Two humanitarian groups are making a difference for young girls in Nepal. Room to Read, a foundation building libraries around the world has partnered with the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) program to bring computers to school-aged children in Nepal.

Girls in Nepal often drop out of school around age 12. Many are forced into child marriage as early as age 15, even though the legal age is 18. The initial program launch will reach 350 students, mostly from poor communities. Although the computers will benefit both girls and boys equally, many hope this program will empower young girls to stay in school.

“Access to online resources and educational materials can have a life-changing impact on students,” Room to Read program partner Paul Jacobs said.

“Not only will they have connectivity that enables access to learning materials and communities for the first time, they will also have the opportunity to gain specialized skills and training.”

Since 1999, Room to Read has constructed over 2,000 libraries all over the world. The One Laptop Per Children initiative was created in 1995 and presented at the World Economic Forum by MIT computer designer Nicholas Negroponte in 2005. Since its proposal, OLPC has been successfully implemented in Uruguayan communities

Learn more about Room to Read and One Laptop Per Child here.

Nepal: New computer learning brings girls empowerment and education- Women’s News Network WNN