AMD powers two more labs

By Siyabonga Africa, ITWeb junior journalist

Johannesburg, 04 Sept 2008

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) SA and the Nedbank Foundation have donated two more computer labs to schools in the Free State and Limpopo provinces. The labs are equipped with up to 30 ultra-versatile computers (UVCs), worth more than R11 000 each.

A statement from AMD says the labs are part of AMD's global 50X15 initiative launched in 2004, to enable affordable, accessible Internet connectivity and computing capabilities for 50% of the world's population by the year 2015.

"We made a commitment in 2007 to deliver five learning labs and are proud to say we have achieved this, through the opening of these two additional facilities," says Nedbank Group head of CSI Reabetsoe Motsepe.

The new learning labs are at Makgoto High School, in Limpopo, and Lenyora High School, in the Free State province. The other three are at Sol Plaatjie High School and Mmabatho High School, both in the North West Province, and Dr Nelson R Mandela High School, in Gugulethu.

"The learning labs, at Makgoto High and Lenyora High, are the most recent ones that we donated in collaboration with the Nedbank Foundation," says AMD SA country manager Imi Mosaheb. "The labs have between 20 to 30 UVCs in them worth more than R11 000 [each]."

The 50X15 Web site states an AMD Geode LX800 processor powers the UVCs. Mosaheb says the computers are cost-effective because they are fan-less and consume less than 20 watts of power. The components of the computers are also easily replaceable.

"In the three years that we have been running the UVCs in Gugulethu, we have had only two incidences of downtime and that was because one computer had a broken keyboard and the other a broken mouse," says Mosaheb.

Dan Shine, president of the 50X15 Foundation, adds that the roll out of the five learning labs has helped train more than 75 teachers in computer skills; changed the lives of more than 7 000 learners; and brought low maintenance and sustainable technology solutions to the communities they serve.

Mosaheb singled out Dr Nelson R Mandela High as an example of how the learning labs benefit schools. "Already their results show a 20% increase in the students' marks."