The One Laptop Per Child initiative is hoping to take on a whole new head of steam by making its laptops available via Amazon as part of the G1G1, or Give 1 Get !, scheme. This scheme enables consumers to buy a laptop for themselves having donated one and while the scheme has been attempted previously it was less than successful due largely to the inexperience of OLPC.
The scheme has hit some problems since its release with supply and production problems causing major setbacks to the operation. The scheme is, as you might have guessed if you were as as cynical as us, only open to US based consumers who by donating approx £210 get a laptop for themselves and one is donated to somebody that requires it.
The aim of the One Laptop Per Child program is to ensure that children in developing and third world countries all have access to their own laptop to assist in education and learning. The XO laptop is the result of this initiative and the principle is a superb one. However, the program has hit issues along the way and as such it is yet to prove as popular as many had hoped. Using Amazon may well help gain the program more exposure.
