Updates on the Computer Donations from Japan's Rotary Club of Hiroshima SouthWest
Two years back, I was a member of the Rotary Club's GSE (Group Study Exchange Program RI D3850 to D2710) to Japan. The objective of this exchange was multifaceted, from cultural to professional, personal and international fellowship. One major advantage of this program it usually opens a chance for a certain club to make projects geared toward helping different sectors in the community. The enrichment of our personal experiences and gaining new friends during the program was the cherry on top of the icing.
I was lucky enough to be hosted by then Chair for International Projects, Dr. Shigeo Tsuchimoto of the RC Hiroshima South West during our exchange. Besides being a surgeon like me, he also spoke good English and we were able to communicate well. He showed me that walking beside one of Hiroshima's rivers was good exercise and a relaxing activity at the same time.
Last September, I was very happy to get an email from him. He was asking me to look for a club or group to which they could donate second hand but well conditioned computers and laptops. I did not have second thoughts to refer the foundation I am involved in. Stichting Anak Negros, Inc. (SANI) was founded by two Dutch students who used to study here in Bacolod City, Philippines and made efforts to gain sponsors from the Nederlands to help financially deprived but deserving students to finish schooling and improve their way of living. To date, we have 33 regular scholars (formal high school and college education), 13 scholars for skills training (short term technical courses) as well as a group of 20 street children regularly visiting our public reading library for reading and learning activites. Currently, it is being run by a group of professionals as a Board. (click here to see the Anak Negros Board)
Soon enough, a flurry of email exchanged between me and Tsuchimoto Sensei, and the first batch of boxes arrived containing the nine laptops. With a little arrangement from the Customs, we were able to transport them to our office. Sensei sent money to cover for whatever expense we needed. That very evening, all nine laptops were reprogrammed and running smoothly.
With the success of shipping using our own postal system, Sensei decided to send the next batch of desktop computers, monitors and keyboards. It arrived last February and we had to borrow the delivery van of then SANI Chairman, Marius Hechanova's business. We were quite overwhelmed with the number of boxes we got.
Two of the computers were tested and we had a little problem with the electrical requirements. It took quite sometime for this to be fixed as the summer season brought about two batches of scholar exchange from Holland and the reoraganization required of us by the Dutch Board. One of the new projects we were tasked was the Skills Training Program. The first of the series, Cell Phone Repair Training has started the last week of October 2009. This is a free course for interested individuals from any age. We found the need to fasttrack the reformatting of the desktop computers so that the trainees will each have a computer to work with. We are so glad all of the computers were working. Finally, aside from just scholar research and school projects, we were able to put the computers to a better use for skills training.
This report is long overdue, but the wait was worth it. I am very proud that I was able to be a part of this. Thank you very much Rotary Club of Hiroshima Southwest and Dr. Shigeo Tsuchimoto! I look forward to taking a walk beside the rivers of Hiroshima again.
2009 February
Visit of Mr. Hiroshi Oka(click here) of RC Hagi City
Stichting Anak Office, Bacolod City
posted by ktjison @ 4:48 AM
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