Telluride AIDS Benefit: New Partnership, Intel Employee Service Corp

26 Oct Telluride AIDS Benefit: New Partnership, Intel Employee Service Corp

Intel’s Employee Service Corp (IESC) and Telluride AIDS Benefit (TAB) have partnered for two projects in Manzini, Swaziland in November 2018. For more information on TAB and Manzini Youth Care, visit them here.

A team of eight Intel engineer volunteers, and one TAB Board member will spend two weeks in Manzini providing technical support and computer training for the local community and promoting STEM education to increase student interest participation in science, technology, engineering and math.

The first project will focus on rehabilitating one of the town’s high school computer labs; repairing the 40 existing computers and building 20 new computer systems and a networked content server with hardware and software donated by TAB. That project will grow the high school’s computer lab from 40 to 60 student computers, increasing access to students and giving them more hands-on experience with technology. The network content server will include a Wiki installation, opening access to information and research capabilities to assist in their studies without requiring an Internet connection. The Intel technical team will then train the teachers and on-site IT staff on how to maintain the refurbished computer lab.

Additionally, with a donation from TAB of 10 tablets and another content server system, IESC volunteers will complete a second project by establishing a computer center in the Manzini Youth Care (MYC) orphanage, a long-time recipient of TAB funding. Volunteers will be teaching MYC staff and children in computer skills using these new tools.

Swaziland, officially known as the Kingdom of Eswatini, currently has the highest HIV and AIDS infection rate in the world. It is estimated that over 26% of the adult population is currently infected, reducing life expectancy to just 32 years, the lowest documented life expectancy in the world. Many of those living with HIV do not have access to lifesaving medications, and as a result, thousands have died leaving behind close to 100,000 orphaned children.

TAB has been raising funds and awareness for 26 years, and has supported many AIDS service organizations in that time. TheManzini Youth Care (MYC) orphanage in Swaziland is one of those beneficiary organizations, and they provide outreach and transitional care for children living on the streets. When possible, children are re-integrated into their communities. However, MYC provides ongoing residential care for those children with nowhere else to go.

TAB is proud to partner with Intel’s Employee Service Corp to bring this project to Manzini. Not only will the community benefit from the new and improved access to technology, but improving education has been shown to positively impact the HIV/AIDS epidemic by reducing HIV infection rates through increasing access to information about the disease as well as providing greater opportunities to improve individuals’ lives through enhanced knowledge and achievement.