Kindness

[kmount]

As some of you may know I've recently become involved with a charity and I'm leaving in 2 weeks to Cameroon to have a look on the ground and try and deploy a platform providing "open access" learning and access to educational materials.

I've posted a few times to get help with this venture:

QUOTE - Toner / Ink (Various)

Driver Packs

Printer Drivers Vanilla 2003

MIS / Accounting etc

This morning we set off down to sunny Kent as our very own Edugeek member maniac (Rep him if you see him move!) had made us an unbelievable offer of 100 (yes, 100) HP TC1100 Tablet PCs, and some spares to go with! - When we tipped up there though he'd sorted a xeon server, some network switches, printers and a cup of tea along with a tour of his beautifully laid out system. - On a Saturday!

I as a man of many words was absolutely humbled by this as both himself and Alex, a long time serving techy took pride in talking about their current system and how they hoped the equipment would be given a lease of life and made good use of! I can tell you sat here I've just booted one up and it's absolutely bleeding perfect!!! weeeeee!

Since I mentioned this venture many many people have offered equipment, advice, and support and I really must thank them all as frankly without you guys this wouldn't be possible.

I fly out on the 5th of December armed with some of these tablets (container ship bringing the bulk won't be there in time) to build a community centre providing local people with opportunities they previously wouldn't have had.

The next trip ... well, I don't think that will be too long afterwards with all of the cool toys kind folks have donated.

To coin a phrase I've heard often since working with the charity "nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something".

Thank you Edugeek members, and I truly from the bottom of my heart mean that. Together, we can make that difference.

[mossj]

Awsome what charity is it and how did you end up getting involved?

[kmount]

The charity is Optimus Education Foundation (Opef) - Optimus Education Foundation (website needs some work once I'm back!)

I became involved as the chap running the show teaches MFL at my previous school and through asking lots of questions and learning joomla/moodle/etc from us it became obvious our involvement in the project was necessary to help him push dreams into reality.

[maniac]

Was a pleasure to meet you this morning, even if I did have a slight hangover

I'm just glad they're going on to have a new lease of life, they've been sitting in a cupboard since August and we've been scratching our heads trying to work out what to do with them as I really didn't want to send them to our normal recyclers - so it's a win all round I think.

I wish you all the best with the trip out there, and I'll be sure to be in touch when we have more items that might be of use.

Mike.

[bossman]

@kmount:

Totally awsome charity on your behalf "May all your karma be good" enjoy every day and will be with you in spirit and mind and just the internet away!

[kmount]

@kmount:

Totally awsome charity on your behalf "May all your karma be good" enjoy every day and will be with you in spirit and mind and just the internet away!

A friend/edugeek member has donated a 3g dongle so that may well be accurate!

[mattx]

@kmount:

Totally awsome charity on your behalf "May all your karma be good" enjoy every day and will be with you in spirit and mind and just the internet away!

Seconded - with knobs on.

I will always take my hat off to people who get involved in this type of work.

[john]

Woo! Ace stuff Kim and nice that maniac has been able to help you out. I donated 70 computers from one place I worked out to a project in Romania and the people in the UK that took them out, paid a couple of years later to bring over a student from the school the PCs went to and she was in tears over how amazing it was to meet the person that donated them, it moved me as well when I saw her photos of these "old" things to us and our society and education system, to them are like the latest quad cores to us! She got good grades in the end as they had computers which made a big difference to her and her family as she could then go and get an office job as she knew how to use a computer, meaning she could bring much needed money to her family.

[kmount]

That's what it's all about John!

[russdev]

The charity is Optimus Education Foundation (Opef) - Optimus Education Foundation (website needs some work once I'm back!)

I became involved as the chap running the show teaches MFL at my previous school and through asking lots of questions and learning joomla/moodle/etc from us it became obvious our involvement in the project was necessary to help him push dreams into reality.

Good to here that members are helping out etc well if got connection of any type while over there do blog on the EG blog about your experience.

Re: Over the website we have a great Joomla Package you can download

Russ

[kmount]

Russ,

Planning a blog for sure.

We've used the Edumoodle template for the moodle and the Edujoomla package is in use on some of the sites under the charity umbrella.

Plenty of stuff for us all to get stuck into if people want to chip in

[deanc]

I'd cetrainly be interested in helping in any way I can,

let me know what kind of things you need help with and I'll let you know if I am likely to be of any help.