What If Every Child Had A Laptop?

Lesley Stahl Reports On The Dream And The Difficulties Of Getting A Computer To Every Child

(CBS)  This segment was originally broadcast on May 20, 2007. It was updated on Nov. 30, 2007.

There's a new laptop on the market that's being snapped up by parents looking for a unique holiday gift for their kids. It’s only $200, and it isn’t like any computer you've ever seen. But there's a catch: in order to buy one for your child, you also have to buy one for a child in a poor country.

And that was the whole point behind these new laptops: to get them to kids in the most impoverished places, so they can become educated and part of the modern world.

As correspondent Lesley Stahl first reported last spring, the laptop, called the XO, was the brainchild of Nicholas Negroponte, a professor at MIT.

Two years ago he founded a non-profit organization called "One Laptop Per Child," through which he recruited a cadre of geeks to design a low-cost computer specifically for poor children.

Negroponte had a dream, a big one: that every child on the planet have a laptop, and along with it, the possibility of a better future.

Negroponte's dream was born in Cambodia.

---

The idea came to him in a remote village called Reaksmy - a four-hour drive on a dirt road from the nearest town. It’s as far from MIT as you can get. They don’t even have running water.

Negroponte and his family founded a school here in 1999, putting in a satellite dish and generators. Then they gave the children laptops. Instantly, school became a lot more popular.

Kids who had never seen a computer before were now crossing the digital divide. Negroponte was knocked out.

"The first English word of every child in that village was 'Google'," he says. "The village has no electricity, no telephone, no television. And the children take laptops home that are connected broadband to the Internet."

When they take the laptops home, the kids often teach the whole family how to use it. Negroponte says the families loved the computers because, in a village with no electricity, it was the brightest light source in the house.

"Talk about a metaphor and a reality simultaneously," he says. "It just illuminated that household."

Once the computers were there, school attendance went way up.

Negroponte says that in Cambodia this year 50 percent more children showed up for the first grade because the kids who were in first grade last year told the other kids that "school is pretty cool."

Negroponte wanted this for all children, everywhere, but he realized conventional computers were too expensive. And so his dream of a hundred-dollar laptop was born.

And this is it!

A low-budget computer for children, like a group of second graders in a poor school in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Each child has been given his or her own machine - as part of a test for the Brazilian government to see if they should buy them for all their school children.

"It’s very exciting," Negroponte says. "It’s very gratifying. It’s been two years in the making."

The children seemed to especially like the built-in camera that takes stills and video. It also has Wi-Fi.

Negroponte's idea was that kids don’t need teachers to learn the how to use the computer. They can pick it up by experimenting on their own - with help from a friend.

"That is what we are doing… is that that kid is showing this kid - that is key," he says. "They get it instantly. It takes a 10-year-old child about three minutes."

When Stahl asks if he means children who have never used any computer before, Negroponte responds, "Children who’ve never, in some cases, seen electricity."

"You go into countries where there may not be enough food, where the children may not have good enough education to even teach them to read, why a laptop?" Stahl asks. "It almost sounds like a luxury for these people who need so much more than that."

"Let me take two countries, Pakistan and Nigeria. Fifty per cent of the children in both of those countries are not in school," Negroponte says. "At all. They have no schools, they don’t even have trees under which a teacher might stand…"

[realali]

I think this is GREAT! How can we help promote the idea? We have so much in America that we take for granted - how can we help others step up with us?

[jbosari]

They say buy one for your kid and one for a third world child - at $176 x 2 = dirt cheap laptop for my child! I would do it in a heart beat.

[tml526]

If Mr. Negroponte offers the laptops available to US children only if one is also purchased for a child in another country, I would gladly commit to soliciting others in my community to do the same. This could become a national movement. US citizens promoting education, eliminating worldwide ignorance and proving we are not the greedy evil-doers as the world now sees us. A national movement could be afoot.

[cinmabar]

What a great idea Mr. Negroponte and even better that you are acting on it. Maybe instead of trying to stop you Intel would be better served to offer to help even if you do use the competitions processor. Right now they just look greedy and upset that they are not increasing their corporate profits on the backs of the world%u2019s poor to me. Not hard for me to decide, one is offered by a non-profit and the other by a for profit company.
I would be willing to purchase one of your computers for a child in need and I bet a lot of other people would be willing to do the same. Is there a website where I could donate?

[jfogg4]

I watch your story about giving laptops to poor countries. What about the children here in our own country we to have poor children who live in poor areas and need supplies and money and better living conditions instead of worrying about other countries it seems to me we should consintrate on our on country first and our poor and homeless before helping the rest of the world.

