The Aron & Christina Foundation has furthered its commitment to ensure its goal for one laptop per child in Barbados. It continued with an investment of near $11,000 in some 40 XO tablets which were this morning presented to the St Bernard’s Primary and the St Joseph Primary schools.
Speaking at the presentation of 20 of the tablets to the Class 3 students at St Bernards in Lammings, St Joseph, co-founder Aron Truss reaffirmed the foundation’s commitment to the elated students.
He said when the trust began in 2009 its purpose was to promote and facilitate children’s education and that has hold firm because his and Christina’s belief was that this was the best means of ensuring “our social, economic and political stability in the future”.
He said for the academic year 2013/2014 the foundation would gift about 200 Class 3 students with the tablets. The project is intended to be long term, but to be sustained they needed help. Some of the help came from funds donated by Canadians Nic Williamson and his wife Dr Nina Georgiadis.
Williamson told Barbados TODAY he and his wife decided to donate funds because of their love for children and belief that they deserved a chance.
The Aron & Christina Foundation have previously made presentations to St Elizabeth Primary Society, Half Moon Fort, Society Primary, with the newest school being St Albans Primary. The XOs come with several pre-loaded educational activities and are also fully android functional; they are expected to be used for educational purposes.
When the foundation first began, the founders provided some primary schools with XO laptops. These however were on a loan scheme. Between the academic years 2009/10 and 2012/13 they provided 200 XO laptops to children in Classes 2 and 3 at Society Primary School in St John, St Elizabeth Primary School in St Joseph and Half Moon Fort Primary School in St Lucy.
“We try to target schools in rural areas which have not fully benefited from the Government’s Edutech Programme and where children may not have use of a computer at home. The schools were chosen following discussions with the parliamentary representatives for the areas.
“As a result, we’re now trying to get sponsors for schools with donors agreeing to pay for the tablets for the 20 to 30 children in each new Class 3 at a specific school; so not only will donors know exactly what their donation has purchased; they will know the school and the children that have benefited.
“The advantage for us is that we can then focus on new donations to add new schools and more children to our project. By taking this approach we have now secured sponsors for three schools. However, any donation is still welcome and appreciated,” said Truss.