Gerry's Trip to Jamaica

Nov 30, 2009- Last week Gerry was in Jamaica addressing Eduvision 2009 held in Montego Bay, Jamaica.  The attendees came from all over the Caribbean and Central America and gathered to discuss vision in Education. The conference chair was Dr. Moses Peart. The conference was a great success and a tribute to the organizers. Gerry’s session was called ‘Let Us Dream Dreams that will Change the World: Access to Information as a Human Right.'  You can get conference info at http://www.eduvision.org.jm/

Gerry went back to Canada and stopped off for a series of visits with companies and groups in the Oshawa area. The basic information can be viewed in a press article (below)  Gerry was part of a panel discussion with a University Class and visited with representatives from General Discovery and Nessis Inc. where some business opportunities were discussed. Durham Region News

Glenn McKnight, a great friend of GMF, took the press interview and repurposed it for Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y9NGyVr1sM

 

News from Uganda

Widows Loans

We have formed a 5th widows group awaiting their first revolving loan, our 2nd, 3rd and 4th groups have received their first loan and our first group has already received their second loan. The groups are thriving and following the example of the successes of the first and now second groups. We are partnering with each of these groups on loans, house loans, empowerment and solidarity.

HIV/Health Access

At the request of the widows we have formed a sub group of widows and children living openly with AIDS. The members of this group are also members of one of the widows groups (or their mother is a member). The adult members of this group have received a pig each to raise with the intent that half the money raised from the pig would go to support health projects for this group and the other half would supplement the income of these HIV+ women who find hard labour extremely difficult. The children are given health items such as vitamins and mosquito nets and free transportation access to doctors. This program also provides transportation once a month to all members to visit the doctor to get tested and get medicine which is provided free from other organizations. In the interest of empowerment and sustainability, when the pigs begin producing the cost of transportation will be covered by the health project money raised by the HIV widows themselves.
This July in support of this project, the first two widows groups decided to all get tested for HIV, over 60 women were transported to the near by hospital to get tested.

Pay-it-Forward School Sponsorships

We have a total of eight children sponsored under the Pay-it-forward program where students in the top 10% of their class but are completely unable to pay for the higher school fees of secondary school are sponsored. They do not have to pay back their sponsorship but one day when they have jobs and are earning money they will pay forward their sponsorship and assist others that are in similar circumstances. These children are the future hope for this community and it is their future and the future of the community that is being invested in.
This July the pay-it-forward group took a trip to the national park. This trip was sponsored by some of our Canadian guests, it was an experience they will never forget.

Youth Group

This summer we started a youth group for 14 children in secondary school that are struggling to pay for their fees. Some of these children live completely alone, some live with aging grandmothers, other with their mothers who are either widowed, or widowed and HIV+, all of these children get sent home from school for lack of fees, all of these children want to complete secondary school. The youth group will meet with Bago to discuss their problems and also to devise solutions for the money they need to pay their fees. The have come up with a plan to raise animals and we are looking for funding to support this project.

School Sponsorship for Primary Students

We are sponsoring five primary students in local schools, three of them have found long term sponsors to attend boarding school and two are looking for sponsors. All of these primary children are either living without adults or are living with aging grandmothers unable to care for them. In addition to these five children we provide funds to cover costs of other children living with widowed mothers or grandmothers who are unable to cover all of the costs of school. There are many children in need like these children.

A Letter From Uganda

November
- 2009

Uganda

Dear Madam Janet Morgan

How are you and how is life in Canada for me in Uganda I am very fine

The main reason for writing this letter is to thank you for the impact you have caused to my life and history . Iam greatful that you have become my parent in all aspects .

Now Iam writing this letter to letter you that I have done my primary Leaving Examinations and  I hope for good results in February .I have nothing to offer  you  ,I only wish you the best of your life .Life has had meaning to me now and I hope be somebody very important in  the world in the coming years .Without you I  would not realised my dream of finishing the primary cycle you are well aware of my past and the challenges I have gone through.

I read the letter you sent by the internet  and other good news you have been sending me thank you for your good and encouraging words .When I read the I felt very happy because the words you put in were very good to me  so you are great to me and I think to evry one else here .Send my gretings to Christina Morgan my best friend and my elderest  sister , all your children  and others like Lindsay, Henry ,Carie and Lori .  Iam very happy of what you are doing.

On the other hand ,the living conditions at home are  not conducive for me  ,you know I used to stay my aunt's place but later my cousin did not like me and when Iam not at school  I at times stay with teacher Debrah at Kashozi who has been parental  and I think you can also thank her for the work she done for me. During the priod of examinations I have been staying at Mr Bago's place  has been good for me  and his wife has been treating well .I do love my mother but the conditions are hard for me . We many children and the house leaks when it rain and even what eat is not there  .The future my sisters and brothers is not clear but Iam determined to make it at the end .The days I have spent at kashozi I have also experienced happiest time.

At kashozi I was elected as school prefect in charge of game a thing that made feel that I

am like other people. Mr Bago has told me that he discussed with teacher Debrah over my holidays  and they agreed that I spend my holiday with  her and this very good for me. The holiday I spent at debrah's place  I was fine but when  iam at my mother's place I was not happy at all because some people  dislike and what to disorganise me .At Debrah's place I did not meet any problem .”Debrah thank you  very much “send it to her.

I hope to go to a secondary school and become one of big women in my country Uganda.Let me hope receive your reply.