[bzriley]

What about student in America? I teach in Prince George's County in Maryland. My school, Flintstone Elementary, is less than 10 miles from the White House. Students in my school DO NOT have laptops. As a matter of fact, my classroom of 21 students, has three computers of which only two work. The school has NO COMPUTER LAB! My students are not receiving computer training, and very little exposure to technology. My students deserve the same exposure. WHAT ABOUT COMPUTERS FOR ALL AMERICAN STUDENTS!

[pmount54]

There are places here in our country, like a southern county of New York State, Allegany County, the poorest county in the state, where most of the parents cannot afford to buy a laptop for their own kids, let alone kids from a third world counrty. Why can't we look into our own backyards first?

[jfogg4]

I watch your story about giving laptops to poor countries. What about the children here in our own country we to have poor children who live in poor areas and need supplies and money and better living conditions instead of worrying about other countries it seems to me we should consintrate on our on country first and our poor and homeless before helping the rest of the world.

[tjw800]

Why should other countries have this first? Why don't we have this in US now? Why do we have to have bake sales and collect soup coupons to purchase $2000 computer for our school children?
Why when they are availale in the US will we have to purchase 2, one for our children and another for 3rd world countries? This stroy and this program in an insult to US citizens. It makes me want to stop contribing to any over seas charity. Secondly, the discussion of competition for these computers is insane. If more than one company wants to do good in the world so be it. When the man said he got nothing out of this program, I don't believe him. If so then why worry about competition, imbrace it.

[jigjag1]

Sign me up for a $100.00 computer --not because I need it, but because I can afford to get another one that will be given to a child who does need it!!!!! ( And I will contribute "my" computer to a student in my school that needs it. I want to be a part of this. How can we make this happen????

[lwillson1]

What is wrong with giving every child in America a $100 laptop? According to the story if they allowed parents or schools in the United States the opportunity to buy these cheap, durable computers, it would only happen if the parent or school agreed to buy another one for a child in another country. We need to take care of our own country first. When every child in the U.S. has a laptop, then we can start giving them to other countries. As to the question of how the teacher fits into this program --- books, overhead projectors, DVD's, Smartboards, and computers are all instructional tools. They are just methods teachers can use to help students learn. The teacher always determines the lesson to be learned through the use of these tools.

[kelsr]

While I think this is a great idea, what about those parents who could afford ONE for their child, but not a second for a child? Is this child to do without because he/she was born in the "wrong" country?

[p6060606]

60 minutes fell into the role of public relations agent for Negroponte, which became VERY CLEAR when they hinted that big, bad INTEL was infringing on his goal...and hurting his efforts IN THE FREE MARKET. If 60 minutes thinks it is a worthwhile goal and project to make millions of low priced computers availble to the children of the world then 60 minutes should APPLAUD INTEL and any other firm that is pursuing the market. HOORAY FOR INTEL and all others that are trying to PLACE extremely low priced computers in the hands of the worlds poorest children...and BOO THE BIAS AND STILTING OF 60 MINUTES.
P.S. Who is paying for the 330 days of Negropontes travel...AMD? MIT? a foundation or who?

[dmm35]

I totally agree with bzriley, what about the children here in America? I am so tired of celebrities and money moguls who made their money HERE, aiding children who come on folks, have no real chance to use this knowledge in life. My children go to a middle-class school where there is one computer to every 10 children. The teachers have to schedule time for the kids to get a chance to use them, and yes, I know I have one in my home as well but is that the point? When are we all going to stop worrying about children in Darfur who have nothing to eat when there's plenty in our own backyard going to bed hungry every night much less needing a cheap laptop.

[ikemorah]

Nicholas Negroponte has done well on this moral help to the third world, those that questions his motive should learn from his good will.
I will like to work with him if he can contact me.
Ike Morah

[why_not_nar]

Mr. Negroponte,

After watching Ms. Stahl's 60 Minutes segment about your creating a $200 PC for the World's children,
I have one reaction:
Hooray
Then having Intel emulate your model at their own cost?
Amazing, Without Precedent
You are a genius.
Something on the order of the invention of the Apple, or the introduction of the first PC.
Forget about complaining, forget about Congress.

Instead, let's go develop cheap drugs for Third World countries, for later resale in the US.
I believe that is possible.

