S'pore volunteers fixing 146 donated laptops for students from low-income households

They are still looking for donations of laptops, laptop bags and accessories like computer mouse.

Ashley Tan | April 07, 2020, 04:22 PM

The government recently announced that all schools would shift to full home-based learning (HBL) from Apr. 8 onwards, as part of circuit breaker measures to curb the local transmission of Covid-19.

Lessons are conducted via a digital Student Learning Space platform, with assessment and homework disseminated online.

 

 

Education minister Ong Ye Kung previously assured Singaporeans that schools would assist students who do not have access to digital devices or internet.

Fixing up laptops for underprivileged students

One Singapore-based non-profit has come forward to ensure students from low-income households have access to working laptops.

Engineering Good, an organisation that aims to provide engineering solutions for the local community, started an initiative to fix old laptops for these students.

Posts to their Facebook and website appealed for donations of laptops, laptop bags and accessories like computer mouse.

They were also looking for volunteers to coordinate donations and deliver the laptops.

As of Apr. 7, Engineering Good shared that 146 laptops have been donated, with 46 refurbished and 21 already delivered to beneficiaries.

The team of less than 10 volunteers were also working to get internet connections for underprivileged students up and running.

150 laptops bags were also donated by GIC.

62 more laptops needed

Photos posted show numerous donated laptop bags and laptops in the process of refurbishment.

Photo from Engineering Good / FB

Photo from Engineering Good / FB

Photo from Engineering Good / FB

Photo from Engineering Good / FB

Here's the team hard at work.

Photo from Engineering Good / FB

Photo from Engineering Good / FB

Photo from Engineering Good / FB

Photo from Engineering Good / FB

The organisation revealed that they still needed another 62 laptops for the beneficiaries.

Those willing to donate their old laptops can do so by filling out a form on their website here.

"We have a great team also working to get the internet connection for the kids, we really need to get that up and running. And also we have another awesome team working on fundraising so we can get enough to buy software for the laptops.

We did well for the first stage. Let's keep going and keep on keeping on. There are children out there who depend on us to maintain their all important education."

Kudos.

Top photo from Engineering Good / FB