teaching basic computer skills
From my first blog, oslutions.com (2005 to 2008), recovered from the Internet Archive and republished as it was. Links are from that time and many no longer work. Original: http://oslutions.com/blog/2008/04/13/teaching-basic-computer-skills/.
i have been volunteering now for 2 weeks at the Institute for Indian Mother and Child (IIMC) in Kolkata, and really enjoy it. IIMC is an NGO that provides medical care, education and micro credit to villages south of Kolkata.
i spend my time between building a contact management system for them (which they are really excited about) and teaching computer to kids. we have 4 computers at the moment, and are busy practicing typing, paint (beginners), and Word/Powerpoint (more advanced student). yesterday, a girl came for the first time — she had never used a computer. i showed her how to move the mouse, and it was a quite magic moment when she started to understand that it moved on the screen also. stuff we take for granted. i guess i learn as much as they do (if not more), but in any case we are having a great time together.