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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

ContactRené Seifert

10, King Street, Rustumji Apartment 3ABangalore 560 025

India

Phone India: +91 98 44 333 734 Phone Germany: +49 171 973 33 10

Skype: drurinE-Mail: reneseifert@reneseifert.com

Blog: www.reneseifert.comTwitter: @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 )