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By the numbers: Philippines 2014 [2014-06-14]

By way of a summary of the Reneal IEO projects in the Philippines in 2014, I’d like to share the letter we wrote to Dr. Arden D. Monisit, the Schools Division Superintendent of Cebu Province Division.  In US currency, the total value of the computer hardware that was installed is a little over $14,000 (almost 620,000 Philippine pesos), with about 60% of that value representing corporate donations of used equipment.  The software, a combination of Open Source resources and custom programs crafted by Neal over the last eight years, adds considerably to that value.  And of course our dedicated team who shared the work of the installations volunteered their time and passion to make these projects a reality.  All of this is offered freely to give new opportunities to students and teachers through improved access to Information Technology.  It was truly a thrill to work with so many competent and dedicated teachers at these schools.  We look forward to our return in 2015 to continue our partnership with them!

Foundations [2014-06-10]

Back in America…  Recovering from jet-lag, unpacking and sorting gear, following up on commitments made, and catching up on paperwork.  It doesn’t have the excitement of being in the schools with the students and teachers, but it’s all a part of laying a long-lasting foundation of support for past and future projects.

Homeward bound [2014-06-07]

I’m not sure how it snuck up on us, but after 4-1/2 months in Compostela we are heading back to America.  The long-planned 2014 Philippines projects have been finished (or at least as much as any computer projects are ever “finished”).  We will spend the next few weeks wrapping up loose ends, capturing lessons learned, and preparing a summary of the data that we captured during school evaluation visits.  It is a bittersweet feeling: the joy of fulfilling Reneal IEO objectives, the anticipation of seeing home and family and friends, great hope for the use of the systems we have just installed, but all mixed with the sadness of leaving loved ones in the Philippines.

Crunch time [2014-05-23]

School Year 2014-2015 is near at hand here in the Philippines, with the campus a swirl of activity again with students enrolling and parents helping with the annual Brigada Eskwela clean-up and repair.  The principal, guidance officers, and teachers here at Compostela National High School are spending long days preparing for the first day of classes on June 2nd.  And for Neal and me, the tension is mounting as the time dwindles before we head back to America. 

Gratitude [2014-05-18]

We traveled to Daanbantayan National High School this week to install the Reneal IEO low-cost computer system there.  DNHS sustained severe damage in Typhoon Haiyan, and work is still underway to replace the roof on the main building.  As we look back on our busy time there, we are overwhelmed and humbled by the help and support of so many people that made this work possible. 

Crossing the Mississippi [2014-05-10]

Neal and I have enjoyed spending some of our vacation time each year bicycle touring on a tandem, including two west-to-east crossings of America.  Traveling from place to place by bicycle offers a unique perspective on the countryside, and oddly enough it also seems to offer so many metaphors that fit our work with Reneal IEO: the value of patience, the payoff of seemingly slow but sustained effort, the necessity of perseverance to continue through the varied but always-present challenges (headwind/traffic/bad roads/rain/flat tires/etc. in biking and hardware glitches/software bugs/heat/utility outages/complicated scheduling/etc. here).  One specific biking metaphor struck me this week.  On each of our long distance trips, there were complex emotions as we crossed the mighty Mississippi River: a feeling of joy and accomplishment, of so many miles behind us.  At the same time though, there was a sense of sadness combined with a sudden reminder of life-after-the-ride.  While there were many challenging miles yet to go, there was a realization as we crossed the river that the end of the long journey was now closer than the beginning.  So although we are here in the Philippines, this week it felt to me that (metaphorically at least) we “crossed the Mississippi”.

On the road again [2014-05-03]

We had a very productive trip to Northern Cebu on Monday to evaluate schools for implementation of the Reneal IEO low-cost computer infrastructure.  It was a long, eventful day with school visits in Daanbantayan, Medillin, and Bogo City.  Our team traveled to and fro by V-hire van, trike, bus, private car, trike, and eventually back home by bus.  We were graced with assistance from old friends and new.  Through quick action of the Reneal IEO board of directors, we were able to select one more school for installation this year: Daanbantayan National High School.  The other schools we evaluated will be included in our consideration for 2015 projects.

A balancing act [2014-04-26]

Each overseas trip finds us engaged in an interesting balancing act: executing our current plan, visiting and updating past sites, and planning for future projects.  This week we continued our efforts updating our initial project site, Compostela National High School (CNHS).  However we also had two significant meetings this week that helped to lay the foundation for future work here in the Philippines. 

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