Rob Wilson

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http://www.readinternational.org.uk

In 2005 Rob founded READ International, a charity which has, so far, provided 148,000 UK text books to schools in Tanzania. Not satisfied with this, Rob has started a new project, NO-PC, which aims to provide affordable, up-to-date information technologies to schools in the developing world. Using solar power and mobile connectivity, NO-PC will be able to provide the most remote schools with internet access. The judges were inspired by Rob’s innovative and ambitious plans.

1 nomination from readers

  • Rob has already founded one organisation, Rob has already founded one organisation, READ International that is making a real difference both in the UK and in Tanzania, Africa. Since it was founded in 2005 READ has managed to develop 11 University based READ Book Projects around the UK, recruit 250 student volunteers, deliver 148,000 textbooks to Tanzania and give 70 UK school presentations, furthermore it was named the 'Best New UK Charity' in 2007 Charity Times Awards. It is not, however, in his nature to sit back and enjoy his success and so Rob has set about looking for further opportunities to use his entrepreneurial skills to make a real difference. The NO-PC project that Rob is now working on, with others is a social project designed to help bring affordable, reliable and hi-tech information technologies to schools in the developing world. Briefly the project involves using remote, hosted server technologies using a modified ‘thin client’ unit to provide a total IT solution for a fraction the price, a fraction the energy needs and a fraction the local bandwidth requirement of standard re-commissioned or even new PC’s. As well as these advantages the solution offers instant upgradeability, minimal local maintenance and negligible transport costs. This package will prove to be a groundbreaking and exciting product that may benefit young people across Tanzania and beyond. This kind of technology can take schools linking and e-learning with and within the developing world to a completely new level. The NO-PC project will run on solar power and with mobile internet connectivity so that even the most remote of schools can have the possibility of being ‘on-line.’

    Nominated by David Bailey, 20 March 2008

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