LAPTOP Magazine gave One Laptop Per Child's XO computer to Salimata (Sali) Fandjalan, a former Web producer at laptopmag.com. In August of 2007, Sali moved from New York City back to her home country of Mali. While living in the United States she followed One Laptop Per Child's initiative closely and was eager to get her hands on an XO and show it to the kids of her country. The following are excerpts from Sali's journal, which she wrote while testing the XO in Guinea.

October 30, 2007 
I picked up the package containing the OLPC XO today from the local DHL here in Conakry. At first they wanted to charge me $300 to claim the package. I was lucky enough to meet a nice woman at the office. I told her about what was inside the package--a small laptop computer that was meant to help children learn--she was very interested and sympathetic and waived the fee! She asked if it was possible to test the XO in her neighborhood since it is one of the poorest in Conakry. Many kids there don't even go to school, let alone have access to a computer.
 
Opening the package was a blast and, I believe, a blessing. I have followed the XO since the birth of its idea and have watched it become a reality. When I finally held one in my hand, it became real. The little green and white machine weighs next to nothing and fit perfectly in my purse, which will make taking it around to the schools and the villages easy.
 
When I finally figured out how to open the computer with the hinges on its side, I booted the little guy up. While it was booting, the cutest message appeared on the screen: "Hello children of the world." That automatically put a smile on my face. What OLPC is doing is truly special; for one to say that they want every child in the world to have their own laptop to carry along with their little coloring pencils regardless of race, creed, religion, or background is what true humanity is.
 
The computer finally started and I could hardly contain myself. I saw an X and O in the center of the interface that looks like a little child. When I pointed my mouse on it, it said "Salimata." I wonder if they will be able to do this for everyone who gets an XO. However, my amazement came to a dead halt when I realized the system was in Arabic. Why?! I have no idea. Then I realized the AC adapter they sent me wouldn't work here.

 

I woke up committed to learning how to work the XO and solve the problems. Joanna back in New York had figured out how to change the language to English with the help of OLPC's headquarters in Cambridge, and I spent a half an hour trying to figure out how to convert the Linux code to change the language setting. I also realized I didn't have a solar panel charger. I've requested one to be sent so we can use the computer outside in the villages that have little power supply.

 

November 1, 2007 
Today I began working as an intern at the Africare nonprofit organization in Conakry, Guinea. I told the director, Gordon Brown, that I had the XO laptop, and when he saw the little laptop he just couldn't believe it. He had the biggest smile on his face. He was able to get me the correct charging device for the AC adapter, and I was finally able to play with the XO without any problems. I played with all the games, so I would be comfortable to show them to the kids. I wrote a short essay in the "Write" program and inserted pictures of myself using the webcam. I couldn't, however, connect to the wireless Internet in my building. I tried everything from inputting the WEP encryption code to restarting the router. Nothing worked. I also have a beta version of the Sugar operating system, so I don't have any games like Tetris or what OLPC calls "Block Party."
 
I stayed up to 2:00 a.m. exploring all parts of the little laptop. Just as I was about to go to sleep the power in my building went out as it typically does here in Guinea. The computer shut off immediately and wouldn't reboot. I went to bed thinking the XO is dead. And this is the end of the project.

 

November 2, 2007 
Though the computer didn't power on when I woke up this morning, I finally got it working by the end of the day. It miraculously turned on when I plugged it into the wall when I got to Africare. At Africare I presented a short piece on the XO to the personnel there. They reacted positively and were extremely interested in how to get the XO laptops to the villages of Guinea.
 
In the afternoon I went back to my sister's apartment and charged up the laptop and changed the language to French, so the kids in the village I visit will be able to understand the interface. (The official language of Guinea and Mali is French.)

 

November 3, 2007 
Today was the most exciting day with the XO yet. I finally got to deliver it into the hands of the children of Africa. Early in the morning I went to a neighborhood called Kaporo Rail in Conakry, one of the poorest neighborhoods in the capital. The children hang out in the streets doing very little with their days. I went to the house of Mrs. Balde Hadja Aissatou Sai, the nice woman I met at the post office. When I walked through the neighborhood with the XO in my bag, there were a couple of children who stared at me and looked sad. Their mother, also named Salimata, explained to me that they thought I was there to give them vaccinations. As soon as I told them it wasn't the case they rushed to say hello and laughed hysterically that I was there to give them candy and show them something new.
 
Shortly after my arrival at the house it filled with children ages one through eleven. I sat with a group of children and pulled out the XO from my bag. The minute I pulled it out a stampede of little children rushed towards me. The most enthusiastic fans I have ever seen--more excited than those crazy old 'NSYNC fans--all just huddled around a little laptop. They rushed towards me to touch, feel, and, yes, even lick the XO. I sat everyone down and began telling them in French about what the XO is about. I showcased the built-in camera first, and the minute they saw their smiling faces on the screen they all started cheering. They were pushing, shoving, and even biting each other to be the one with the face on the screen. The minute they saw their little faces on the screen all hell broke loose. I call the ones that were biting the most "enthusiastic fans." 
 
The only way I can describe how eager these kids were to play with the computer is from what I know. Imagine this: In Times Square in the heart of New York City at MTV's TRL, Justin Timberlake steps outside and tells his fans he wants to include about ten of the girls in his music video. You get the picture? The XO fans were only smaller and more vicious.
 
I gave a few of the children ages five through eleven the chance to play with the XO for ten minutes on their own. They each typed their name and took their pictures and together played "Memorize" and "TamTamJam," a music application on the computer. They danced to the music they created. The one thing that perplexed me the most was their ability to type their name. They picked up the keyboard so quickly given the fact that many of them had never seen a computer before. By the end of the day, most of them had whispered in my ear "Aunty, can you bring me one? Please."
 
I left the Kaporo Rail with no energy left. I can say, though, that those kids felt so lucky to be able to hold, feel, and play with the XO. They all expressed so much gratitude for my coming to visit. I just wish I could have left the XO with them. But I know the children in Mali will appreciate the XO just as much, and I am extremely excited to test it out in the schools.

Don't Miss: Sali's Journal: The OLPC XO Goes to Africa, Part II
Sali shares her experiences using the XO with children in her home country of Mali.