A mayor from El Salvador made a stop at Lambton College Wednesday to thank students for donating refurbished computers to his municipality.
Tejutla Chalatenango Mayor Rafael Tejada needed the help of a translator to pass on his thanks to Information Technology Professional students for their contributions to the Phoenix At Work Project.
To date, over 200 computers have been sent to El Salvador and 300 more to local and remote areas worldwide in need.
"The first computer laboratory in his municipality was set up one year ago, and the kindergarten students already know how to use the computers," says College Professor Dolores Quintanilla who was translating for Tejada. "The one in the community for single mothers, it was just a month ago. They already know how to turn it on and off and they didn't know a computer before."
Quintanilla says the mothers are looking forward to communicating with their families that have emigrated from El Salvador.
Coordinator of the ITP Program Chuck Fisher says it's one way Lambton College can reduce e-waste and helps engage international students to support those in need.
"We're giving [other countries] the opportunity for people that never had it before to acquire that skill," says Fisher. "It automatically elevates them to a better level job, because most of the country, don't have that skill."
Of the 17 El Salvador projects, most were kindergarten classrooms that have also been repaired of leaky pipes and mold at the time of donation.
