Computers Computers Computers

Opening up a hard drive

So in October 2009, I was pulled in on a project here in Senegal somewhat against my will and due to the very limited time during the end of my PC Service, I never really posted anything about it.  It was basically organizing the arrival of 50 or so computers shipped from America to a town near my site.  The project was put together by a Senegal RPCV named Lettie who had been a PCV in our area and continues to make yearly trips to her old village.  The computers were destined for 5 schools in a town I very much disliked for many, many reasons I won't go into now.  With the help of Batman Farba, we basically uncovered a potential plot by certain members of the community and government to receive all 50 computers but only give a portion of them to the schools and sell the rest for a profit.  It was dramatic and complicated, but eventually the computers found their ways to some schools, even if not all of the schools had places for the computers to be set up.

Check out this website and screen #1: http://worldcomputerexchange.org/ (you also might recognize someone on screen #3

Sane the driver and major help!

Here's some of my own shots from the event:

Jack with computers set up in the
teachers' lounge

A bus full of computers, shipment 1

RPCV Lettie

Pt 2 of the shipment arrived in a rented truck
and the computers literally tumbled out of
the back of the truck...great start!

Counting mice, keyboards, cables,
you-name-it

The full story