Goa is silently logging into social change as good samaritans join hands with Vincent Paul Toscano's IT company Uzoorba Technologies to raise money through crowdfunding for reviving defunct computer labs in schools located in Goa for ensuring brighter future of students, writes Nibedita Sen.
============ Even as the State government wants to have a sprawling IT park in Chimbel, Goa, many schools in the State are grappling with defunct computer laboratories, which can adversely affect the future prospects of students. However, with an aim to give a brighter future to Goa’s youth, a team of engineers started Uzoorba Technologies in October 2017, has taken upon itself to change the situation by reviving the defunct school computer labs in many parts of the State through public support. “IT professional Sangeeta Naik and I began Project GEIT (Goans Empowered with IT) in August 2015 putting in our own resources (ie time, money, things) and with active support and donations from friend network to revive computer labs in three schools. Highly positive findings from this initiative were presented to the then state government in January 2016 for them to carry out state-wide computer lab upgrades,” Managing Partner, Uzoorba Technologies Vincent Toscano says. But nothing happened despite follow-ups till that government’s term ended. Unable to sustain this free social work Toscano made it a commercially self-sustaining professional service at Uzoorba when the company began operations in October 2017 and upgraded a local school’s computer lab with funding from their PTA. “Despite positive commitment from CM Manohar Parrikar in February 2018 bureaucratic impediments within Department of Education ensured nothing moved once again. In the meanwhile, at the suggestion of our friend, Prasad Sawant (Managing Partner, Buoyancy Consultants, St. Inez), we created a CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) model to fund such computer lab upgrades and his company became our very first CSR customer in September 2018 funding a village school, Abhinav Vidhyamandir (Mollem),” he says. Chief Minister’s Office got CSR sponsorship in October 2018 for the Government High School (Alto-Betim) part of which was used for Government High School (Dona Paula). “With 17000 students per annum going through Goa’s high school educational system barely getting any meaningful computer education in this technology era, we could either continue waiting for things to happen while handicapping these young Goan futures or we could do whatever lay within our means with support of our friends to change this dismal situation. We chose the latter and hence this crowdfunding campaign for our RPi-4-Schools project,” the social entrepreneur says. Lauding Toscano’s efforts, Sangeeta Naik says crowd funding is not a popular concept in Goa. But through consistent efforts by team Uzoorba, it is getting acceptance. “Some of these schools don’t have basic infrastructure support like regular electricity supply. If the government spends Rs 2 crore only, then all the computers labs can be revived. The money raised through crowdfunding can then be utilised towards strengthening the peripherial infrastructure,” Naik says. The school administrators are extremely happy with the results achieved after intervention from Uzoorba team. “Five years ago, government had provided our school with ten computers out of which only two were in working condition. This year I met with Vincent who gave us the idea of fixing all our computers. Now all the computers in our lab are working fine,” Headmistress of Matoshri Marathe High School at Dharbandora, Sushma Kunkolienkar said IT experts generally agree that a computer should last anywhere between three to five years before needing to be replaced. Factors like computer's quality, care and scope for upgrades play a vital role in extending its shelf life. “School computers are regularly used by different standard students. Apart from buying new mouse we did not spend a penny. After upgrading the computers with Raspberry Pi, the students are also happy,” Headmistress of Government High School at Alto-Betim, Anjali Malik said. Through its RPi-4-Schools social-impact project team Uzoorba aims to transform lives of Goan children by helping upgrade their school computer labs, the most under-rated, dilapidated and under-utilized yet the most life-transforming tool in schools today. “We call on all those who truly care for a bright Goan future in Goa to contribute any amount above Rs 500 to our crowd funding campaign where every Rs 10,000 that we collect will help to revive a dead computer,” said Vincent Toscano. Effective and modern Computer Education in Goan schools, and hence their Computer Labs, holds the key to the future of Goans in Goa. Additionally, the Computer Teachers need significant enablement for this to succeed. “Preparing our children as a Netizen for the future is very important. Uzoorba showed us that there is an efficient and practical way that can bring about development, hence we firmly believe and support the change engines like Vincent and Uzoorba, who help move us to a brighter future,” said a contributor of the ongoing Uzoorba’s crowdfunding programme, Mandar Khandeparker. (Those interested in investing in the project can log on to