Laptop charity turns attention to US kids

One Laptop Per Child Foundation opens US office

14 January 2008 11:50 GMT / By Katie Scott

The One Laptop per Child Foundation, which has provided children in developing countries around the world, with a cheap laptop, has now turned its attentions to the US.

The Foundation manufactures and distributes the XO laptop, which was designed to be a cheap but effective educational tool for children in poorer nations.

The rugged laptop costs $188 (£93).

However, the OLPC has now opened an office in the US and has begun talks with state governments about ways to get the laptop into the hands of the poorest American children, according to the BBC.

The organisation has announced that it will formally launch its XO programme in America later this year.

The One Laptop project was begun by former MIT professor Nicholas Negroponte with the aim of helping poorer nations bridge the digital divide.

In a video interview posted to the One Laptop site, founder of the charity, Professor Negroponte said: "2008, for us, is a big change because up to now we have been more like a terrorist group, threatening to do something and making big claims".

"2008 is where we become not a revolution but a civilisation and we actually roll out laptops within countries."

The US was not originally included in the OLPC programme because of the relative wealth of even poor parts of America compared to many developing nations.

Speaking to the IDG News service Prof Negroponte pointed out that US spending on each child at primary school was about $10,000 compared to only $20 in Bangladesh.