experts to share new best practises

ATTACHMENT: Build relationships with OLPC for ongoing support

Team – so far Shri René Seifert, Media- and Tech-Entrepreneur from Germany. Lives in India since 2003 Smt. Petra Rautenberg, Project manager. Lived in Bangalore between 2002 and 2005.

Suggested Distribution of Roles René Seifert Vatsalya Concept Development   Raising of Funds  Purchase and Delivery of Computers  Provide sufficient Connectivity   Introduction of basic usage  Acceptance: Hand over of Operations  Implementation and daily Operations  Relationship to OLPC-organization 

Contact René Seifert 10, King Street, Rustumji Apartment 3A Bangalore 560 025 India Phone India: +91 98 44 333 734 Phone Germany: +49 171 973 33 10 Skype: drurin E-Mail: [email_address] Blog: www.reneseifert.com Twitter: @reneseifert

René Seifert

10, King Street, Rustumji Apartment 3A

Bangalore 560 025

India

Phone India: +91 98 44 333 734

Phone Germany: +49 171 973 33 10

Skype: drurin

E-Mail: [email_address]

Blog: www.reneseifert.com

Twitter: @reneseifert

Appendix: Links for follow-up One Laptop per Child: http://laptop.org Pictures/Examples of OLPC in India: http://www.flickr.com/photos/olpc-india/ Hole in the Wall Website: http://www.hole-in-the-wall.com/ Hole in the Wall-Video with Dr. Sugata Mitra: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/sugata_mitra_shows_how_kids_teach_themselves.html (or enter short URL http://is.gd/1Yk9 )

One Laptop per Child: http://laptop.org

Pictures/Examples of OLPC in India: http://www.flickr.com/photos/olpc-india/

Hole in the Wall Website: http://www.hole-in-the-wall.com/

Hole in the Wall-Video with Dr. Sugata Mitra: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/sugata_mitra_shows_how_kids_teach_themselves.html (or enter short URL http://is.gd/1Yk9 )