Michael has observed that education in Vélingara faces many obstacles. Only a small minority of students earn a high school degree. For most families, simply buying the 50¢ notebook and pen required for class is a struggle and a decision to go without a meal. The school has only a few books, which must be shared amongst the students. They are treasured to the point that they are never allowed to leave school grounds. A typical classroom consists of 30 plus students per class under a tin roof in a concrete room with outdoor temperatures over 100 degrees. Needless to say there are no fans or air-conditioning. Some temporary classrooms are simply grass-reed structures, which are cooler, but more distracting as teachers have a hard time being heard over the din of the adjacent class. The biggest challenge for the students, however, is simply a lack of access to information. As Director Baldé states, "We don't even have adequate textbooks with pictures, so how can we explain things such as mountains, the ocean, and islands to students that have never seen them?" This inspired Michael to start his campaign to bring computers to Vélingara. Computers would give the students access to an incredible amount of information, where currently their education only consists of copying word-for-word passages their teachers write on the chalkboards. It would allow them to see images of the world and its peoples, read innumerable historical accounts previously unavailable, and grant them access to the wealth of knowledge that we take for granted in America. Michael says: "One of the main purposes of education is to open the student's mind, imagination, and interest to the wider world around them. Bringing computers to this school will provide that window to the world for its 866 students and the community at large, granting them access to more information than any other medium can provide. This would effectively allow the students to discover interests and be well equipped to pursue them: broadening their horizons beyond their current view of the world, which is limited to the 10 miles they know between Vélingara and their village of origin."
Michael Michael is a Peace Corps volunteer, currently serving in the town of Vélingara in southeast Sénégal working with the Senegalese people in the fields of information technology and small enterprise development
HHS grad wants to bring computers to Senegal
GateHouse News Service
Posted Jul 16, 2009 @ 02:15 PM
Hingham - Michael Hebert, a member of the Hingham High School class of 2004, sends greetings to his hometown of Hingham in his now native-tongue, Pular: "On jaaraama! Mi salmini fof ka Hingham, sare-an Amerike," Michael is a Peace Corps volunteer, currently serving in the town of Vélingara in southeast Sénégal, West Africa. He joined the Peace Corps for a 27-month commitment in September 2008. His degree from Fairfield University has prepared him well for his work with the Senegalese people in the fields of information technology and small enterprise development.
One of the projects Michael is currently working on, in collaboration with The World Computer Exchange, aims to bring used, discarded computers from America to "Ecole 4: Thierno Souaïbou Souaré," an elementary school in Vélingara, giving students and the local community access to technology. The school draws students from surrounding rural areas, as education in the villages only exists for the elementary level, if at all. Currently, there are no schools in all of Vélingara with properly functioning computers, leaving most students completely ignorant as to their use and potential.
Michael has observed that education in Vélingara faces many obstacles. Only a small minority of students earn a high school degree. For most families, simply buying the 50¢ notebook and pen required for class is a struggle and a decision to go without a meal. The school has only a few books, which must be shared amongst the students. They are treasured to the point that they are never allowed to leave school grounds. A typical classroom consists of 30 plus students per class under a tin roof in a concrete room with outdoor temperatures over 100 degrees. Needless to say there are no fans or air-conditioning. Some temporary classrooms are simply grass-reed structures, which are cooler, but more distracting as teachers have a hard time being heard over the din of the adjacent class.
The biggest challenge for the students, however, is simply a lack of access to information. As Director Baldé states, "We don't even have adequate textbooks with pictures, so how can we explain things such as mountains, the ocean, and islands to students that have never seen them?"
This inspired Michael to start his campaign to bring computers to Vélingara. Computers would give the students access to an incredible amount of information, where currently their education only consists of copying word-for-word passages their teachers write on the chalkboards. It would allow them to see images of the world and its peoples, read innumerable historical accounts previously unavailable, and grant them access to the wealth of knowledge that we take for granted in America.
Michael says: "One of the main purposes of education is to open the student's mind, imagination, and interest to the wider world around them. Bringing computers to this school will provide that window to the world for its 866 students and the community at large, granting them access to more information than any other medium can provide. This would effectively allow the students to discover interests and be well equipped to pursue them: broadening their horizons beyond their current view of the world, which is limited to the 10 miles they know between Vélingara and their village of origin."
According to Michael, in the United States, most companies update their computers every couple of years and end up filling the landfills with fully functioning computers that could be put to good use somewhere else.
"I am aiming to bring 20 computers to Vélingara to build a computer lab for the students and the community at large," he says. "I will be in Vélingara for another year and a half with the Peace Corps, so I will be able to train the teachers and create a curriculum for the school. Outside of school hours the lab will also be open for community training -- educating the general population while simultaneously providing income for the school to maintain the computer lab."
An overriding goal of the Peace Corps is to provide technical knowledge and sustainable assistance and, in setting up a technology program that also generates income, Michael hopes to fulfill this goal.
The Vélingara School has also expressed interest in setting up an electronic exchange program with a Hingham School with their new email capabilities.
The computers are available through World Computer Exchange, but Michael needs to raise enough money to fund shipment to Senegal. This cost will be approximately $2,000. In addition, he is applying for a Peace Corps grant to fund installation costs, electricity, Internet, fans, tables, etc.
Michael is hoping that his hometown will help support his efforts to bring technology to Senegal. Donations can be made through the World Computer Exchange (www.worldcomputerexchange.org). By clicking on the "Donate Now through Network for Good" button and specifying "PCV Michael Hebert - Senegal" as the designation, funds will be applied to the Senegal shipment. Additional information and Hebert's complete project proposal is also available on the Senegal page of this site under "Ecole 4: Thierno Souaibou Souare de Vélingara".
Hebert is maintaining a blog chronicling his time with the Peace Corps in Sénégal at http://michaelhebert.blogpsot.com. He also has an online photo album dedicated to the Ecole 4, Vélingara school at http://picasaweb.google.com/MichaelHebert.
Any questions regarding his technology project can be sent to MichaelTHebert@gmail.com.
In the languages Michael currently uses, (French) "Merci beaucoup, je vous remercie pour votre intérêt et aide." -- (pular) "On jaaraama buy sahelbe-an fof ka Hingham!" -- (English) "I thank you all very much for you interest and aid and I hope to hear from you soon!"
