I walked into my young friend's home yesterday and went into the now big screen TV room where a number of the family children were gathered. Instead of watching one of the crazy Indian TV shows I saw a Microsoft Word screen with one of the children typing the family member's names. I did a double take.
Recently the family's brother-in-law had come to visit from his home in the Middle East. He was visiting Karjanha to see his extended family and his daughter who lives with my friend's family. He brought a number of gifts including a big screen TV. However yesterday he had purchase a "box" for the internal organs of a desktop with all of the children in the household being the beneficiaries.
According to the 2011 Nepal census out of 1403 households in Karjanha VDC 10 had computers, not quite 1%. However since the census was taken I know that there must be others with relatives living abroad, who now have computers and as I've witnessed connected to the internet on their mobiles mainly to use Facebook. On more than one occasion I've been surprised by villagers asking me about my Facebook identification.
Although the children in my friend's home didn't really know how to use Word or Paint or other programs the implications for this household are huge. The internet isn't yet connected in this home but having the ability to use a computer will exponentially elevate the learnings for this family. I remember my first computer around 1990 and how amazed I was to load an encyclopedia CD and see video images. This was so incredible to me to see words come alive. My friend and her brothers and sisters don't really know the power which they now possess but will change their lives.
My little friend and her brothers and sisters and two year old niece come to the PKMMH library on a regular basis with many of them interested in learning. I'm constantly telling them that they will all attend college. But their new computer will really take them to the next level expanding their capabilities.
I'm excited to teach these children how to use their new computer which for them will be another step in their self-development and ability to break out of the cycle of poverty.
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