We all know that feeling when we think we lost our phone. Just the thought of being disconnected for more than a few minutes is enough to make our heart start racing. The truth though is the Internet and having access to a computer makes all the difference when it comes to educational efficacy.
As part of its Education Program, Believe in Belize initiated a project to donate 205 computers (refurbished 64 bit architecture PC with keyboard & mouse, and monitor) to 41 schools and 1 junior college (St. John’s Vianney) in Belize to aid in the establishment of school computer labs. This project will benefit about 6000 students the first year and another 6000 over the 5 year estimated life of the computers. The deployment will take place in the Fall of 2018 and Spring of 2019 through our partner, Medical Equipment and Supplies Abroad Foundation, Inc. - Rotary District 6600 / MESA (partnership announcement) and with the collaboration of the following Rotary Clubs in Belize: Belize Sunrise, Corozal, Dangriga and Placencia (Rotary in Belize).
While MESA will cover the cost of setting up and shipping the computers from the US and any related deployment expenses, Believe in Belize will raise US $7,175 to cover the cost of the computers, 205 x $35 ($15/PC and $20/monitor). Please consider supporting this project. Below are options followed by additional details and benefits of this project:
- Make a US tax deductible donation through our 501c3 sponsor FJC: A Foundation of Philanthropic Funds at our donation page here. However, you must use a US based credit card.
- Click the Donate button below to use PayPal or your credit card (donations are not tax deductible).
Suggested Donation Options: $15 One PC, $20 One Monitor, $35 One PC & Monitor, $175 One School gets 5 PCs & Monitors, $1000+ Major Donor Recognition, and Other preferred amount.
Please note that your donation (after fees are taken out) will only go to this project. However, if we raise more than needed for this project, the additional funds will be set aside and committed for a future computers project to Belize. You can monitor our progress by checking out the Donation Update section of our homepage.
Any individual or organization donating more than US $1,000 will be recognized as a Major Donor.
We are happy to report that Rotary E-Club of One World has committed to a generous donation of $1500 to support this project.
We are happy to report that The RESERVE Property Owners have donated $1480 to support this project.
We are happy to report that Rotary District 5240 has committed to match the $1500 donated by Rotary E-Club of One World to support this project.
We are happy to report that Rotary Club of Potomac-Bethesda has committed to a generous donation of $2000 to support this project.
UPDATES
May 18, 2019: Project Completed and Closed. Reports: https://resourcecentersinternational.org/2018/12/, https://resourcecentersinternational.org/2019/04/
March 25, 2019: We reached our funding goal! Thank you to everyone who donated.
December 27, 2018: This link is a newsletter published by RCI for the Stann Creek mission (November 2018) https://resourcecentersinternational.org/news-for-winter-2018-2/.
September 10, 2018: Based on a generous donation from a local community college in Ohio, RCI no longer needs the full set of computers from Believe in Belize. Now 170 instead of 205 will be donated (RCI will still deploy 205). This means the total project cost is $6,650 instead of $7,175.
Additional Project Details
The computers will be bought at cost from Mr. Larry Aikins, member of Rotary E-Club of One World and President of LKA Computer Consultants.
The MESA Foundation has been implementing resource centers in Belize schools for many years. Their biggest need is computers. The donation will cover all their computer needs for this coming year's deployment. MESA will cover the cost of shipping, staging and in country distribution.
MESA will setup resource centers in 40 schools (180 computers) split between Stann Creek and Corozal Districts. To be considered, schools must complete this application https://resourcecentersinternational.org/application/. If you know needy schools in the two Districts please share the application with them or help them complete it if they do not have access to the internet.
MESA will also ship the following as part of a free service to Believe in Belize but is not part of their deployment: 5 computers to a school in San Ignacio, 20 computers to a Junior College in Belize City, and ~ 60 moving boxes of computer parts to a training center in Belmopan which are donated by Larry Aikins, President of LKA Computer Consultants (LKA) valued at ~US $7500.
As part of its mission, besides computers, MESA will distribute the following items:
- Children’s books and bookshelves
- Tables and chairs for the computer station
- Television set with VHS machine and children’s tapes
- Games, toys and sporting equipment
- Exercise mats
- Overhead projectors
- Art/craft supplies
If you would like to donate some of those items please contact them at this page for details https://resourcecentersinternational.org/contact/. You can also assist with their shipping costs by donating at their link http://www.rotarymesa.org/donate.html. Please write “Believe in Belize” in the “note” section so that your donation is used for the Belize mission’s shipping.
Please note that this project replaces the previously announced 20-25 PCs project. If you donated to the original project, your donation will transfer to the new project or you may contact us to refund you your donation.
Thank you in advance for your support.
Feel free to share your thoughts below. You comments below are linked to the comments in Facebook under the post for this project.
NOTE: This project replaced the initial, much smaller project titled Personal Computers (PCs) to Belize Schools - Phase 1.