This space is for new ideas, initiatives, projects that come to our attention that LAIP might like to get involved with.

One Laptop Per Child.

Check out this new initiative that is designed to provide laptops at virtually no cost (neither start-up or operating) to underprivileged children all over the world. Some members of the Widener community are already involved in this great new program. Here's some more information about it:

Here is a link to the program's main page: http://www.xogiving.org/

Here is a video of Nicholas Negroponte, who developed the idea: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/41?gclid=CJ6TsKS88I4CFSBMGgodNF16Dg

And here are some recent articles about the program:

in the Boston Globe:

http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2007/09/24/building_a_critical_mass/

in the New York Times:

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/24/the-larger-challenge-and-opportunity-for-one-laptop-per-child/

and in Voice of America:

http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/2007-09-30-voa1.cfm

Alternative Spring Break -- Helping out in Argentina

Here's an email we recently received from a Widener undergrad. Can LAIP help them out?:

Hi! My name is Jackie Balan and I am writing to ask you all for your help!
Five other students and I along with Dr. Urraca, Dr. Goldberg and Dr. Ledoux
will be traveling to Argentina this Spring for Alternative Spring Break to fix
up some houses in a very poor area around Buenos Aires. We have been
fundraising for the trip and need some help! It is to our understanding that
many of you receive unsolicited textbooks from publishers and don't need most
of them. If anyone would like to donate any extra textbooks you might have, we
would sell these books on Amazon.com and all profits would go into our
fundraising account. If anyone could also give us the names of some buyers or
direct buyers to me that would be extremely helpful as well. If anyone is
interested in donating any textbooks feel free to contact me at
jcbalan@mail.widener.edu or 516-457-8580, and the other students and I will
come pick them up.
Thank you for your time!
Sincerely,
Jaclyn Balan