{"id":1618,"date":"2010-08-08T11:25:30","date_gmt":"2010-08-08T10:25:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/TravelWithPaulie.com\/blog\/?p=456"},"modified":"2011-11-24T14:34:31","modified_gmt":"2011-11-24T14:34:31","slug":"pcs-for-migrant-children-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paulgoodchild.me\/blog\/pcs-for-migrant-children-update\/","title":{"rendered":"PCs for Migrant Children: an update"},"content":{"rendered":"

A number of weeks ago I started a campaign to raise money<\/a> so that I could source computers and install them in some of the Karen migrant schools in the Maesot area, Thailand.<\/p>\n

It’s been a slow process to actually get the computers and install them in the schools, but it’s happening and while I’ve met a few challenges along the way, there are now children here using computers to complement their learning where they’d never had access before.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

If you’ll remember from my previous update<\/a> I was in a dilemma as to whether I should charge ahead and buy computers or wait and see what I could potentially receive from international donations and use the monetary donations received to cover shipping and taxes.\u00a0 About a week or so ago, that process fell-through due to strongly inhibitive restrictions placed on imports into Thailand.\u00a0 I could wax and wane that issue, but the summary is much more pleasant that the details, so I’ll spare you.\u00a0 This leaves the original plan of just buying computers here and taking the route of buy-install-transport-training.<\/p>\n

Stage 1: Testing<\/h2>\n

I brought the first two computers to the school shown in the original video<\/a> about 4 weeks ago.\u00a0 The children knew that they were coming, so they were naturally very curious and excited to have them set up in their dorms.\u00a0 I put one in the girls’ dorm, and one in the boys.\u00a0 Sounds fair, I thought and so I’ll wait and see how these 2 play out and take the next step from there.<\/p>\n

I asked the teachers to talk with the children about choosing 3 boys and 3 girls to take responsibility for the computers in terms of scheduling and just looking after the machines, but no-one wanted anything to do with it, much to my frustration.\u00a0 I figured the only way you’ll have these computers taken care of properly is if the students themselves took on some level of ownership.\u00a0 But this was a no-go, and teachers showed no signs of trying to enforce it.\u00a0 But then, would you want it enforced?\u00a0 I figured not, so I left it.<\/p>\n

Overnight, the first night, I returned to the school only to find that the computer in the boys’ dorm was broken.\u00a0 Hitting the power button resulted in nothing.\u00a0 I figured the computer had blown and now I’d have to go and buy power surge protection in the form of UPSs (not a cheap option!).\u00a0 So, I had to take the computer back home and then to the store to have it fixed.\u00a0 Turns out it was nothing more than the CMOS needing reset.<\/p>\n

Also, it turns out at this school they had a dead computer collecting dust and I also took it back home to investigate. Basically it just needed a new video card, and \u0e3f500 or so later, it was fixed.\u00a0 So this, along with the now-repaired computer I had supplied, we returned the equipment to the school.\u00a0 I installed the two computers back into the boys dorm and one of the teachers then decided to take the rejuvenated computer into his personal bedroom for personal use.\u00a0 Not what I’d planned at all… but what can you do?<\/p>\n

The girls at the school have not presented, or have not done so far it seems, any problem with using the computers when they are permitted – i.e. during the day while in school, and early evening when they should be studying.\u00a0 The boys on the otherhand have approached it differently and caused the headmaster to resort to removing<\/em> the fuse from the power pack and returning it when they can use it.\u00a0 The boys responded by removing the fuse themselves and not returning it.\u00a0 So now, the computer in the boys dorm is very expensive paper-weight.<\/p>\n

I have discussed this problem with both the headmaster and another Karen friend of mine and I came to the conclusion that while I have already bought 2 more computers for this school, only 1 will go there, and that one will go into the girls’ dorm.\u00a0 The girls have shown a willingness to look after the computer and follow rules and guidelines laid out by the school.\u00a0 I’m not going to waste my time and donor money on financing a computer program for those kids that aren’t appreciating it.\u00a0 I have discussed this at length, and my friend who works closely with many of the schools believes it’s at least in-part a symptom of the children not appreciating the value of the things they are receiving.\u00a0 They are effectively living on donations and hand-outs and so this computer is just another one of those.\u00a0 If it breaks, something else will magically come along and fix\/replace it.\u00a0 Not this time unfortunately, and perhaps that’s the benefit this experiment will bring – teaching them to appreciate what you’ve been given.<\/p>\n

Perhaps I’m being a little hard on them, but anyone who knows me well enough will have heard me say “You teach people how to treat you.”, usually when giving relationship advice \ud83d\ude09 but the principle still stands here.\u00a0 They need to learn the lesson in life that there are consequences for the actions you take and I am not a bottomless pit of resources.\u00a0 I am not short of schools to donate computers to, only time.<\/p>\n

So what all have I spent money on so far?\u00a0 Here’s the list:<\/p>\n