24 computers were donated by Grade 10 students Cristobal Sierra and Pablo Arroyave to students in the institution Martin Eduardo Rios Llanos on April 17.

The donation was done as part of their campaign to provide technology access to students in need. The project’s success was achieved through communication with various sources, including “El Colombiano” who donated the computers. Arroyave and Sierra along with the TCS Foundation distributed the computers to selected students from the institution.

“The fact of seeing elementary school children’s happiness and the excitement when receiving a computer of a very good quality is impressive and incredibly beautiful,” Angela Botero, Director of the TCS Foundation, said.

Arroyave and Sierra led and managed the donations made by El Colombiano. The foundation launched the campaign, developed relationships, and selected institutions that are in need.

“I felt proud and happy after doing the donation as I was applying my effort to something good that can help give a better future to those in need,” Arroyave said.

A new article published in El Colombiano promoted the donation of computers to the TCS Foundation to address how only 37.2% of homes in Colombia have computers.

“With the publicity from El Colombiano, we will be able to get rid of an issue since we will be able to get more companies willing to donate,” Global Citizenship teacher David Murphy said.

The project started in 2021 with the alliance between Botero and a group of Grade 10 students. Its mission is to encourage companies to donate used technology that is in good condition to benefit public schools and others in need.

“Thanks to Murphy’s company and his students, we have managed to get this project off the ground. For us as a foundation, it is always important that there is a teacher as a leader since the foundation serves more as a bridge, but we need someone that is motivated enough to work through it,” Botero said.

The project has become part of the curriculum and will continue to be part of the Global Citizenship and Sustainability class, so new students can contribute and gather more donations to improve access to technology to Medellin students who lack resources.

“If a group of 10th graders was able to create a project that donates over 50 computers, anybody in the school can. By being members of TCS we have a lot of connections and possibilities to help others,” Murphy said.

TCS and El Colombiano are the two institutions that have supported the project and donated computers as they renew their old ones. Last year TCS donated 40 computers.

“How nice would it be to have in the future a stronger campaign so more companies donate to us allowing us to cover all the students in this area,” Botero said.