Coral Gables, FL — Turbana launched One Laptop Per Child at the library of the Uniban Institute by donating 800 laptops.
This project will benefit 1,956 students in 8 rural schools in the banana-growing region of Uraba, Colombia by bringing them important learning tools, which will provide them with access to vast sources of information, and connect them with global Internet communities. “Following our philosophy of community development and socially responsible business practices, One Laptop Per Child is a perfect fit,” said Juan David Alarcon, CEO. He added, “We will support this excellent global mission in Colombia and integrate it into our existing community projects. For us, it is all about education and personal growth as the key for the development of the region, and there is no better place to start than empowering children to take an active role in their education and future.”
This project is perceived by Turbana management as key to sustainable growth and the development of the banana growing communities and is a natural extension of the multiple educational projects and schools operated by Fundauniban; Turbana’s social foundation.
One Laptop Per Child is a progressive International association that developed inexpensive technologies in order to provide underprivileged children in remote communities with access to the Internet and an array of learning tools.
To this end, they have designed hardware, content and software for collaborative, joyful, and self-empowered learning. With access to this type of tool, children are engaged in their own education, and learn, share, and create together. They become connected to each other, to the world and to a brighter future.
Since 1987 Fundauniban has been actively involved in improving the banana grower’s community’s infrastructure, leadership, lending, education, housing, and environment sustainability for a better future of Uraba and its people.
Turbana is one of the leading brands of bananas, exotic bananas in the world and the number one importer of plantains and certified Fair Trade bananas in North America. It is owned by Uniban, the largest grower-owned banana company in the world, and Fyffes, one of the largest tropical produce importers and distributors in Europe. Turbana is a vertically integrated company that operates everything from their GLOBALGAP certified farms, protective plastics, cardboard boxes, international shipping, and sourcing.
Source: Turbana