One Laptop hopes to reach 250 million underprivileged kids

It is green and white in colour, slightly smaller than a school textbook, lighter than a lunch box, water-proof, and with a mere click opens options like educational games, puzzles, quizzes, dictionaries, and digitised content on school syllabi related to math, science, history, etc, for school kids.

It also has a colour vision camera, a microphone and internal stereo speakers, all packed with a screen that is readable under sunlight.

The XO laptops that aim to empower underprivileged children by providing them an easy learning tool are gradually making their way into schools in India.

“We want to make the laptop the cell phone of education, a portable medium which will allow children to get connected and explore knowledge,” said Satish Jha, chairman of One Laptop Per Child India (OLPC) Foundation, which has designed the laptops and is seeking participation from stakeholders including state governments.

Designed in a manner that suits kids from ages 4 to 15, the laptops are meant to be given free to children from poor backgrounds in remote areas as well as slums.

“Our aim is to reach to 250 million kids who are not fortunate enough to get access to learning,” said Jha, adding that the non-profit organisation has received orders for about 600,000
laptops from the governments of Manipur, Himachal Pradesh, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan.

OLPC also does not have any relation with any corporate in India, said Jha.

Since July 2008 when OLPC started in India, the organisation has distributed about 5,000 XO laptops.

“Education for the disadvantaged kids is mostly a state government concern in India. We have till date not made much progress with any state though we have received orders,” said Jha.

Negotiations between the state governments and the Centre over the quantum of money to fund the purchase of the laptops (which cost about $220, or around Rs9,900) are on, and Jha said that deliveries will start happening once the payments are made.
The curriculum of every board, for every subject in any language is available on the XO laptop.

“The laptop is crafted in such a manner that it not only makes learning interesting but also facilitates problem solving, creative thinking, and allows analytical abilities to develop in a child,” said Jha.

The laptop consumes one watt of power and can be solar powered and also recharged by car batteries.

“All its features, including a screen which is readable in sunlight have been developed keeping in mind the hinterland, which is the main target area of the laptop,” said Jha.