Instrumental in this effort is Turbana’s longstanding social foundation Fundauniban, which trains teachers and educates children and their families on how to interact with and optimize new technologies, bringing communities inspiration and growth.
Gladys Adriana Ruíz, a teacher involved with the initiative said, “What Turbana and Fundauniban have been doing towards education is very meaningful because they offer these children in Urabá better opportunities in life by giving them access to the world through technology.”
XO laptops are unique because they’re designed to work in tough conditions and remote areas, affording children connectivity on a global scale. The laptops’ operating system and interface allow the children to identify other groups and users of XOs in its geographic proximity, thus encouraging learning and collaboration. Parents and teachers also receive training on how to use the computers, creating an exponential effect in the communities.
An eighth grade student at the Santa Fe School noted, “Thanks to this project, I've learned many things, to the point that today I'm a tutor of the lower grades.”
Through Turbana’s involvement, 3,706 children and their families throughout the Urabá region learn to solve their own challenges, supporting one of its key philosophies: Don’t give people fish; teach them how to fish, and the strong belief that education is the foundation for finding solutions for growth and sustainability.
Turbana’s chief executive officer, Juan David Alarcon, commented, “We are so happy that we have been able to make a second contribution of laptops to Fundauniban to help our communities in a way that is both maintainable and stimulating. On behalf of both organizations, I would like to give a special thanks to Horizon Stevedoring, operating out of the Port of Philadelphia, for its contribution and for making our goal of 1,000 laptops possible. We encourage all our customers and vendors to join us in this effort to help underprivileged kids get the education needed for a prosperous future.”
