A consultant at Barnsley Hospital wants people to donate unused laptops to a South African primary school which has 150 pupils but only four computers.
Dr David Bullimore, who works in the medical admissions unit and in gastroenterology at the hospital, has been working with Sizo Primary School, in Mpumalanga Province in the north-east of the country, to help improve its levels of education and health.
He said: “Better education and improved health are the keys to a future vibrant South Africa, but many of its communities are struggling with poverty and a real lack of resources.
“I’ve been working with the Sizo Primary School to try to help them through these problems and to increase the opportunities available to the children there.
“We’re already making improvements to help with the health of the students and staff by installing a sewage diversion to restore a safe drinking water supply and a hygienic kitchen to prepare the meal given to the pupils late morning. For many it is the only proper meal of the day."
They are also funding a sit-on grass mower as snakes inhabit the long grass and are a constant threat to pupils and staff.
But Dr Bullimore said educational improvements were still needed.
"The children need basic computer skills before they can progress to secondary school, and so we desperately need people to donate some laptops – ‘last generation’ ones are fine.
“They are great kids with great teachers. This is an immediate chance for people to help them - remember that South Africa’s future is our future too.”
Dr Bullimore is asking for laptops with at least 2GB RAM for transfer to the school.
E-mail davidbullimore@btinternet.com if you can help.
© 2013 Barnsley Chronicle Ltd
Its sad to see that although we have food banks in Barnsley we have a Doctor not asking for food for our own children , but laptops to go with the 12 billion of foreign aid this country provides abraod.
Indeed Bill, it is also ironic to think that the private sector in South Africa provides mining jobs with a higher salary than jobs provided by the private sector in Barnsley (warehouse). This doctor seems to be detatched from reality. Considering the salary doctors are on, I am sure he could afford to give one himself. I have just bought a new laptop, when I say new, I mean 2nd hand, and it hasn't got 2GB RAM!
Tom comments on South African miners saying they are better paid than UK workers. Wages are around $700/month, about £470/month. Safety records in mines are poor. 34 striking miners were shot dead last year while seeking better wages and conditions. Many in our historically mining community will I am sue be more supportive of South African miners than Tom appears to be
Tom. Yes, I could afford to donate one new laptop to the Africa school. But I can not donate the 10 that will make a huge difference to their future. Thank you to the Barnsley folk who have most kindly donated five (Tom, if your purchased laptop has only 1GByte you will be unable to multitask much modern software. Usually there is a spare memory slot, upgrade would be around £12 and it will more than double your available working memory. It is simple to install yourself). Bill I am glad to hear you are working hard to obtain food for the Barnsley food bank.
David, it is a wonderful thing that you are doing, my daughter went to South Africa in 2009 on the Royston High School expedition to Malealea. She saw for herself how liitle the people have and was humbled by the experience, returning home to appriciate the life that she has.
Charity should begin at home and the foodbank is a good cause, but so is ensuring that children in third world countries have a fighting chance.