Trouble Getting Response from Lesotho Insurance Agents

Director Sherrie Howey has been trying to get information so L2L can acquire insurance for the project's hardware and supplies in Lesotho.  But either insurance agents won't respond to her inquiries or their contact information turns out to be incorrect. 

Sometimes it's hard trying to do business in Lesotho from thousands of miles away.  We may have to wait until we are there in person next January to get insurance.  Despite the delay, that might actually be better because then we can take Matlabe and Alice along and involve them in the process.

- Janissa

Network Server Software Frustrations

Until now, I've been completely frustrated trying to get information on how to install the XS network server operating system at Nohana Primary School.  Online instructions tend to be written in Geek Speak, which goes right over my head, and are incomplete for novices like me who need step-by-step instructions. 

To make matters more difficult, we couldn't download the software directly onto the  PC we have designated as the school server, because we don't have internet at the school.  Instead, we had to download the software onto a flash drive or CD, then install it from that onto the server.  We tried this several different times, even brought in computer specialists, but we always got an error message that the files were incomplete.  Without internet service, we couldn't finish the installation. I was pulling my hair out.

I still haven't been able to find any answers to why the software wouldn't install properly.  But, after sending information about our situation to the OLPC server development list serve (server-devel@lists.laptop.org), David Leeming in Papua New Guinea contacted me with general advice for setting up a server for the XO laptops.  He faces a situation in PNG very similar to ours and has written up detailed instructions for installing the server software.  Hopefully this will help. 

This time around, I'm going to practice installing the server software here in the U.S. before going over to Lesotho.  That way, I can learn how to do it where I have access to the internet, and I can contact David and others for help when  I run into problems.

Unfortunately, because of the difference in voltage in electrical systems in the U.S. and Lesotho (120V vs. 240V), I can't take a U.S. PC with the XS software already installed over to Lesotho.  (Unlike laptops, which can operate on either 120V or 240V, U.S. PCs require 120V.)  So, I will still have to install the XS software on the school's Lesotho PC, without internet service, when I get there in January 2013.

Keeping my fingers crossed that it works this time around,
- Janissa

Wittenberg Prof Offers to Carry XO Laptops to Lesotho

Director Sherrie Howey contacted Dr. Scott Rosenberg of Wittenberg University recently regarding carrying XO laptops to Lesotho again.  His students took most of our 2011 XO laptops to Lesotho in June and July last year, saving us the cost of shipping them.  Scott & his students will be going to Lesotho in December this year, and Scott has agreed to carry as many as they have room for.  THANK YOU Scott and THANK YOU Wittenberg students!!!!  Your help is greatly appreciated.

- Janissa

Matlabe Elected to National Education Committee, Representative at Meetings in Namibia

I received an email from our project leader, Matlabe Teba, informing me that he has been elected to the Lesotho National Education Committee.  This is quite an honor, and we are proud of his accomplishment.  He will be representing the association at meetings in Namibia next month.  Congratulations, Matlabe!

- Janissa

2011 Annual Report

Our 2011 Annual Report is now available. 

I think you'll enjoy reading this report.  It contains detailed information about what we've accomplished, problems we've faced, and plans for the coming year.  It also has lots and lots of photos of the area, the people involved, and our work.

We hope to have this annual report posted here and on our L2L website www.laptopstolesotho.org soon.  Until then, you can request a copy of the 2.2 Mb pdf via email by contacting me at jbalcomb@laptopstolesotho.org.
 
- Janissa

Visual Stories of L2L Work

If you haven't already seen our photo albums on facebook, telling the story of our work in Lesotho, check them out:

Getting Started:  http://bit.ly/A4aYtm

XO's in the Classroom:  http://bit.ly/z84cFe

Nohana Primary School:  http://bit.ly/zlAjnx

Kokobe Primary School:  http://bit.ly/w6UhGQ

Pen Pals:  http://bit.ly/xqmJgH

Life in Lesotho:  http://bit.ly/Ar2emk

Lesotho Scenery:  http://bit.ly/A0aiPP

(I just learned how to use bitly.com to shorten the URL's so they are much easier to use.)

- Janissa

PNEC Church

Presbyterian/New England Congregational Church in Saratoga Springs, NY has pledged to support our project. Cindy is in the process of developing a mission project for their Sunday School that will raise funds for our organization during Fall 2012 and Spring 2013. These donations will go towards paying for the solar power system at Kokobe. They hope that the mission project will be successful enough that they can continue supporting our project year after year. Thank you to the people at PNEC Church who are working to make this happen!