Feature

Computer Project Introduced by SOLiNFO

Shakhawat Hossain

SONIA Akhter, who had to quit her education when she was in class nine following her fathers' death, has rightly come back to her normal study after being inspired by a free computer literacy programme which is run by a French NGO well-known as SOLiNFO. She has now been preparing herself to sit for private Secondary Certificate Examination (SSC) next year after a break of three years. "As soon as I started learning various applications of computer I thought that it is a must to get the basic education to reap maximum benefit," said Sonia who is learning basic computer applications at a computer project of SOLiNFO at Seva Sangha at Pathorghata in the port city Chittagong.

French NGO SOLiNFO introduced this computer project in partnership with a local NGO Seva Sangha in December 2006. Within a few years, SOLiNFO has become a well recognised organisation, due to its innovative micro projects. Since it's inception in 2002 in Bangladesh, SOLiNFO has already trained more than 4,000 under privileged Bangladeshi children in Information Technology (IT). It has already supplied 135 computers in 21 centres for poor children, besides repairing and rehabilitating 6 schools. The contribution of SOLiNFO directly goes to orphanages, to schools regardless of religion, to hospitals, to local NGOs, and to shelters for the young disabled people. The underprivileged youths from Dhaka and its adjoining areas are reaping the benefits from SOLiNFO. The Street Children's Partner Bangladesh Centre, also known as the Maer Achol Shelter, is not only giving shelter to the children, most of whom are orphans found on streets, but also offering introductory computer classes along with other education. A Hindu orphanage called Prabartak Sanga in Chittagong is home for a total of 315 orphan girls ranging from the age of 8 to 16. All the students from class eight and nine are getting the opportunity to learn computer at the computer centre established within the huge complex of the orphanage. SOLiNFO established this centre in February 2005 to give basic computer training to 24 students a year in two batches for the sake of ensuring better destiny and prosperous future of the ill-fated orphans living in the orphanage under strict restrictions.

Amidst the tumbling knolls Rangapani in the hill district of Rangamati, the Moanoghar Children's Orphanage, home to more than 1,000 Chakma tribal children, hosts the same free computer training programmes. "More than 350 tribal orphans have got their basic computer literacy certificates from this centre since its inception in October, 2005," said computer trainer Sai Chha Mong Chak. He also added that the students from this centre played a significant role in data entry during the preparation of the electoral rolls in the remote hill district of Rangamati.

In Chittagong, former student Shoma Das has now been doing computer-related job in a local madrasha. Shoma, who had to suspend her formal education for five years after passing Secondary Certificate Examination, has now got herself admitted to a local college and dreams to get higher education. Yasmin Akhter, another orphan girl who already completed her basic computer literacy programme at SOLiNFO computer centre established inside the state-run orphanage at Roufabagh in Chittagong in 2006, has already become a computer trainer!
SOLiNFO has also diversified its agenda to include school rehabilitation programmes in villages and remote areas with little or no access to educational facilities: The village of Buchanchara in Barkal of Rangamati is a real example of remote places where SOLiNFO workers reached with the light of education after a three-hour long speedboat ride from the hill city of Rangamati to build a primary school on its own efforts.

That's how a reputed French NGO has not only been dedicating itself to education and computer literacy for the most unprivileged youths free of cost, but also paving the ways for a Digital Bangladesh.

In March 2009, the 20 teachers of the NGO all travelled to Dhaka to attend a two-day IT workshop organised in partnership with the Bangladesh Computer Samity, leader of the vision of Digital Bangladesh. Dr. Mustafa Jabbar, president of BCS, saluted the action of Solinfo together with HE Mr. Charley Causeret, Ambassador of France in Bangladesh.

(Web site of SOLiNFO-www.solinfo.assos.fr)