And then have Pfizer fund a competitive drug?
I think you are one to something.
I am available to help, at no compensation.
Paradigm shift, drastic innovation, whatever you want to call it, you are making a huge difference in helping educate the world's children.

That is something you should feel very proud of.

Ms. Stahl, a class act. Can I interest you in anchoring the CBS evening news? Seriously.

Very truly yours,
why__not

[downtowner97]

Socialism here in the US is bad, but we should contribute to it in other parts of the world? That's insanity. How far should we go into debt to benefit people who don't like us? I could buy a laptop for a child if I wasn't writing checks for tens of thousands of dollars to the IRS. How do we pull the plug on this? Soon, we won't be able to buy pencils for our children.

[koos5]

I cheer Negroponte's initiative. As is so often the case, the answer lies in synthesis. IN this case, it's a synthesis between altruism and th eprofit motive. Why does not INTEL hire Negropnte and make him head of minternational marketing for the Classmate - put Negroponte Inside, as it were? On the one hand, it's his idea; on the other, there's nothing wrong with pursuing the profit motive. INTEL signs a contract about keeping the cost down, Negroponte works his n*ts off, and everyone wins. Most of all, someone apart from Bill gates shows a heart. Long live America!

[bobkie]

Mr. Negroponte should grow up. He has a wonderful idea, and will get credit for bringing tens of millions of children computers. But because someone called it a gadget he won't work with that company? Intel and Microsoft must have thousands of offices around the world and already deeply established relationships with many governments. If Negroponte was serious about his goal, aligning with these companies - heck embracing them - would bring his dream to reality faster and with more urgency. Check the egos at the door please.

[koos5]

I cheer Negroponte's initiative. As is so often the case, the answer lies in synthesis. In this case, it's a synthesis between altruism and th eprofit motive. Why does not INTEL hire Negropnte and make him head of international marketing for the Classmate - put Negroponte Inside, as it were? On the one hand, it's his idea; on the other, there's nothing wrong with pursuing the profit motive. INTEL signs a contract about keeping the cost down, Negroponte works his n*ts off, and everyone wins. Most of all, someone apart from Bill gates shows a heart. Long live America!

[shanev137]

what if.....

Yea...and what if every child in Africa could own an insecticide-treated bed net that only costs 5 dollars so they live another day and not die of malaria?

[cbellion]

I think this is a dangerous idea. School teaches more than reading- allowing a child to learn from the computer, connected to the internet exposes the child to everything online. Knowledge is power, and school at least teaches, in many ways indirectly, responsibility. They can easily end up misusing this and learn online how to build bombs, about terrorism, and other bad things. When children learn in school, they are closely monitored by a mini society of teachers and other adults. I think this would be a better idea for children who area already in a school in poorer countries. I would definitely not want my child using a laptop on her own without adult supervision- espeically at home- if the parents are uneducated about supervising their children while online.

[cbellion]

I think this is a dangerous idea. School teaches more than reading- allowing a child to learn from the computer, connected to the internet exposes the child to everything online. Knowledge is power, and school at least teaches, in many ways indirectly, responsibility. They can easily end up misusing this and learn online how to build bombs, about terrorism, and other bad things. When children learn in school, they are closely monitored by a mini society of teachers and other adults. I think this would be a better idea for children who area already in a school in poorer countries. I would definitely not want my child using a laptop on her own without adult supervision- espeically at home- if the parents are uneducated about supervising their children while online.

[michellem99-2009]

How about getting them in the hands of the poor in the US of A. I have never owned a lap top. The handicapped and other poor here can only dream of one. I am 52. Here not overseas.

[sas0347]

It appears to be unanimous that viewers would like to see those computers in our schools to our poor. Exactly what I was saying while watching 60 Min----What about the USA? What is with Oprah, American Idol (was split),
Negroponte, and others going out of our country? Can anyone answer this? The celebrities adopting from India etc., when we have our own special needs kids in good old US of A!! Another thing,is Negroponte teaching these kids about the computer and setting them up with WIFI to take more jobs away from the USA? And Dear Lesley, I do not want to see another story about foreign help until there are segments on why our rich don't believe in giving a helping hand at home; and some about entrepreneurs/celebrities who are trying to make a difference here.

[bellal-2009]

what if...

and what if every child had a parent read them a bedtime story.

[bellal-2009]

I could buy a laptop for a child if I wasn't writing checks for tens of thousands of dollars to the IRS. How do we pull the plug on this? Soon, we won't be able to buy pencils for our children.
Posted by downtowner97 at 08:26 PM : May 20, 2007

No kidding, I hear ya.

