Staff News - April 2023

Chromebooks crossing continents to help children in Kenya

Gus Loudon, who works at Plockton High School Hostel, in the Intervention and Prevention team is volunteering at a school for orphans and vulnerable children in Kenya this Easter.

The Highland Council has generously donated 20 Chromebooks, which Gus has taken with him to rural Kenya to help vulnerable children learn, at a school run by the UK charity, Challenge Africa. The Chromebooks will also be used to teach women in poverty useful computer and book-keeping skills, enabling them to start small businesses and secure jobs to support themselves, and their families out of poverty.  

Gus is teaching children who have lost their parents and several of whom have HIV/AIDS. Before Challenge Africa, local children only ate 3-4 meals a week, but now sustainable projects like community poultry farms, are funding daily meals, teachers, and clean water. Gus will bring much needed joy to the lives of children who have had very hard lives and the donated Chromebooks will help lift the community out of poverty.

The donation of the Chromebooks was made possible by ICT Services, through local field technician Tam McLucas.  ICT Services were able to supply 20 old Chromebooks for Gus to take out to Kenya.  These devices would have been recycled, but are still functional.