Awhile ago I wrote about the importance of education in alleviating poverty. Looking at the amount of resources ploughed into education in African leaders, it is clear that the governments agree with its importance. 

I know for example that South Africa has 26 292 schools and that opposition political parties continuously put pressure on the government for better education systems.  

A big problem, however, is that although there are schools and teachers (admittedly not always enough teachers) there is often very little else. 

I have visited schools with holes in the roofs and floors; I have seen children learn their letters by pressing on their laps. You know that scene in “Slumdog Millionaire” where the children go to school and three of them have to crowd around one book, on the floor? It’s not at all far from the truth. 

Two years ago I gave a presentation to a class at a rural primary school not far from our city. The class had desks, which is more than many children can say. But there were two people to each desk made for a single student. I remember wondering how one concentrates in class when there is no space to move, how one draw circles and graphs for Maths, how one writes tests in those conditions. 

Some Googling reveals that South Africa has an estimated desk shortage of four million, and 400 million in the rest of Africa. 

A local initiative aims to alleviate this problem. It’s called LapDesk, and it is just that: a desk on your lap. The desk is made of durable, recyclable polymers and can be carried around with ease. It is also big enough for a writing book and a textbook.  

Companies and NGOs fund the initiative and thus decide where they want to send some lapdesks. The company then also decides what is printed on the desk – some print messages about HIV, Cholera and domestic violence, while others print times’ tables and vocabulary.  

[Picture: Proud children with their desks at a Lapdesk handout ceremony. Courtesy of Hugo_s Flickr photostream] 

I like this initiative because it would be a shame if a child’s education was hampered due to not having access to a surface to press on, a workspace to call their own. Admittedly it is not the biggest problem facing education systems, but not all individuals, businesses or NGOs can afford to build schools or sponsor teachers; and it is not every young person’s calling to become a teacher. 

I have one problem with it: on their website, they state that “the company commits 15% of its annual profits to fund bursaries and scholarships to support disadvantaged children with merit to attend top schools…” 

This of course indicates that profits are made (and 15% thereof is sufficient for a few bursaries, then quite a substantial profit), which means that these desks are not supplied closest to the cheapest possible rate – and that means that fewer children are reached than what should be. 

Of course, people must make a living, but if you make it your mission to alleviate desk shortages, then I don’t believe that big profits can be part of that mission.  

Apart from that, I dig the LapDesk! 

[Read more about The Lapdesk Company here: www.lapdesk.co.za ]