effiejayx’s blog

“<rolando-ve> btw! Happy Birthday UBUNTU-VE “
-Rolando Blanco

I can tell you that we have reached our second year. I think all LoCo teams can share thought on how much work it’s put to go and share Free and Open Source Software to all with the best of intentions and the most unselfish volunteer work. To serve those who seek for a little aid.

It has been 2 years of growth and we can be proud of that, The loCo team Ubuntu-ve has establish itself as a collective of people willing to share “humanity to others” wherever we might be. We hope that this year we can  generate more participation and be throughout Venezuela.

We close two years of continuous work, and I long with great emotion for our participation in the years ahead. It is an honor to be part of this Local Community and to be working alongside some great people.

Many thanks to all those who started this team, and thank you very much to all members that today make up this great community. and a Special Mention to all Neighboring LoCo teams in Latin America for their fantastic work, It is their Sinergy that definetely keeps participation fresh.

A year and 3 months ago, I felt a tremendous desire to bring computers to less priviledged children. I shared my intentions  and many people expressed interest and thought on doing the same.Many  helped me in the first few days, We looked at the modest legacy hardware consider the hardware, we tested at least 5 distros (slackware, ubuntu, debian, prometheus, kurumin), indeed was a pretty interesting experience. We invested considerable time in choosing the tools and soon enough we installed ubuntu on those machines. The time has passed quickly and we have gotten more hardware. More computers have been given to us to be donated. All under the same conditions. all thanks to the particular volunteer and unselfish effort by those who participated.

But the teaching that was leading the donation noticed that much more primary needs had to be covered . The children of this shelter needed food. Very significant donations were achieved  regarding feeding children and getting them the school uniforms and now we can talk about donating computers and classes for them at the shelter.

Well, last week  for the first time, I felt what it means donating a computer to a child who has close to nothing. We took 2 computers to a “home” which houses 13 children from ages 8 to 16. This place gives food and shelter to children that do not have the attention of their parents. These children immediately took the mouse and delighted with every game they could find,  a new world is behind these PCs.

I have received good support from velug-maracaibo and from IglURBE, who intends to donate to around 50 Mac G4 with edubuntu on them. Richard Holt (active member of the OpenOffice.org translation and documentation efforts in Venezuela) made me a supply of spare parts for processors, memory, keyboards and many other things to work on reviving some machines that have flaws.

The Future of the project is not only give computers, It is to begin classes on basic computer use and bring interest in anything related to PC’s either programming, administration, maintenance. The Children’s Home has a workshop that was used for carpentry and refurbishment, we are thinking of making it a laboratory and a workshop and tools to teach these boys and girls and enabling them to be productive in the near future.

This is part of a project that seeks to bring tecnology and education to less priviledged children in Maracabo, venezuela and it is serving as a pilto for other people to follow in other cities of Venezuela.

Some reviews in chronological order.

Starting the project (May 2007):
http://effiejayx.velugmaracaibo.org.ve/?p=12

Extensive tests with multiple distros.

Installing a more machines (February 2008):
http://picasaweb.google.com/voices.in/DonandoPCS

Machines delivered to the children of the Home (May 2008):

http://picasaweb.google.com/voices.in/DonandoPCSPCPNPOTE

The work continues, let us all bring knowledge to those who need it most.

P.S. Documentation of this project will be online shortly