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Teacher in Ghana has no computers so he draws Microsoft Word on the blackboard

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Re: Teacher in Ghana has no computers so he draws Microsoft Word on the blackboard

#161

Post by 616c »

vertis wrote: post #85

A few years ago there was a program[1] on ABC (Australia) about South Africa detailing some of the mismanagement of public funds. Mid way through the story they introduced a young woman from Tembisa who had finished school and had the marks to go to university, but not the money. A group of about 10-12 of us contacted ABC and asked how we could help. The journalist connected us together and we self organized to fund…

I had some experience maintaining refugee computer labs in Kenya at Kakuma. I befriended some guys who liked Linux and hacking. I also just reached out to other Kenyan colleagues and had them send along the laptop. This was normal when I worked abroad. Not sure if person to person networking like that is encouraged, but I too tried bc I saw a person who needed the resources to match their ambition.

Ironically, that refugee eventually won a lottery visa to the US, but that's another story.

Re: Teacher in Ghana has no computers so he draws Microsoft Word on the blackboard

#162

Post by emondi »

hackerman12345 wrote: post #157
emondi wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't need batteries, you just learn to save your files often. I live in the third world too and can say that even with crappy power supplies computers resist quite well blackouts and brownouts.

Probably good for linux, but with Windows you have to be careful during update time or you can easily soft-brick your machine with a power outage.

People just don't update windows.

That made me remember having to update the BIOS firmware and doing it at 3AM and on a night without wind when there was almost no chance of power going out.

Re: Teacher in Ghana has no computers so he draws Microsoft Word on the blackboard

#163

Post by sangnoir »

girvo wrote: post #127
hordeallergy wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why was buying a computer problematic? SA has computer shops, has had for decades. I bought a zx81 there. Am I missing something?

Buying a computer in SA to SA from Australia is difficult, yeah.

No, it is not difficult at all, and it wasn't 10 years ago: kalahari.net was launched in the late 90's or early 00's. The steps are no different from anywhere in the world - find an e-commerce site you like (there are dozens that sell computer equipment), add computer to cart, pay with credit card, enter shipping address.

Re: Teacher in Ghana has no computers so he draws Microsoft Word on the blackboard

#165

Post by Sylos »

atonse wrote: post #144
erAck wrote: post #124

He should teach LibreOffice Writer instead so when actually some laptops arrive at the school they wouldn't have to waste money on MS product licenses.

Or they can just ask MS to donate licenses. Better to teach these kids practical skills instead if software nobody uses.

If you cannot transfer skills that you've learned in LO Writer to MS Word, then I don't think you've successfully learnt anything.

And really, they live in a place where nobody uses either software.

Re: Teacher in Ghana has no computers so he draws Microsoft Word on the blackboard

#166

Post by vertis »

hordeallergy wrote: post #158
girvo wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Buying a computer in SA to SA from Australia is difficult, yeah.

I'm afraid this just isn't reality, voting down won't change that. SA is backward but it's not that backward. It has e-commerce, you can buy things online. It's had the web since the mid 90s. Eg first search attempt, incredible.co.za . It just isn't difficult. SA has poverty, as extreme as poverty can be, it's horrible, it's heartbreaking, but it's not all like that. This is a bugbear, ABC, BBC, crap media outlet of…

I'm sure it's not difficult if you're in SA, it was hard from Australia, because quite a few of those ecommerce sites won't take international cards (to protect against fraud).

We got there in the end.

Re: Teacher in Ghana has no computers so he draws Microsoft Word on the blackboard

#167

Post by vertis »

sangnoir wrote: post #163
girvo wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Buying a computer in SA to SA from Australia is difficult, yeah.

No, it is not difficult at all, and it wasn't 10 years ago: kalahari.net was launched in the late 90's or early 00's. The steps are no different from anywhere in the world - find an e-commerce site you like (there are dozens that sell computer equipment), add computer to cart, pay with credit card, enter shipping address.

I didn't mean to indicate that it was a problem with buying a computer in SA. Rather that buying from Australia was problematic.

Aside from the roadblocks, such as preventing the use of international cards, there was also just not knowing who was reputable.

Re: Teacher in Ghana has no computers so he draws Microsoft Word on the blackboard

#168

Post by vertis »

hordeallergy wrote: post #158
girvo wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Buying a computer in SA to SA from Australia is difficult, yeah.

I'm afraid this just isn't reality, voting down won't change that. SA is backward but it's not that backward. It has e-commerce, you can buy things online. It's had the web since the mid 90s. Eg first search attempt, incredible.co.za . It just isn't difficult. SA has poverty, as extreme as poverty can be, it's horrible, it's heartbreaking, but it's not all like that. This is a bugbear, ABC, BBC, crap media outlet of…

Also, ABC is anything but a crap media outlet. A vision of SA from outside that may not tell the whole story, sure, but they do great investigative journalism.

Re: Teacher in Ghana has no computers so he draws Microsoft Word on the blackboard

#169

Post by wrycoder »

stunpix wrote: post #118

I'm a bit skeptic about this guy. I looked at his fb: he has a car, nice watches, clothes, smartphone, internet access, fb account, nice house, but... he can't afford a cheap laptop? Not sure the situation is so dramatic.

He is economical.

Re: Teacher in Ghana has no computers so he draws Microsoft Word on the blackboard

#170

Post by schmookeeg »

SimbaOnSteroids wrote: post #143
schmookeeg wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My wife and I were just in Kumasi with our Subaru a few months ago -- amazing people. I was able to find a gentleman to run all over the markets in search of the peculiar Japanese lugnuts that I had lost one of. He came back in an hour with 5 examples, and was stoked to get $2 from me. He helped me re-install and re-torque all of my lugnuts. I enjoyed nearly complete cell and data at 4G speed throughout Ghana, both o…

>The optimism and nationalism make a great combo... What do you mean when you say nationalism? That's just a word that conjures up so many negative implications for me, even though I'm sure it's healthy to some degree. I guess can you describe what you mean in more detail.

I know all of the media is very POTUS-centric lately, so maybe there was a better word I could have used to describe a person who is proud of his country and its progress -- but a Ghanaian is very proud to be Ghanaian, and will positively light up to hear you compare his country favorably to his neighbors, something which is not remotely hard to do, particularly with neighbors like Burkina Faso and Guinea-Conakry.

They're going places, and when an outsider can validate that belief, the swelling of pride is really nice to see.

I was left with the impression that they have made sacrifices and gambles in their country, and they are relieved to be going places and seeing payoffs. They're still far from, say, South Africa -- but they're definitely the jewel of West Africa at the moment.

Sorry that my word choice colored my opinion negatively for you. It's a wonderful place, they are a wonderful people, and it is well worth a visit.

$0.02

- Mike

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