[hotwitch]

What are the third world kids gonna do with there laptops? Type in "I'm starving"?

[blackbug99]

I'm sorry...Until the third world seems to care about their own children I'm just not interested. I just feel no need to supply children with internet technology when they will never have access to schools to benefit from it. Caste systems, and schooling in general in most 3rd world countries limits potential...Not lack of technology. Build a society with schools first and I'd buy into this. You can't put technology ahead of society.

[jaka25]

As a teacher in the USA I find it hard to swallow that company's are willing to step over their own children to provide computers to third world countries. The end comment about selling the laptop to US students IF they buy one for a child in another country is offensive. How about if you can afford one, buy a laptop for another classmate in your very own school.

[lougall]

I live in the usa. I have 2 kids with special needs. I have been trying to get a device for my son to type because he cannot talk it has been 3 years now and we still do not have a device. I wish people would see right in there own back yard, that there is many children in the usa that need equipment to survive and communicate. We supposably live the the riches country but we cannot take care of our own.

[keck29]

I don't know why you give pubblicity to this man - akthough that is what he wants. It's not a laptop for every child - it's only for children in 3rd world countries. If you have to give him publicity - tell it like it is. This program is NOT for children in the US - no matter how poor they are. There are 2 reasons fir this: First - He gets more publicity if he goes to 3rd world countries; Second - it's not politlcally correct to admit that there are really poor children in the US. A poor school district is forced to buy 2 computers for each child, when they can barely afford to buy 1 - therefore they buy none.
As someome on another channel would say - "Give me a break"!

[keck29]

I don't know why you give pubblicity to this man - although that is what he wants. It's not a laptop for every child - it's only for children in 3rd world countries. If you have to give him publicity - tell it like it is. This program is NOT for children in the US - no matter how poor they are. There are 2 reasons fir this: First - He gets more publicity if he goes to 3rd world countries; Second - it's not politlcally correct to admit that there are really poor children in the US. A poor school district is forced to buy 2 computers for each child, when they can barely afford to buy 1 - therefore they buy none.
As someome on another channel would say - "Give me a break"!

[sharncedar]

What a crock - what are these 3rd world kids going to do other than play games and look at porn. What a crock, yeah a laptop really turns an ignorant moron into a genius.

What do the poor need? First, self-control. Second, respect for law. Third, honesty. With these three things, every poor country today would be a paradise on earth. It's corruption and a lack of basic ethics that makes communities poor. With honesty and humble respect for others, even a refugee camp becomes a decent place.

How does a laptop magically give you self-control, or eliminate the disrespect for law and fairness that leads to the horrible corruption of places like Mexico and New York City.

Kind of stupid leadership we have, apparently laptops didn't help them.

[sealthgirl]

My relatives were stuck in eastern Germany and had no idea what the rest of the world was like until American television vould be picked up and then they saw there was something better for them, and they fought for a better life, and for the wall to come down. I think this is what the computer could do for these kids. Maybe it should have 2 requirements, you buy one and you are the contact for that child to learn by your mentoring.

We have poot schools, and we have kids who walk into the classroom and choose not to learn. Any child can go to the library and use a computer, we have grants, we have opprotunities here too. The last thing we need are more 3rd world children growing up angry at what they have been told and then they turn into terrorists against a country that they have been told false stories about.

There are churches and individuals, and so many others that are reaching out around the world. If this man wants to use his life in this way, he should. We each have our own path and purpose.

[sealthgirl]

ps...I am also a teacher. My east German family had been fed lies about how cruel and dangerous Americans were...when the wall came down we both learned that reality is not always what one has been told.

If we give more children lives of real value, and hope, perhaps we would not be inundated with so many more immigrants than we are able to assimilate into our schools and communities. We have gone from one or two foreign born children in our classrooms to more than 50%, and I know of schools where parents speak more than 30 different languages. We welcome people but do not have the services to better their lives and maintain ours.

Giving others the tools to learn and grow ca only help them in their own countries.

[thoughtful_1]

I think the idea is great! There are many parts of the world where it is physically impossible to have books because of the humidity, bugs, and expense. Sometimes the books that do exist are so old that the history is no longer accurate.

I think the idea of children being able to teach other children is perfect, because if you watch children at play, that is what they do.

I don't understand all of the harsh criticism. If American schools want to get involved there is nothing that says that they can't, in fact, I think if you look at the website for the OLPC program, it looks as though there is a target for the United States. It may not be as much of an interest to the U.S. because we have so many other options available.

