kohlpharma spendete dem Förderverein 67 dieser Computer ( Dell Latitude e6500 )
The idea to this project is more than half a year old. In the middle of 2014, Kohlpharma (see link) offered us PCs which were sorted out because the company upgraded to newer hard- as well as software. And please don’t think that this is again an attempt of a firm to easily get rid of its IT-scrap in the Third World: By far the largest part of the devices given to us are technically in an excellent state. Of course you can see that they are used, the performance of one or the other battery-pack is not at its peak and some of the mains adaptors really were scrap. But altogether, we feel like being presented with a valuable treasure which we can move a lot with.
But haste makes waste and Kohlpharma had a lot to do: Inventory maintenance had to be updated, every single PC had to be worked on – cleaning, checking of hardware and (most important!) complete deletion of hard disks. That means of course, that the PCs are delivered without any OS (operation system). Delivery took place at the beginning of December 2014, all PCs well packed in boxes and catalogued. Kohlpharma has set a standard we would of course like to sustain. The catalogue is now the basis of the administration of the PCs at the Friends’ Association.
So 67 laptop PCs and 2 desktop PCs were handed over to Ruben Castano (responsible for IT in the “Förderverein”) and Karl Bruch (responsible for technical equipment in the board of “Förderverein”). The two desktop PCs make a good job in our office.
What a treasure had been given to us only became clear when we examined the machines carefully. The first test results were astonishing: Windows 7 and especially Linux (LinuxMint 17.1) run speedily and without problems on the machines. After being registered in our inventory all PCs will be equipped with this version of Linux.
Office programmes, Photo-shop and Burmese fonts will be pre-installed, so allowing immediate work with these PCs. Tests with people without any experience with Linux showed that they got along well.
We are especially pleased with the solid equipment of the Dell Latitude e5500- and e6500-type laptops.Those are professional systems with top hardware, a highly modular design and durable components. And above all: These PCs are among those which are best documented, worldwide. Any technical description you might need is available: From Photo series of detailed disassembly-/assembly-instructions to popular user and service handbooks. With all this, they are ideal PCs for the training of IT-students in Myanmar.
Range of application for the laptop PCs:
1) Because of their solid technology and outstanding documentation, these PCs are excellently suitable for our IT-training project. Within the first four months of 2015, a server for the new IT-structure of PDO will be installed. A group of young people will be trained according to the guidelines for IT systems technicians. One of the first steps in this training will be a qualification in the area of hardware and operation systems. With the sponsored Laptop PCs,we have the very best teaching material at hand. At the same time, a team will be established which can service the laptop PCs and – in the worst case – can turn two faulty devices in one working one.
2) Our experts who travel to Myanmar for an assignment will get a laptop PC each to establish their personal work station.
3) Within the school-partnership with Montessori School in Saarbrücken, German classes will be offered at PDO. All students who take part in these classes will have their own working place equipped with a laptop PC.
4) Our school and kindergarten in Mingun will be equipped with laptop PCs.,
5) The German students who take part in the Nurse Aid Training (supervised by Prof. Dr. Martha Meyer of the University of Applied Science, Saarbrücken) will get a laptop PC each during their assignment to enable them to personally report quickly during their stay.
Übrigens: Sie können diesen QR-Code mit ihrem QR-Scanner testen
Now that the inventory is complete (see photo), the first PCs will be delivered. They will not simply be “given away” but stay under the administration of the “Förderverein Help-Myanmar e.V”. Maintenance of the systems will of course have to take place at PDO in Mandalay. After training, a technical service will be established there, responsible for the maintenance of hard- and software. Inventory management and repair service will be in the hands of ‘Technical Service PDO IT’. All data lie in the Cloud, protected – as far as that is possible. So all activities will be transparent. Several PCs will stay with the Association in Saarbrücken as test-, diagnosis- and
working- devices. The donated PCs allow the Association to organize a real surge of
modernisation.
We would like to thank again Kohlpharma for their excellent support of our work in Myanmar: Organising education so that young people can acquire knowledge, jobs and a living is the sine qua non for a peaceful future, also in Myanmar.
Translation: Wolfgang Müller-Wind, member of the board of “Help-Myanmar e.V “