– as Region 4 distribution continues

OVER 300 residents from Mahaica on Friday benefited from the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) Programme, joining hundreds of others who received theirs earlier last week.

They expressed happiness that they will be able to become computer literate and communicate easier with their families.
One hundred and eighteen persons benefited from a distribution exercise that was held at the All Stars Sports Club, Supply, Mahaica. This exercise targeted the residents of Vereeniging, Belmont, Supply and Strathavon .
Speaking at the distribution exercise, People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament (MP) Indranie Chandarpal acknowledged the importance of Information and Communication Technology in this technologically advanced age. She also encouraged the recipients to make full use of the laptops to elevate themselves.
Mrs. Chandarpal also urged parents to keep track of what their children are looking at on the internet, and to also monitor their conversations with strangers on social networks.
Meanwhile, another MP Ms. Bibi Shaddick advised the recipients at another distribution exercise at Chowbay’s residence, Unity, Mahaica to care the equipment and make good use of it. This exercise saw 200 residents from communities including Voorsitigheid and Hand-en-Veldt communities receiving laptops.
Shaddick also spent the entire morning interacting and engaging in conversation with the residents while overlooking the distribution process.
Another distribution exercise was also held at the Guyana Islamic Trust, Albouystown where 201 laptops were given to residents of Albouystown, River View and Ruimveldt.  Present at this exercise was PPP/C MP Manzoor Nadir.
Beneficiaries of this programme expressed their gratitude to the Government. One recipient Aubrey Hamilton said that he was very happy to receive the laptop because his kids can now access information right from their home. He also added that this was just the beginning of greater things in Guyana.
Another beneficiary Lakeranie Karan said that she was very glad that she received her laptop because she has been waiting a while to receive it and now that she has, it will benefit her, as well as her family since she recently got married and moved to Berbice, so it will become easier to communicate with her relatives.
Today’s distribution exercise followed similar ones in Sophia which resulted in 600 laptops being distributed and Kitty, where residents collected 398 laptops.
As part of the OLPF programme, a five-day training session is also being offered to the beneficiaries.
The OLPF programme was launched in 2011, and was pioneered by former President Bharrat Jagdeo. The aim of this programme is to equip 90,000 families with laptops and to expand the use of ICT.

(GINA)