If children in other parts of the world are able to educate themselves, and that may help them enhance the quality of their lives, then they will be more productive members of their communities, better workers, better parents and therefore impart better values to their own children in kind.

It's about opportunity, providing opportunity, that's all.

[robertonduty]

Mr. Negroponte comes across to me as disingenuous. The "poor children of the world" are not his target... we have them in the U.S. And if he's honest, he explained that by traveling and earning his money outside of the U.S. 330 days per year that he earns up to $82,400/yr tax free.

Further, how can he possibly cry foul when Intel makes a less expensive and superior product available "to the poor" for less money? This man is not as altruistic as he would have us believe.

[coffeehead-2009]

The only scary part is combine this with the U.N. Millenium plan and you have a growing group of brainwashed youth. On this same site (that glorifies our own leaders) - you will find the "plan" not only includes "world education" but also genetic engineering. They make it sound very pretty though!


UNESCO is working to create the conditions for genuine dialogue based upon respect for shared values and the dignity of each civilization and culture.
This role is critical, particularly in the face of terrorism, which constitutes an attack against humanity. The world urgently requires global visions of sustainable development based upon observance of human rights, mutual respect and the alleviation of poverty, all of which lie at the heart of UNESCO%u2019s mission and activities.

Through its strategies and activities, UNESCO is actively pursuing the Millennium Development
Goals, especially those aiming to:
%u2022 halve the proportion of people living in extreme poverty in developing countries by 2015
%u2022 achieve universal primary education in all countries by 2015
%u2022 eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education by 2005
%u2022 help countries implement a national strategy for sustainable development by 2005 to reverse current trends in the loss of environmental resources by 2015.
%u2022 UNESCO and the United Nations Millennium Goals

http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=3328&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

[surfintime]

This is a great program, but I still found this funny as hell:

CelebrityMooch.com --- check out the laptop picture.

[p_shalimar]

What a wonderful idea! Someone comes up with a plan how to help someone else, does not whine to the government to do it for him, actually works with others to get what is needed, and implements his plan - minus tax dollars, subcommittees, high paid advisors, and political pork. Wow what an idea!
He should be doing this for children in third world countries, if that is what he wants to do. He has the right to spend his time and money on what he wants.
Every child in the U.S. is far better off than children in many third-world countries. U.S. children with or without parents have a government that will make sure they are fed, clothed, live in a structure of some kind, have medical care available, and go to school if they are able to do so.
All the self-control, respect for law, and honesty in the world will make no difference if you have no food, water, medical care, or education. The poor are not poor because they are immoral. If that were true then all the wealthy in the world would be the pillars of morality and that idea is absurd.
If you really think children in the U.S. need a free laptop get up off of your duffs and organize the same kind of program here. ONE person with an idea started the worldwide program mentioned in this article. You could be that one person in your community, state, or U.S. who starts this program for U.S. children.

[ellegilbride]

A wonderful idea, indeed. However, to see two seemingly bright, successful adults bickering over the details and credit was disappionting. Why can't everyone put the kids first and learn to work together? Because, it's still business, power, and ego.

[itwasntme000]

This may be the dumbest idea i have ever heard. Do you even know how many people/kids are dying all over the world because then have no food/clean water to drink. How about the fact that these 3rd world countries like the one he is giving the kids laptops to, don't even speak a language that is used on the internet. Or even if they did I highly doubt they can read or write it. Put the money to educational instructors over in these places instead. Or PUT THE MONEY TO A REAL CAUSE LIKE ELIMINATING WORLD HUNGER OR TO GIVING EVERY KID CLEAN DRINKING WATER.
And the comments from people here are so nieve. I cant believe anyone would think this is a good idea. If these people ever do figure much out on the internet the first thing they will do is sell the laptop and get some money to make a real difference in their community.

[padrigo17us]

I think it is a brilliant idea, but he should make them for EVERY child - in the world. But then again, it is too expensive to make them for every child in the world. He would happen to become the richest man alive. But where does he get the tool and materials-wire, etc.-to build them.

[toldyouso21]

If every child had a laptop, then every responsible parent would have the task of removing it except on holidays and for homework and would have to lock it up so that the kid would not be tempted to "play" on it instead of doing homework, other chores or even socializing with others.

Laptops are not a world, they are a tool--but between them and tv, our society is headed towards a new type of culture and individual isolationism.

