In 2011 Himalayan Care Hands visited and brought 10 laptops to the Kavre school for the deaf in Banepa (Nepal). The specially designed XO laptops are made as a result of the ‘One Laptop Per Child’- project, to provide each child with a rugged, low-cost, low-power, connected laptop. With access to this type of tool, children are engaged in their own education, and learn, share, and create together. They become connected to each other, to the world and ultimately to a brighter future.
The Kavre school for the hearing-impaired has 80 students and is started by Dutch Kumari foundation. It is located about an hour’s drive from Kathmandu.
The children are very eager to learn all about this ‘magic’ machines, including the possibilities of making and sharing photo’s, video’s, word files and to interact with each other and the teachers. For that HCH also provided Internet through a land line for all laptops.
But not only being a laptop, it covers a wide range of useful (open source) programs to foster educational use. Therefore training materials to get acquainted by its potential use were also delivered on USB sticks, as for the teachers and the students.
In 2012 HCH is also providing English classes to the higher classes in school. For that purpose we wrote our own English grammar book “I am in facebook” to also learn the children the use of social media and awareness to the opportunities but also dangers of being online. We have our own HCH teacher, Miss Indira Khatiwoda who together with head of school, Miss Krishna Nakarmi, make the lessons plans and from time to time we have willingly support from international volunteers.