Girls in Kabul use an OLPC laptop in the classroom. Photo: One Laptop Per Child (flickr)

Last week, two products were unveiled that may drastically change youth interaction with computing—One Laptop Per Child’s tablet computer and Raspberry Pi’s $35 Linux Computer.

One Laptop Per Child is already well-known for its campaign to provide any child who needs one with a rugged, low-cost, low-power, Internet-connected laptop. The new tablet, called the XO 3.0, will cost $100 in bulk and comes with an optional hand-crank or solar panel case for charging. Educators are already excited about its potential use in the classroom.

Surprisingly, quite a few iPad users are jealous of the XO 3.0’s innovative display—it features the usual glossy tablet display but also has an e-ink display that can be used in harsh sunlight or to conserve power.

Raspberry Pi‘s mission is also to produce low-cost computers, but its credit-card-sized product, intended to plug into a television, is designed to help kids learn computer programming in addition to providing a platform for easy Internet access. While the tablet and ipad discourage users from tinkering with the hardware, the Rasperry Pi promotes this kind of hacking.

The Raspberry Pi may not be as pretty as the XO 3.0, but—priced at $35—it is considerably more affordable. It will also be available directly from its website, whereas the tablet can only be purchased in bulk.

Between these two options, more children around the world will have a better chance at self-empowering, computer-based learning.

Students like these at Delhi University expect that their degrees will help them get jobs, but the reality has proved more difficult. Photo: niyam bhushan (flickr)

With more than half of India's population under the age of 25, and the glowing praise that India receives in the media, India seems to be on the fast track to success. And yet, India's educational infrastructure falls devastatingly short of providing the economic edge students need.

According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, the very same companies that made the Indian economy the growing powerhouse that it is are now struggling to find competent hires. More than 85 percent of India's graduates are unemployable by call centers or IT companies. In fact, according to S. Nagarajan, the founder of a call-center company called 24/7 Customer, only three out of every 100 applicants is considered hireable. "With India's population size, it should be so much easier to find employees. Instead, we're scouring every nook and cranny," laments Nagarajan.

The problem lies, according to the Wall Street Journal, in an outdated educational approach that values memorization over critical thinking and pays little attention to issues of academic honesty, creating a system ripe for exploitation. In order to keep education affordable, the Indian government keeps teacher salaries and school budgets low, providing little incentive or funding for teachers to improve. And there is no reform in sight.

"My family has invested so much money in my education, and they don't understand why I am still not finding a job," D.H. Shivanand told Wall Street Journal reporters. He seems the ideal candidate on paper — a masters degree in business from a top University, wherein all of his courses were taught in English. Yet a year after graduation, he is looking for any entry-level position available, and continuing to take out loans to improve his spoken English and interviewing skills.

The lack of well-educated youth to take over in the industries that show the most promise may mean that India isn’t the global superpower we have come to believe. According to the CIA World Factbook, much of India’s growth has occurred only in the last 20 years, progressing so rapidly that it is anticipated to be one of the most dominant world economies by 2050. But without an educated populace to take over, it’s growth could fall flat — and soon.

In order to prevent that, some companies have taken matters into their own hands. Since the educational system cannot be relied on to produce skilled employees, companies have decided to create training programs for new hires. This may help some unskilled graduates make up for lost time and money, but certainly not all will be granted this second chance. With a predicted 1 million people joining India's workforce each month over the next ten years, India's economic sustainability is at risk.

Swarms of protests have taken place in Egypt over the last several days. Photo: Al Jazeera English (flickr)

Twitter, Facebook, Myspace -- you name the social network and it's bursting with information about the demonstrations that have taken Egypt by storm in the past few days.

According to The Jerusalem Post, cell phone service and the internet have been cut in effort to make it difficult for protestors to organize. But Al Jazeera and other media organizations have been using twitter to provide live updates on the situation in Egypt, including President Hosni Mubarak's anxiously awaited public statement. Just a few moments ago, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak announced that he has ordered the existing government to step down with the promise that a new government will be installed tomorrow. At this point he has not said that he will step down.