All of my kids have laptops. Initially the arguement was for homework and internet access, but what we discovered was that way into the school nights, the kids were playing games or watching movies or downloading songs. Even my 9 year old has a laptop--and she loves to use it for writing some stories but mostly for playing games. To children, laptops are nothing but very addictive toys. When they have them out (at Christmas, Easter, Spring and Summer break) the kids would rather be on their laptops all alone than visit friends, play outside, play regular board games or even watch tv.

When their grades became affected, we took them away, but such was the lure---that they had to be put under lock and key, then voila! The grades improved and the deteriorating eyesight stabilized, (screens are bad on the eyes if looked at for hours at a time).
End of part 1

[toldyouso21]

If all kids had laptops--corps would be richer, the world would be more isolated and NO it would not make kids smarter or more savvy--but they would become slaves to techie toys and would become inhabitants of a virtual world and outlook. I think laptops are the bane of our existence now--easy to misuse and abuse, addictive and counterproductive to society--but I can only base that on my kids, their friends and the attitudes I see displayed when the things are turned on. The homework stops, the chores stop, communication stops. They literally become plugged in to their toys and sit in their rooms, communicating only with their keyboards. Sort of like me on a blog.

I think computers are ruining us as a society. People kill, lie etc with impunity because in the games they continually play the credo is: "Whatever it takes"

I did not know how insidious and scary the addiction to computers was until my went on the blink the other day. I actually had anxiety and almost a panic attack, until the problem was resolved and I could see that Roadrunner home page again. Scary--so I will be taking a huge break....from all this bs...in fact...I shouldn't even be on now. Watch--the more computer/laptop exposure--the more fvcked up our culture will become. think Iraq, Bush and the VA Massacre and the attitudes surrounding those issues are bad? THOSE are just preludes to where we are all headed.

[itwasntme000]

This may be the dumbest idea i have ever heard. Do you even know how many people/kids are dying all over the world because then have no food/clean water to drink. How about the fact that these 3rd world countries like the one he is giving the kids laptops to, don't even speak a language that is used on the internet. Or even if they did I highly doubt they can read or write it. Put the money to educational instructors over in these places instead. Or PUT THE MONEY TO A REAL CAUSE LIKE ELIMINATING WORLD HUNGER OR TO GIVING EVERY KID CLEAN DRINKING WATER.
And the comments from people here are so nieve. I cant believe anyone would think this is a good idea. If these people ever do figure much out on the internet the first thing they will do is sell the laptop and get some money to make a real difference in their community.

[itwasntme000]

This may be the dumbest idea i have ever heard. Do you even know how many people/kids are dying all over the world because then have no food/clean water to drink. How about the fact that these 3rd world countries like the one he is giving the kids laptops to, don't even speak a language that is used on the internet. Or even if they did I highly doubt they can read or write it. Put the money to educational instructors over in these places instead. Or PUT THE MONEY TO A REAL CAUSE LIKE ELIMINATING WORLD HUNGER OR TO GIVING EVERY KID CLEAN DRINKING WATER.
And the comments from people here are so nieve. I cant believe anyone would think this is a good idea. If these people ever do figure much out on the internet the first thing they will do is sell the laptop and get some money to make a real difference in their community.

[itwasntme000]

This may be the dumbest idea i have ever heard. Do you even know how many people/kids are dying all over the world because then have no food/clean water to drink. How about the fact that these 3rd world countries like the one he is giving the kids laptops to, don't even speak a language that is used on the internet. Or even if they did I highly doubt they can read or write it. Put the money to educational instructors over in these places instead. Or PUT THE MONEY TO A REAL CAUSE LIKE ELIMINATING WORLD HUNGER OR TO GIVING EVERY KID CLEAN DRINKING WATER.
And the comments from people here are so nieve. I cant believe anyone would think this is a good idea. If these people ever do figure much out on the internet the first thing they will do is sell the laptop and get some money to make a real difference in their community.

[itwasntme000]

This may be the dumbest idea i have ever heard. Do you even know how many people/kids are dying all over the world because then have no food/clean water to drink. How about the fact that these 3rd world countries like the one he is giving the kids laptops to, don't even speak a language that is used on the internet. Or even if they did I highly doubt they can read or write it. Put the money to educational instructors over in these places instead. Or PUT THE MONEY TO A REAL CAUSE LIKE ELIMINATING WORLD HUNGER OR TO GIVING EVERY KID CLEAN DRINKING WATER.
And the comments from people here are so nieve. I cant believe anyone would think this is a good idea. If these people ever do figure much out on the internet the first thing they will do is sell the laptop and get some money to make a real difference in their community.