The nonprofit group One Laptop Per Child recently utilized a new strategy to promote education among 6- and 7-year-olds in remote parts of Ethiopia where no teachers or schooling opportunities exist. The organization targeted children in two select Ethiopian villages and furnished tablet computers for the youngsters to use.

1. INNOVATIVE INTERNATIONAL
EFFORTS SUGGEST BRIGHT
FUTURE FOR EDUCATION
By Bahman Baktiari

2. INNOVATIVE INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS
SUGGEST BRIGHT FUTURE FOR EDUCATION
The nonprofit group One Laptop Per Child
recently utilized a new strategy to promote
education among 6- and 7-year-olds in remote
parts of Ethiopia where no teachers or schooling
opportunities exist. The organization targeted
children in two select Ethiopian villages and
furnished tablet computers for the youngsters to
use.

3. INNOVATIVE INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS
SUGGEST BRIGHT FUTURE FOR EDUCATION
Early results prove promising. Despite having no
prior exposure to written language, children
could sing the alphabet song within weeks, and
they even could use drawing applications to trace
words they had learned. In many cases, the
children “hacked” the devices, discovering how to
use features that programmers had disabled.

4. INNOVATIVE INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS
SUGGEST BRIGHT FUTURE FOR EDUCATION
Supporters of the initiative suggest that these
results show that curious children, given access
to the right tools, can teach themselves to read as
well as teach themselves to learn. Because 100
million children around the world lack access to
traditional education, the results from this pilot
program have many international
philanthropists excited and inspired. Education
long has been seen as a path out of poverty, and
providing it may be easier than ever before.

5. ABOUT BAHMAN BAKTIARI
As Executive Director of the International
Foundation for Civil Society’s Middle East and
North Africa division, Mr. Baktiari pays close
attention to international efforts that promote
learning and education. To keep others informed
about developments relevant to the
foundation, he maintains the group’s Twitter
feed, @Baktiari.