Yours  faithfully

Kyarikunda Rossette

 

Nov. 13, 2008 In September Gerry visited Thailand to team up Ink Media with Loxley. (Ink Media in Thai news.) Now the Loxley Learn4Life project has begun. We are very excited about this project and the resulting research. The Loxley Learn4Life project has been posting the progress of the pilot project including interviews with the teachers on their views on the role of ICT in education, many of these videos have been subtitled in English.

Oct. 30, 2008 Visitors, Do you have a site that you think GMF visitors would be interested in visiting? If you do, let us know and maybe we can consider a Link exchange. We are interested mainly in sites that focus on magnifying the human spirit.

We are also having a lot of visitors who do not speak english. If you have some time and would like to translate key documents into other languages get hold of Gerry.

Oct 26, 2008 Loxleys' Learn4Life Project is underway. Stay connected for updates on the research as it happens...

October 20, 2008- The latest newsletter is out today...if you did not receiv yours, email gerryrmorgan@shaw.ca and request that it be sent to you.

Our work has hit the press in Thailand! See the article that appeared in a major newspaper in Bangkok. The article was kindly translated by the Loxley staff into English.

Headline news: “Nina Morgan”, Angel of the 3rd world children

Headline news: “Nina Morgan”, Angel of the 3rd world children

Quote ' To provide computers for students it means you're not only giving them an access to information, but also a chance to learn, equally with their counterparts.'

I'm not sure is it fate or destiny that made “Nina Morgan”, a young teacher from Canada, decided to fly across the world to help building the “Community Center” for orphans in Uganda, to give them an equal chance for knowledge through “online technology” just like the children in rich countries.

Help founding a school in Uganda

Nina told us her inspiration to become a teacher might be from her father, Gerry Morgan, who used to be a teacher, and during her Master Degree in the year 2550 (2007) she chose to do her research in rural area in Africa.

During that time she met some teachers and saw their intention to try to help the children in the community to get food and other basic things to live their life, and also protect them from abuse.

“I help the orphans who lost their parents from AIDS in Africa, we found 27,000 Canada Dollars as funding for projects in Uganda.

“Computer” to extend the use of community center

In the near future she also has a plan to find more computers for the school as these tools give more chance for the children to learn by themselves, any time, all their lives. She said “with technology, people will be able to learn all the time”

' To provide computers for students it means you're not only giving them an access to information, but also a chance to learn, equally with their counterparts.'

Apart from the students, after the classes finish, community members can go to use the computers just like in a community learning center. Also, the learning centre can get some revenue from this and use the money to run the school itself. If this idea works, then we can use it as a model for other countries.

Hope for a chance for another billion people

Nina said that not only her, but also her father, who is her “model”, is creating a chance for children and people in many countries to get access to the world of knowledge through InkMedia and Gerry Morgan Foundation.

In the year 2547 (2004) her father (Gerry Morgan) founded InkMedia Company in Canada with an objective to produce a low-cost computer, to let children in rural area have an access to new technology, with not more than 300 USD per 1 computer.

The computer produced is maintenance free and does not require you to buy any additional software because there's no hard disk so there is no need to use Anti Virus program. Also, it can be used with OpenSource.

The main objective Nina and her father would like to see is that the InkMedia low-cost computer can help the next billion people, who have less of a chance, to get access to knowledge through the internet, and will be able to improve their lives continually.

One of InkMedia's business plan is donating some of their revenue to a public organization in each country that purchases computers, they do this through the Gerry Morgan foundation.

Sharing her experience to Thai people

InkMedia and Nina are now bringing their experience and the intention to “increase” the chance to get access to technology to Thai people, especially the students.

With cooperation of the Canadian embassy, InkMedia and Loxley Plc. are now partners.

“We will present our machine together with Loxley's educational project. Though I'm not a specialist like my father, I'll try to do my best to give advice on using this ICT technology in the field of educational.”

She also added that though InkMedia has just started marketing in Thailand and is still in the step of discovering Thai people's needs, her father believes that 90% of Thai people will be able to get connected to internet in 9-10 years compared with 14% nowadays.

Used to be a volunteer teacher in Thailand

Nina said she's glad to come back to Thailand again after she used to be a volunteer teacher. 6 years ago she used to teach English at Satit-Kaset school and got to know the Thai way of life and was impressed with Thai people, food and other beauties.

“At that time I learnt how to teach students who are not English speakers. I had to speak slowly and clearly for easy understanding, otherwise it was the same as teaching elsewhere. I had to notice where improvements were needed for each pupil and work to improve their English communication skills and let them practice from everything around them such as billboard, TV, etc.”

I'm sure everyone can do it for the children.

Someone might be surprised to see a young lady from 1 of the 7 richest countries in the world, G-7, turning her life to help the children in the poorest continent like Africa. Nina said “you would feel the same and as I do if you saw their faces and looked in their eyes.”

At our meeting on July 31 we had a draw for the computer that included all members. We were thrilled when Bago's name was drawn as the winner. He is working on projects in Uganda. We would like to offer our heart-felt congratulations. We will get your computer out to you as soon as we can.

June 17 2008 Our Special Envoy Fouad Bajwa was interviewed at the OECD Meetings in Korea yesterday.

http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=riYMJrO2Bzw

June 14,2008 - As the time draws close for Christina to go back to Uganda and begin the new school, we have taken stock of what together we have accomplished. We have raised almost $30,000.00 CND from members, friends and family to begin the process of creating a school for the orphans of AIDS. This has only been possible through the caring and compassion of our members, churches, clubs and schools. All of the money raised goes to projects and this is by far our biggest project. While the needs are not yet met, we have a very good start and we wanted to pause and say thank you for you contributions and inspiration. When people care...great things can happen.