Nepean man rallies community to support children in Guyana
Posted Feb 12, 2010 By Kimberly Lochhead
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EMC News Aiming to establish computer labs to promote literacy in public secondary schools across Guyana, Rajen Doobay is asking fellow Nepean residents to support SchoolNet Guyana, a project he is spearheading in Ottawa as chairperson.
Rajen Doobay, chairperson of the SchoolNet Guyana literacy project, is rallying residents to donate to provide computers to 120 secondary schools across Guyana.
"Every student in the Third World is entitled to the same education standards as a first world student," he said.
"Guyana is a very ethnically divided country and this program takes an equality approach to serve the needs of every student. No one will be left out, it benefits everyone."
Due to this ethnic division, Mr. Doobay said he is hoping to tackle racism through the program. He also wants to enlist the assistance of local students who can contact him to learn how they can participate in the effort.
"We want to operate it in a way so that everyone is a shareholder in the program," he explained.
"The students benefiting also need to be contributing. For example, if a school in Barrhaven raised $1,000, we would expect a school in Georgetown to raise $1,000 as well (but not in Canadian dollars) so that those students can feel pride and ownership."
Currently the project is looking to twin schools from Ottawa with a school in Georgetown, Guyana. Students would be able to see the results of their efforts and stay in contact with one another through the very computers they helped to get together.
Initially, Mr. Doobay got involved with SchoolNet Guyana five years ago while living with his wife in England. His employer had answered the call for computers to the country and sent seven machines. Across the world, a total of 150 computers were sent, however a problem was encountered as different standards of computers and software were sent.
"Another call came out, but it had become more organized with standardized software so every school would have the same computers," he explained. "They also dealt with the Guyanese government who agreed to support the whole program in terms of building new computer labs in every school."
Mr. Doobay said computers would open doors for Guyanese children, creating opportunities they otherwise would not have access to through a higher level of education.
"The people in Guyana are just as intelligent as we are, there is no disparity," he said. "A lot of them go to Cambridge University and Oxford University, but there's nothing to go back to and that causes brain drain. The reason why the Guyanese government got involved was to stop this brain drain."
Mr. Doobay stressed the importance of establishing credibility for the charity, and thus far has acquired the support of former premier of Ontario David Peterson, Melinda Shankar, a Canadian actress from Degrassi: The Next Generation and many others.
"It's a Canadian-registered charity," he explained. "There's always a lot of distrust when it comes to giving to a charity as to where the money is going and who is earning a salary. One of the messages I'd like to get out is that there is only one person getting paid and that's an ex-United Nations employee, whose paid under strict guidelines."
SchoolNet Guyana is part of a global network and upon completion of the program in the country, Mr. Doobay said they would extend the project to other countries in need.
"We're educating people on how to educate themselves," he added.
Those interested can purchase tickets for $20. Tax receipts are available. For more information, visit www.schoolnetguyana.org or contact Rajen Doobay at rajendoobay@globalpartnershipforliteracy.org.
klochhead@thenewsemc.ca
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