Camara (charity)
 |
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| Founder(s) | Cormac Lynch[1] |
|---|---|
| Type | Humanitarian |
| Tax ID No. | CHY 16922[2] |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Location | Dublin, Ireland; |
| Area served | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Method | Volunteering, Aid |
| Motto | Technology. Empowering Education.[3] |
| Website | camara.ie |
Camara is a charitable organisation that sends refurbished computers from Ireland to schools and other educational institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa. Donations are accepted from individuals, and in addition, a corporate recycling programme issues recycling certificates to businesses who dispose of used computers with them [4]. Camara sent 84 volunteers to Sub-Saharan Africa in summer 2008 to help install the computers and train teachers and students in their use [5]. Since its inception in 2005 Camara has delivered 12,342 computers to schools across seven countries [6]. Camara also provides comprehensive teacher training, maintenance, and recycling. Local Digital Hubs ensure that all recipient schools have a well-ventilated and secure computer lab with appropriate surge protection.
The Camara model addresses the dearth of ICT hardware and expertise in sub-Saharan Africa by adding only the inputs that schools cannot bring themselves. The schools themselves must provide and furnish a suitable room, and source a teacher. While many schools do not have electricity, most are willing and able to get it as a prerequisite to receiving Camara computers. Camara's work allows school children who otherwise would not be able to afford it to learn to use computers.
The Camara model aims to:
- encourage schools to provide the inputs they can bring themselves, such as a furnished classroom and paid teacher.
- support schools in preparing computer labs with technical expertise, in terms of protecting the computers against dust, power surges and theft.
- provide schools with the inputs that are most difficult for them to obtain at an affordable cost and to a quality standard.
Camara visits all of their beneficiary schools and compiles reports on each in terms of gender, disability, PLWAs (people living with HIV/AIDS), poverty, and accessibility. This feedback led to Camara establishing labs for AIDS orphans in Uganda, and people living with disabilities in Kenya.
The most important aspect of sending the refurbished computers to Africa is the educational material which is installed on them, and who is trained to use it. Camara’s HIV/AIDS Respect Programme, a software package on HIV/AIDS, is expected to be rolled out in Lesotho later this year. It will be followed with other curricular, gender equality, pro-disability and civic-engagement material and teacher-training. In addition, each computer sent out has the Linux operating system installed on it, as well as other Open Source programmes, such as OpenOffice and a Wikipedia encyclopedia.
Camara destroys all data on donated computers in accordance with UK and Irish law[7]. They are also working with the Irish Department of the Environment to ensure that the re-use of electronic waste is enshrined as best-practice in national legislation. In quantitative terms, Camara has expanded rapidly, from 5,200 computers in 2008[8] to a targeted 10,000 this year.
Camara is a registered Irish Charity with a charity number of CHY 16922.[2][9]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "Camara :: Our People". http://camara.ie/about/people.php. Retrieved 2009-07-20.
- ^ a b "List of bodies who have been granted charitable tax exemption @ 15th June 2009 under Section 207, Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997." (MS Excel Spreadsheet). Office of the Revenue Commissioners. http://www.revenue.ie/en/about/publications/charities_numeric.xls. Retrieved 2009-07-20.
- ^ "Camara Logo" (image). http://camara.ie/images/logo_camara.gif. Retrieved 2009-07-20.
- ^ "Camara :: Corporate Computer donations to Camara". Camara (Charity). http://www.camara.ie/pcdonations/corporate.php. Retrieved 2009-07-20.[dead link]
- ^ "Camara :: Africa 2008 Overseas Program". Camara (Charity). http://www.camara.ie/volunteer/africa08/index.php. Retrieved 2009-08-27.[dead link]
- ^ "Camara :: Index". Camara (Charity). http://www.camara.ie/index.php. Retrieved 2009-08-27.
- ^ "Camara :: SecureIT Service". Camara (Charity). http://secureit.camara.ie/our-services/secureit-service/. Retrieved 2009-08-27.[dead link]
- ^ "Camara Audited Accounts 2008". Camara (Charity). http://www.camara.ie/about/audits/camara_accounts_2008_for_signing.pdf. Retrieved 2009-08-27.[dead link]
- ^ "Camara :: About us". Camara (Charity). http://www.camara.ie/about/index.php. Retrieved 2009-07-20.[dead link]
