How you can help

You can help by donating:

• A couple of second hand laptops that have decent battery power. There is no internet up there so no need to have wireless applications obviously. Just the most basic of laptop with a few microsoft packages so they can learn how to type, use a mouse, turn it on and off etc.
• Very handy would be a CD rom to view CDs so welcome would be any copies of things such as Encarta Encylopedia in Spanish, Learning English DVDs, anything fun and interactive that they would learn from (would have to be in Spanish).
• A couple of smallish second hand speakers you have lying around that aren't being used anymore
• A couple of working mouses (or do you use the plural in this sense?!)
• Any copies of programs you might have that could be added.
• A couple of second hand Laptop bags that are relatively lightweight

So raid your cupboards for your old stuff that you have lying around to put on ebay/trademe but haven't got around to, chat to your IT departments at work to see if they are getting rid of any equipment not used anymore or failing that, if you know you don't have or won't get around to donating items then a cash donation would be much appreciated. I have spare accounts in the UK and NZ that if your kind heart wanted to donate a bit so that I can get buying some second hand equipment (should I not track any down via this) and to organise postage to Colombia. I have friends who are guides in the city that are able to cart this all up on their mules so just need to get it to Santa Marta on the coast.

If you are in the UK or Europe and wish to donate it may be easier to make either a cash donation or to send me small equipment (eg CD Roms etc) to avoid major postage costs as the main consignment will come from NZ.

Rest assured that anything you donate will reach this lovely little community and the photos on the next post will I hope, show you the smiles that these kids will be giving once they get to have their first go on a computer that they have never used before.

Plus if you ever get a chance to visit this extraordinary part of the world (see other posts for why you must visit Colombia), imagine how great it would be to walk past the school on your way to the lost city and say that you helped get that here : )

So if you think you can help in whatever way big or small via equipment or even a $10/£10 or more donation (special thanks to my brother Nick for pledging the first donation!) then please send me a message on stephmorison@hotmail.com or facebook and we can discuss your donation of equipment to assess what is needed, to work out delivery of item and my bank details should you want them!

A big thank you for reading this far and considering a donation on behalf of 25 beautiful kids, their parents and the community of Honduras in the Sierra Nevada, Colombia.