Roots & Wings International Press Release
Guatemalan farming village expected to receive 25 donated laptops
PORTLAND, OR, July 7, 2009 — Roots & Wings International (RWI) launches its 25Computers campaign to collect and ship 25 donated computers to its computer lab in Guatemala. The 25Computers project hopes to collect the 25th computer by August 31, 2009. This proposed expansion of the RWI computer lab will allow Guatemalan children, college students, and the public access to the innumerable educational advantages of present-day technology. Tecnología para Educar, a Miami-based NGO working in partnership with RWI, will accept the donated computers and ship them to RWI's offices in Guatemala.
RWI relies on public donations (computers or monetary) to make the 25Computers initiative a success. RWI seeks gently-used laptops or desktop computers and hardware. Keyboards, mouse or mouse pads and speakers are also sought. The accrued technology will be set up and made ready for use at the RWI computer lab in the rural village of Pasac in Nahualá, Sololá, about 3.5 hours southwest of Guatemala City.
Five laptops are currently in place in RWI's Guatemalan computer lab, receiving an overwhelmingly positive response. Cristobal Guarchaj, RWI's Director in Guatemala confirmed, “It is impressive to see the children having opportunities to count on computers within their reach and operate them by themselves.” One user in the village had an inspiring say: “When we do things by counting on ourselves, we realize that all things are easy and possible.” An additional 25 computers will allow RWI to bring current technology to a more expansive group of Guatemalans, thereby raising the quality of life for a greater number of community members.
RWI was created in 2004 in an effort to enrich the lives of Guatemala's indigenous population through education, scholarships, training and technology. Earning less than $2 per day growing coffee beans, most indigenous Guatemalans live in extreme poverty. RWI recognizes the potential that education brings, and seeks to use the 25Computers project to bring educational tools to those who most need them.
For more information, please visit our website or contact Erik Swanson by phone at 202.747.4946 or via email at info@rootsandwingsintl.org.
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