Orientation for WCE Boston Volunteers
Submitted by tanderson on Sun, 01/17/2010 - 3:38pm.
Thank you for agreeing to volunteer with the Boston Chapter of World Computer Exchange (WCE)!
We are one of several Chapters of WCE. Our Chapter and the Ottawa Chapter work in units of 10 or 20 pallets that go into a 20-foot or a 40-foot container to help connect schools in developing countries. The other Chapters usually pack the containers with individual computers instead of pallets.
We work together from 10 to 3:30 on the 3rd Saturday of each month (except December when we work on the 2nd Saturday).
Each work day we have 15 to 20 volunteers. Usually several are regulars who have been here before and several were not born in the USA. The day starts with an orientation to the work to be done and answers for those who do not already know WCE. The team talks with each other as they work and have soft drinks and Tai’s donuts and then gather together for pizza lunch followed by Lou’s cookies. There is usually a brief group discussion about some aspect of WCE at the end of lunch and then back to work. Volunteers who can only help out for half a day are also most welcome.
We are trying to get computer equipment ready for safe shipment to schools in developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and the Caribbean.
Volunteers help us in the following 5 areas:
Laptops: Our work is to find the correct adaptor and then test, repair and load Ubuntu onto each laptop. We tape a note on the outside that describes the levels of the Pentium, RAM, and the Hard Drive. We are currently facing the need to organize the basement space to make it a more efficient work area.
Desktop Testing and OS Loading: Our team works in the two-car garage on carts loading Ubuntu Operating System and Open Office onto each computer that does not already have an installed Operating System.
Desktop Repair: We have many computers that need hardware repair. During this process the insides of the computers are vacuumed out and parts are replaced as needed. This takes a good level of knowledge of computer hardware repair.
Sorting and Counting: Volunteers who have less technical skills are welcomed to help us with sorting and bagging power cords and mice and in sorting all of the parts and cords that we have for future shipments into labeled bins and making sure that all of our printers, scanners and routers are connected with the correct software, cartridges, power adaptors, and cables. Our goal in a lot of this is to get the garage more organized so we can easily find specific items that our Partner schools request.
Palletizing: People who just want to lift and carry computers gravitate toward packing a 4’ x 4’ x 7’ pallet of 20 full computer sets with dome peripherals, network gear, 2 printers and a scanner on top. This work is for people who like tetrus-type three dimensional puzzles. When we have 6 pallets ready, a neighbor with a flatbed truck takes them to the warehouse we use in Randolph. Our chapter ships from there.
Between our monthly gatherings, our regular volunteers communicate some by email between meetings about what is best to include with Ubuntu on the image that they load on each computer or figuring ways to increase our efficiency on our work days and how to better prepare the equipment to it is fully ready when it arrives at a school in a developing country. These discussions are rooted in practical experience in developing countries by Bryan, Luis, and Gene who have been part of WCE eCorps tech teams to Nigeria, Kenya, and Tanzania.
In the future we are hoping to include one computer configured as a server on each pallet with instructions for installation.
We look forward to working with you!
Bryan Barton, WCE Boston Chapter Coordinator
Gene Vinson, WCE Boston Tech Coordinator
The WCE Boston “Regulars”: Isaiah Berson, Evan Davis-Drennan; Jorge Lindemeyer, Uchenna Ndulue, Gheorghe Ristoiu, Luis Santos, Lou Stein, Naoyuki Tai, and Tina Wehner.