This The New York Times backgrounder explains how protests in Egypt were inspired by neighboring Tunisia's overthrow of former President Ben Ali.

"The unrest in Egypt — fueled by frustrations over government corruption, economic stagnation and a decided lack of political freedom — came after weeks of turmoil across the Arab world that toppled one leader in Tunisia and encouraged protesters to overcome deep-rooted fears of their authoritarian leaders and take to the streets."

Much of the protesting has been fueled my Egypt's youth population which compromises more than 47 percent of the state's total population. Their concerns for the future and frustration with the job economy have helped propel the demonstrations.

For up to date coverage on Egypt, check out Al Jazerra's excellent live feed.

Palestinian students building technology skills. Photo: Cassandra Nelson/Mercy Corps

Eight years ago Microsoft hosted the first Imagine Cup, a year long contest that challenges students to use technology to come up with solutions to the world's toughest problems. This year's Imagine Cup challenged teams to come up with ways to help developing countries achieve the UN's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The MDGs consist of eight goals aimed at reducing global poverty by 2015. Teams from over 100 countries submitted their concepts and the finalists earned a trip to Cairo for a shot at one of the $25,000 prizes.

The winner for software category was a Romanian team that designed a program to help people connect with government agencies that the team hope to implement back in their hometown. An Indian team won a special award for developing a computer game that educates children about malaria. One of the more imaginative offerings came from a South Korean team that developed a means to help farmers more successfully breed insects for food.

A man cooks over a wood-burning fire in Kibera. Over 1 million working poor live in Kibera, with few opportunities to make a comfortable living. Photo: Crissy Olson (flickr)

Even UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was surprised by the large number of people who greeted him in Kibera, the largest slum in Nairobi, Kenya. But his surprise quickly became concern when he was told so many young people came to see him because they couldn't find work.

Inspired to act, Ban donated $100,000 of his own money to a UN-sponsored program that helps unemployed youth acquire vocational skills like carpentry, masonry, electrical wiring, plumbing and management. It's called the Youth Empowerment Program (YEP).

Students learn their trade through hands-on activities as they build a training facility that will allow YEP to expand its participant ranks. After graduation, many of the youth are placed in jobs or apprenticeships with private companies or UN-sponsored construction projects in Kibera.

The training program is part of a greater state- and UN-sponsored initiative to upgrade services and infrastructure in Nairobi's slums. Youth skills training also complements another UN-funded effort, the Urban Entrepreneurship Program, that helps to establish construction collectives and aid them in bidding on contracts.

Linus Sijenji, a youth coordinator in Kibera, notes that the combined efforts of the two programs are inspiring the youth and have opened up opportunities for them.

Our aim is to form our own companies that could competitively bid for such contracts on equal level with big companies. Much as this might seem far fetched, the idea is viable, especially with more training opportunities and resources like bank loans.

If these programs work as advertised, Ban will get an even bigger reception next time he comes to Kibera.

Schools are feeling the pressure to help the growing number of homeless students. Photo: oldohioschools (flickr)

As families across the U.S. face job losses and foreclosures, there's new pressure on schools to serve a rapidly-growing homeless student population.

Many of these recently-homeless students come from large families where both parents have lost their jobs — situations where unemployment income or minimum-wage options don't come close to providing enough cash to feed their children. Foreclosures and evictions have forced families to split up among relatives and friends.

For some families, this is the first time they've needed to rely on government assistance to get by. A bulk of this burden is falling on schools to provide relief to homeless students, including meals, transportation and immunizations. But tight budgets and scarce federal funding have school districts scrambling to meet the growing demand for support services.

