College students: Get thee to some of the Uganda libraries!

OK OK I know I dislike the whole One Laptop Per Child thing... but now they are paying for interns to go and evangelize the laptops... that's a good thing. So if you are a student, why not apply for our Uganda or Ghana libraries (I don't think they are adapted for French speakers, but maybe they are and you can go to Burkina).

Join the OLPCorps Africa Movement

Active students spark revolutions and inspire movements. Our learning movement is no different. With this in mind, we have started the OLPCorps Africa project. We are equipping teams of students from around the world with 100 XOs, hardware, training, and financial support to expand learning in Africa for children ages 6-12. We’re looking for agents of change capable of leading the first global grassroots movement in learning.
Student-led teams will:

* travel to one of the 53 African countries of their choosing for 9-10 weeks
* participate in a 10-day orientation in Kigali, Rwanda at OLPC’s office
* receive up to $10,000 (USD) per team to cover operating costs
* deploy 100 XO laptops, including hardware and support
* collaborate with up to 100 other teams as part of a life-long global network empowering a generation of children
* send one representative to MIT/OLPC’s all-expense paid summit from Oct 10th-12th 2009

Eligibility

Undergraduate and graduate university students of all nationalities and fields are encouraged to apply. Students enrolled in the fall 2009 semester and upcoming spring 2009 graduates are also eligible. Finalists will be required to provide proof of enrollment before the start of the internship.
Requirements

All interns must be proficient in English, have a valid passport and approved visa, and all immunizations by the start of the program. At minimum, teams must consist of 2 people. The project must take place within one of the 53 African countries and for 9-10 weeks. All members of the team must attend the orientation in Kigali, Rwanda from June 8-17.

The applicant must have support from local or national officials or a letter of support of an NGO that is supporting the project. In other words, successful applicants will have a letter of support testifying to 1) involvement, and 2) sustainability.
Apply

Teams may apply by submitting a project proposal to OLPCorps@laptop.org by March 27th, 2009. Proposals should be titled:

“OLPCorps: Your University Target_African_Country”

Hard copies of proposals will not be accepted. The proposal must be in English and may be no longer than 750 words, but may include hyperlinks.

Your project proposal should focus on educating children ages 6-12. Be sure to detail where you will carry out your project, what exactly you will do, and how you will reach children who may not be in school from June-August. You should emphasize who your local partner will be throughout the project, who will carry on the project when you leave, and how they’ll do so. Preference will be given to teams who can demonstrate some technical competency and a focus on rural environments. The strongest proposals also will illustrate clearly how children will become agents of change, instead of simply objects of learning during the project. Accepted teams will be notified by April 10th, 2009.

See our OLPCorps wiki for guidance on how to develop your proposal and ensure you have covered key points.
Questions

All questions or concerns relating to OLPCorps Africa should be directed to OLPCorps@laptop.org.