The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) is back this year with an amazing deal once again. If you jump over to Amazon.com to purchase the OLPC for $399 another OLPC will be donated to a needy child somewhere in the world. Or you may also just purchase one to be donated for $199. Remember that $199.00 of your donation is also tax deductible.

Mission Statement: To create educational opportunities for the world’s poorest children by providing each child with a rugged, low-cost, low-power, connected laptop with content and software designed for collaborative, joyful, self-empowered learning. When children have access to this type of tool they get engaged in their own education. They learn, share, create, and collaborate. They become connected to each other, to the world and to a brighter future.

While I wouldn’t say that this fits with the green focused topics of this site, I feel that this is a very worthwhile program that is worthy of support. The opportunities that they can bring children throughout the world are amazing.

It is critically important to adequately educate all the children of the emerging world. Simply doing more of the same is no longer enough, if it ever was. If their citizens are to benefit—as they should—from the spread of the technology-based global information economy, these nations must rethink the old top-down classroom paradigm, and replace it with a dynamic learning model that leverages the children themselves, turning them into “teachers” as well as “learners.” The tool with which to unlock their enormous potential is the XO. Put this ultra-low-cost, powerful, rugged, and versatile laptop in their hands, and the kids will do the rest.

Source: OLPC