I was born in South Africa and although I live in Canada now, the children of Africa has a very special place in my heart. We are very fortunate to live in a country that has medical support, public school system, a working social system and many more. The children of Africa are in need of so many basic needs, but not necessarily the same as in a western country or developed country. “Basic” in Africa means something totally different.
For us who live in well developed countries, we see technology as part of our everyday life. We learn through it, communicate with it and some of us can not live without it. The children of Africa does not share the same expectations as children of Western countries does. Their basic needs are really just BASIC. Food, water, housing, medical need and family support. What I mean by family support or social support is that so many children need to look after their siblings because their parents has past away because of HIV/Aids. Is basic education needs really access to the internet? Is not not an attempt to “westernalizing” Africa. Is access to the internet not opening a new world to these children with no support system to help them with it? They will be exposed to western problems that has not yet surfaced in their villages or towns. In bigger cities and further developed countries better and more access to the internet might work, but it should not be generalized.
One Laptop One Child is one of the programs that is an example of giving children “world” at their fingertips, but not necessarily providing them with a better solution for their very bad situation. The program is well designed, for a good course, but I think Africa’s problems will not be solved by it.
Another program that makes more sense to me is 
program. This program teaches men to be fisherman and not to hand them the fish to eat. This help people to solve the basic needs problem and one that I would like to support.
People that think technology is the way to go with the Children of Africa should certainly support this program. I feel the need in Africa is to save lives and therefore I will more likely support programs like World Vision.
Irma's Blog 