23 September 2013

A calculated appeal! - Malawi mission seeks old calculators

pic shows (l-r): Rev Gordon Campbell, Tim Heilbronn and Lorna Macpherson, one of the trip organisers, with the calculators donated by Supplies Team Solutions Scotland

The University of Dundee Chaplaincy Centre and the Rotary Club of Dundee have launched an appeal for unwanted calculators - particularly solar-powered ones - to boost a mission to Malawi.

Rev. Gordon Campbell, one of the University's Honorary Chaplains, is planning a visit to the African country with four students next year. Part of their trip will include working at a remote school, and the group are keen to source any unwanted calculators which would add hugely to the school's resources.

'I made a previous visit to Malawi in 2011 on a church partnership trip which included a visit to the school at Gowa, near the border with Mozambique,' said Rev Campbell. 'There is a real need to provide more resources. The school is currently trying to teach science entirely theoretically, so anything we can send out by way of basic resources will make a huge difference to them.

'Because the school is so remote, there is a problem with conventional calculators in that once the batteries run out it is difficult to get replacements. So solar-powered calculators are a great way around this problem and would provide the school with a sustainable resource.'

Gordon and the students will spend a week at the school, working with the 350 secondary and 850 primary children. They also plan to do some practical maintenance work on the local clinic, which has just three nurses serving a scattered population of 7,500, with a doctor visiting every 6 weeks.

The calculator appeal is being supported by the Rotary Club of Dundee and is already being enthusiastically greeted, according to club President Tim Heilbronn.

'Gordon contacted me to see if Rotary can help, and I am delighted that through our 'Interact Clubs' that we run in the High School of Dundee, Morgan Academy, St John's RC High School and Menzieshill High School, we have already had a good response.

'We have also had some great news from Supplies Team Solutions Scotland who got in touch very quickly to say they will give us 30 solar-powered calculators, which is fantastic. We are still wanting more though, so if anyone has one tucked away in a drawer that they don't use any more, we would love to have it.'

Anybody who has unused, solar-powered calculators, can hand them in to Reception at the University of Dundee Tower Building on Perth Road, marked for the attention of Gordon Campbell.

For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07800 581902