We received a project idea from the Rotaract Club of Toronto - a portable desk for school children in rural areas of the third world so that they need not sit only on the floor to do their school work. Developed in South Africa, it provides a desk and chair with a solar-powered light.Hi Rotary Members,
I hope you are well and having a great summer. My name is Mustafa Ansari, and I'm the incoming Toronto Rotaract Club Vice President.
I wanted to introduce you to an impactful startup I met recently at Collision. The founder is looking for organizations such as Rotary Clubs to help her in her pursuit of helping children with desks in South Africa.
The MiDesk is a wheelie schoolbag that converts into a desk and chair with a solar light, for use both at home and at school, addressing directly and indirectly 6 of Sustainable Development Goals in accordance with the 2030 agenda. According to UNESCO, there are over 3 million children in South Africa alone, 95 million children in Africa and just over 400 million children globally that do not have a desk at school. Not having a basic necessity such as a desk to write on affects a child's handwriting, homework delivery, concentration and overall academic performance.
The MiDesk can be branded in the sponsoring company's corporate colours and logo and has a lifespan of 12 years which allows a child to use it from grade 1 to grade 12. I am also more than willing to present the MiDesk to your team on a zoom call for me to answer any queries you may have and for you to gain a better understanding of the impact this innovation makes on the lives of those who need it most. In the mean time, I have attached our information brochure for you to have a look at.
The MiDesk has the potential to make a significant impact on the lives of students, and we believe that partnering with you will amplify our efforts. Your collaboration would not only support the production and distribution of these MiDesks but would also contribute to fostering an environment where students can thrive in their learning journey. We are convinced that empowering education is the key to unlocking countless possibilities for the future.
I've attached a link to the MiDesk website too. I would love it if each Rotary Club contributed at least 5 desks with their branding. Talita will send you the pictures once they're completed, and I'd love to see them.
Yours in service,
Mustafa Ansari, Vice President
Rotaract Club of Toronto
- Video showing how it works, with soccer star Tiisetso Malepa
- MiDesk website
I hope you are well and having a great summer. My name is Mustafa Ansari, and I'm the incoming Toronto Rotaract Club Vice President.
I wanted to introduce you to an impactful startup I met recently at Collision. The founder is looking for organizations such as Rotary Clubs to help her in her pursuit of helping children with desks in South Africa.
The MiDesk is a wheelie schoolbag that converts into a desk and chair with a solar light, for use both at home and at school, addressing directly and indirectly 6 of Sustainable Development Goals in accordance with the 2030 agenda. According to UNESCO, there are over 3 million children in South Africa alone, 95 million children in Africa and just over 400 million children globally that do not have a desk at school. Not having a basic necessity such as a desk to write on affects a child's handwriting, homework delivery, concentration and overall academic performance.
The MiDesk can be branded in the sponsoring company's corporate colours and logo and has a lifespan of 12 years which allows a child to use it from grade 1 to grade 12. I am also more than willing to present the MiDesk to your team on a zoom call for me to answer any queries you may have and for you to gain a better understanding of the impact this innovation makes on the lives of those who need it most. In the mean time, I have attached our information brochure for you to have a look at.
The MiDesk has the potential to make a significant impact on the lives of students, and we believe that partnering with you will amplify our efforts. Your collaboration would not only support the production and distribution of these MiDesks but would also contribute to fostering an environment where students can thrive in their learning journey. We are convinced that empowering education is the key to unlocking countless possibilities for the future.
I've attached a link to the MiDesk website too. I would love it if each Rotary Club contributed at least 5 desks with their branding. Talita will send you the pictures once they're completed, and I'd love to see them.
Yours in service,
Mustafa Ansari, Vice President
Rotaract Club of Toronto
- Video showing how it works, with soccer star Tiisetso Malepa
- MiDesk website