In many cases, the stigma of homelessness keeps parents and kids from acknowledging their status, preventing access to the help that is available. Homeless youth often fall behind grade level and are 50 percent less likely to graduate from high school than their peers, according to the National Center on Family Homelessness. Ellen Bassuk, the Center's president, shared her concerns with MSNBC:

Homeless children are confronted daily by extremely stressful and traumatic experiences that have profound effects on their cognitive development and ability to learn. They tend to have high rates of developmental delays, learning difficulties and emotional problems as a product of precarious living situations and extreme poverty.

Unfortunately, the rise in homelessness is a national trend. California has seen some of the highest numbers: In the Vista school district north of San Diego, homeless students make up nine percent of the population — 10 times what it was in 2007. In Chicago’s suburbs, the homeless student population has jumped 67 percent over the last two years. A Dallas school district saw its homeless student numbers soar 185 percent this year.

Educators and homeless advocates are holding out hope for the new federal stimulus package, which has budgeted $70 million in grants for state services for homeless youth.

As homeless students scrape by, some may continue to dream of one day finishing high school and going on to college but for now, their more immediate goal is clear: to have a house and a room of their own.

Global Citizen Corps leaders host a fundraiser for World AIDS Day. Photo: jessicaphansen (flickr)

On last year's World AIDS Day, Sam held an afterschool open-mic event to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS. Rachel got 200 people to sign a letter asking for more government attention on AIDS — and sent it to Barack Obama. Lily had a candlelight ceremony in memory of those who have died from the disease.

So who are these youth?

They're all members of the Global Citizen Corps leadership program — a national network of high school students that are committed to ending global poverty.

Global Citizen Corps leaders build awareness in their communities by organizing informative events at their schools that focus on issues like climate change, HIV/AIDS, world hunger, and access to education.

Dozens of teens are making a difference. Jaime wrote an article her high-school newspaper to raise awareness about global poverty. Kate hosted a "blackout" at her school, cutting off the water to show students how climate change can impact people's lives.

Global Citizen Corps is looking for more dedicated and compassionate youth to join the program. Students gain access to Mercy Corps resources and agree to host informative events at their school or in the community. Leaders will also have the opportunity to lobby for access to education in Washington D.C. and participate in the annual leadership summit in New York City.

The 2009-2010 High School Leadership Program is now accepting applications. The deadline is April 15, so apply today.

A young girl working in Guatemala. Photo: noesnjoc (flickr)

According to Unicef estimates, one in six children (158 million) aged 5-14 are engaged in child labor. These kids aren't working at the local shopping center. Rather, they sell goods on the street, clean houses, or work in small factories and stay away from the watchful eye of local law enforcement or inspectors.

Despite being considered exploitative by many organizations and countries, child labor is still common and occurs in countries like India and Guatemala, as well as the United States and the U.K.

The problem of child labor is complex and stems from adult poverty. For many poor families, working children contribute much needed income that prevents their family from falling deeper into poverty. Product boycotts and factory raids over child labor can sometimes prove more harmful as children turn to more dangerous jobs like mining and prostitution to earn money.

Slate Magazine's Today in Pictures captures images of working children dating back to 1942. What's most striking to me is how young and tiny some of the children are in the photos. I'm used to seeing adults performing the jobs that these small children are doing.

The New York Times reported yesterday on India's primary school shortage. Recent changes to admissions rules intended to be more fair and transparent, are giving parents anxiety attacks as they try and secure placement in a reputable school for their prekindergarten-aged children.

Kenya’s economy, troubled even before the recently disputed election, is suffering from a “youth bulge” which may have helped increase the acceleration into violence the country saw hours after the votes were counted. According to Stephanie Hanson of the Council on Foreign Relations, “research shows that countries with a “youth bulge” are particularly vulnerable to civil conflict.” The country suffers from high unemployment rates, especially among these young people, who make up a majority of the population. Nevertheless, the youth should not be written off altogether. Their “potential to lead positive political change” suggests that “policymakers should spur job creation and education opportunities.” In other words, given the chance to lead productive lives, the population will be more likely to thrive, and perhaps help mitigate rather than escalate crises.