On the morning of June 30, 10 new tablets with keyboards were delivered to the Agricultural Institute “Giuseppe Garibaldi” in Macerata, for the implementation of the Rotary project in cooperation with the United States Government. The delivery, which took place in the school’s lecture hall, is aimed at helping boys and girls who, due to the pandemic, have found themselves struggling with the deterioration of technological devices for distance learning.

“The purpose of donating these tablets is to facilitate the training of students,” explained Stefano Guppi, of Rotary Tolentino and Assistant Governor Rossella Bexerelli, in Rotary District 2090, which includes Marche, Abruzzo, Molise and Umbria. . The ceremony was also attended by Rotary President of Macerata Stefano Codini with Secretary Nunzia Pagliaricchio, President of Macerata “Mattio Ricci” Giuseppe Vitale and Tolentino Paolo Francesco Peri with former President Carla Passacantando. There was also the next Rotary President of Macerata, Mirella Stavolani.

The delegation of the Rotary Paola de Laurentiis, Professor of Literature, was welcomed by Assistant Director Luigi Morisi, by the Head of the Technical Office Alessandro Rosettani, by the sixth-year student Giuseppe Manucci of Macerata, a wine specialist. “We thought of using the tablets – says Paula De Laurentiis – to develop the educational pathway of the aquatic greenhouse, which was recently activated, for surveys, research and everything that is needed to implement this project which is in line with other traditional education paths.”

The donation to the Garibaldi Agricultural Institute is part of a project implemented by Rotary in collaboration with the United States Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The second part of the project is fully operational in Abruzzo, Marche, Molise and Umbria, with 397 tablets with keyboards distributed to 63 polytechnics, for an investment of $100,000. “Education, as a result of the pandemic, has seen a strong acceleration in the use of information technology – Rossella Beccirelli, Governor of Rotary 2090 confirmed – but we know that a significant number of children still do not have a computer to study and communicate with the class group. A recent statistic from Istat showed that 12 % of students aged 6-17 do not have a PC or tablet at home and 57% are forced to share it with siblings or family members.Our organization, which includes youth and education among the main areas of intervention, has recognized this need, It provided tangible assistance to bridge a punishing technology gap.”

Through the “Usaid-Rotary in Italy: Communities against covid-19” partnership, the 13 Italian provinces of the Rotary can receive at least three grants, worth $100,000, to support projects in health, education and community development. Eligible activities include providing equipment to medical facilities; educational materials and equipment for schools, students and families; Resources to help businesses stay open safely during times of health crisis. An important part of this effort is student support for school education and distance learning. These days the distribution of IT devices is going on in the technical institutes, which is added to the distribution implemented in the first project of Rotary District 2090 for a total of 91 devices donated in the past three months, and a useful donation to return all children the same opportunities to access education and information technology.

“The pandemic has forced on us a new way of learning, a virtual approach that requires reliable devices. Thanks to this initiative, several hundred students will receive a tablet to properly resume their studies. We are proud of this partnership with Rotary, through which we help students achieve their goals, and we will continue to stand up to Italy’s side in the fight against COVID-19 “” announced Chargé d’Affairs to the US Embassy in Italy Thomas D. Smitham.