www.uzoorba.com/4goa or email at [email protected]) ----------- BOX What is crowdfunding: Crowdfunding involves small amounts of money being contributed by a large number of people so that the collected total suffices to fund/help a cause, an event, an initiative or person(s) in need that they relate with and desire to support. ========== QUOTE UNQUOTE “Preparing our children as a Netizen for the future is very important. Uzoorba showed us that there is an efficient and practical way that can bring up development.” - Mandar Khandeparker, Donor “Five years ago, government had provided our school with ten computers out of which only two were in working condition. Now with Uzoorba’s support, all the computers are working fine.” - Sushma Kunkolienkar, Headmistress of Matoshri Marathe High School, Dharbandora “Contribute any amount above Rs 500 towards our crowd funding campaign where every Rs 10,000 that we collect will help to revive a defunct computer.” - Vincent Toscano, Managing Partner of Uzoorba Technologies “It is heartening to see that people from various walks of life are coming forward to contribute towards the success of this important project. I would like to see government participation in big way.” - Sangeeta Naik, ====== ‘Modern technologies will ignite many dreams’ Giving up a cushy job in Pune, Vincent Toscano has embarked on a mission to revive defunct computer labs in Goa schools with community participation. Speaking to NIBEDITA SEN, the Managing Partner of Uzoorba Technologies shares his thoughts about his endeavour. ------ 1. What is the prevailing condition of govt school computer labs on ground? Ans. Many Goa’s schools upto HSSE level do not have a single working computer system today. Unaware of the critical need for effective computer education in today’s times for our youth and the serious risk to their future, Goan parents and school managements do not perceive it to be a priority. Infact many continue to blame the government for not maintaining the computer labs oblivious that they themselves could fix a computer lab for as little as Rs 50,000 with low-cost, high-durability, low-power, license-free, low e-waste and multi-purpose solutions available today like our RPi-4-Schools solution. In many schools, sadly, we have found computer teachers preferring their computer labs to be dysfunctional which implies less work for them. In this situation our students are misled into thinking that computers and internet are meant only for timepass, games, chatting, social media and stupid entertainment clueless of how these technologies could actually transform their lives for good for the long term. 2. What kind of survey/research you did before embarking on this project? Ans. Our extensive field work with schools and students through Project GEIT since August 2015 greatly helped on this project. Additionally, we have been in touch with the Department of Education as well as educationists in general across Goa. Valuable inputs from many people over the last 3.5 years have gone into the making of our current solution. 3. You have already raised nearly Rs 5 lakh. Did you expect this kind of support? Ans. Honestly no. I am humbled by the magnitude of this support from my friends, ex-colleagues, neighbours, relations and people genuinely concerned about our cause. 4. How many schools have benifitted till now with the funds collected? Ans. On an average it takes about Rs 70,000 to upgrade seven systems in a computer lab. With the collections from our recent crowdfunding campaign since January 26 this year, we have upgraded four computer labs of village schools in Dharbandora as of February 2019 deploying 29 of our RPi-4 schools kits. We still have funds in hand for four more schools. 5. How many schools you have targetted and what would be estimated cost? Ans. When we started our fundraiser we set out with a target of 20 schools but given the great response that we have received so far we believe we could double that. Also hope that more companies realize the definite positive societal impact of effective computer education in schools and come forward to support our work. We also hope that our Seed Capital Funding application to Goa Startup Promotion Cell will eventually come through in next few months with which we plan to drive computer education in Goa to altogether new heights. 6. What will be the long term benefits of this project? Ans. Early guided exposure to the appropriate, creative and productive usage of modern technologies will ignite great many dreams in our young children’s minds leading to innumerable career avenues and aspiration to be among the best innovators in the world instead of being just another government servant, waiter, cook, driver, maid etc. 7. What are your future plans? Ans. As we progress with revival/upgrade of Computer Labs across Goa we plan to start educational services to bring new topics like Robotics, IoT and other applications of Raspberry Pi into the schools over and above the current curriculum. In parallel work with government bodies to revise the current outdated and clerical computer education curriculum upto Std 8. Also state-level technological contests are to be conducted for schools to create an atmosphere of healthy competition in learning and innovation. So much more to be done…
