wfn.org | Computers to Taiwan's Aboriginal Grassroots

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Taiwan Church News 2720, 12 through 18 April 2004

Reported by: Gu Hao-jan.  Translated and Rewritten by David Alexander

Four years ago a few clergy, teachers and civil servants in southern Taiwan's
Pingtung County noted that Aboriginal children had little understanding of
information management.  They organized the "Aboriginal Literary Association"
which, two years ago, established the "Hope Workshop".	Since then they have
helped 14 Aboriginal villages to set up computer training classrooms and
libraries.  Fifteen more villages, to date unequipped, remain in their
initial
plan.

Rev. Eleng (Kao Tian-huei), Rev. Gelegilaw (Kuo Ming-huei), Pastor Gilegilaw
(Chen Ming-kuang), Rev. Legean (Twu Mei-huei) and several elders from the
Paiwan Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan were instrumental in
setting up the association and still participate therein.

Eleng currently serves on the Association's board. She says that many
Aboriginal villages are isolated and short on resources such as libraries,
bookstores, arts centers or tutorial services for students.  These and other
deficiencies ordinarily contribute to student success.	Their absence in
villages means that children living there lag behind their urban cousins who
have computers and supplemental materials available.  It was to give these
isolated children an equal chance that the association designated 29 villages
without elementary or pre-schools and made an appeal for computer equipment
and books to equip learning centers.  Materials so far received and
refurbished have been distributed to the centers.

The association's secretary, Liang Shiou-na, said, "The Hope Workshop has
equipped 14 centers since 2002.  We've received 163 new and used computers
and
over 40,000 books." The project will continue to the end of 2004. An appeal
to
all who might provide equipment and books suitable for use in village centers
is still in operation.

Materials may be sent directly to the association's office at:

912 Pingtung County, Shui-men Village, Chung Shan Road #271.

Contributions by postal giro can be made to account # 42118229.

For More Information: Legean (Twu Mei-huei) legean@ms34.hinet.net

Taiwan Church News is published weekly in Taiwan's local languages.

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