We’re headed to Uganda on June 15th to settle as a family, and we’re welcoming our first HFC filed trip during the first weeks in August to install computer classrooms and help fix up the AOET’s administration computers. (More on this trip later).

Here’s a list of item’s we’re trying to get for our trip. We need to have this stuff in-hand by June 1, so if we don’t have this stuff, we’re going to start buying the most critical items. Help us out if you have any of this stuff laying around and save us a ton of money! Send all donations to AOET’s ICO PO Box in Maryland:

AOET – International Correspondence Dept.
P.O. Box 1833
Sykesville, MD 21784

Computer Hardware

  • IDE to USB adapter and power supply (must do 240v, for connecting IDE devices to USB for backup/diagnostics)
  • Minimalist cases/sleves for full-size IDE drives (slim plastic case to cover electronics when drive is used with USB-IDE adapter)
  • Laptop locks (aka “Kensington/Targus”)
  • USB thumb drives, 1GB or larger
  • SD Cards (512MB or larger, for netbooks)
  • SMALL multicard flash readers
  • USB anti-virus thumb drives (free everywhere with contract, for A/V in the offices. One virus can wipe out children’s records, stranding them)
  • Waterproof / wireless webcam (an idea for a webcam in the field)
  • External USB CD-ROM drives (First choice: portable, USB powered. Second choice: powered, 110-240. For classroom netbook updates and installs.)
  • 1TB or larger external USB or Firewire drives (110-240)
  • Projector (at least SVGA, 800×600), Smallish “Portable” projector, (going in a suitcase with a weight limit) must have many hours of bulb left and / or extra bulbs. Second choice: LED handheld projector (low lumens, 10,000 hour plus “bulb”)
  • Flatbed scanner (small, small, small, but capable of scanning 8.5×11 sheet, USB-powered)

Computer Software

  • Mac OSX 10.5 Install Disk / ISO image *for PowerPC* (for my kids’ laptop)
  • Windows XP disks w/license (Home/Pro, whatever, for AOET office to allow them to do Windows updates)
  • CD/DVD – based curriculum of any kind

Electronics

  • Solar chargers of any kind (cell phone, accessories, etc), fancy solar bookbags welcome! =)
  • Power plug adapters (US in, UK out): PLugs in Uganda accept British 3-prong rectangular blade plug, often referred to technically as BS 1363 (British 13 A/230-240 V 50 Hz earthed and fused), see http://www.kropla.com/!g.htm for more information. Also, three-prong UK style plugs (see here: http://international-electrical-supplies.com/uganda-plug-adapters.html)

Camera equipment (for filming child interviews, creating HFC promotional videos, blogs)

  • Collapsable camera monopod
  • Wireless lapel mics
  • Microphone windscreen foams for lapel and handheld mics
  • 37mm (camcorder) lenscap
  • camcorder “shotgun” mic
  • Basic field audio mixer (small, 110-240)
  • Any equipment for the Canon VIXIA HF10 camcorder (batteries, lenses, accessory shoes, etc)
  • Class 6 SDHC cards (for camcorder)
  • SMALL, portable built-on lighting for camcorder

Hardware

  • GOOD padlocks / combination locks (consult a TOOOL member if you aren’t sure… no Master locks, etc)