Kobzar Society aims to spread democracy through technology (03/12/06)

Kobzar Society aims to spread democracy through technology

by Al Zagofsky

LEHIGHTON, Pa. - "Connect the people - empower a nation" is the motto of the Kobzar Society Ltd., a non-profit organization created by a retired high-tech Lehighton couple of Ukrainian heritage.

Five years ago, Orest "O.J." Hanas and his wife, Christine, while talking about their native Ukraine's breakaway from the Soviet empire and its beginnings on a path to democracy, wondered how they could help.

They felt that change had to begin with the children. "We know about computers," said Mrs. Hanas. "How about doing something for the school kids over there with computers?"

"We figured a country like Ukraine that never had access to democracy could only get it through the channels of the Internet," said Mr. Hanas. "First you have to provide them with the instruments to get to the Internet, and after they learn how to use computers, then they can be connected and find the uncensored truth."

Mr. Hanas was retiring from a career in electronic engineering management, and his wife had trained as a chemical engineer. With a couple of friends who liked the idea of providing computers to educational institutions in Ukraine, they formed a non-profit organization, the Kobzar Society, Ltd.

The idea that emerged was to ship used computers to Ukraine, placing them in educational institutions rather than offering them to individuals. "If you send them to a school, then the teacher will teach 100 kids with one computer, or five or 10," Mrs. Hanas said. "The benefit will be multiplied."

"I took that idea to the Lehighton Rotary Club, where I am a member," said Mr. Hanas. "The Lehighton Rotary Club embraced it right away, and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Rotary District 7410 gave us seed money to start the program."

Kobzar collects late-model used computers, refurbishes them, converts them to European electrical power, and then ships and places them in libraries, orphanages and schools for needy children in Ukraine.

Mr. Hanas met with Rotary Club members in Ukraine to work out a system of distribution and verification of computer deliveries. They received permission to import the used computers into Ukraine without duties or taxes.

Kobzar solicits computers from universities, hospitals, law firms and private individuals. They currently accept only Pentium III models. Volunteers collect and warehouse the computers until they are ready to be refurbished to Kobzar's requirements, which include a Windows operating system, a CD drive, a 15-inch monitor, keyboard and mouse. They work only with desktop units - fearing laptops are too easily stolen.

Refurbishment centers have been established: Microapex in Allentown, Pa., and the Brothers Brothers Foundation in Pittsburgh. Other than shipping, all the money goes into technical work. It costs between $200 and $240 to refurbish and ship the units.

Kobzar receives some funding from Rotary and the Maria Hulai-Lion Foundation, but looks to the Ukrainian American community for much of its support. Through advertising in the diaspora Ukrainian newspapers, they offer, for a donation, to provide a computer to an educational institution in a village of the donor's choice - usually in a town their donor's parents came from.

For the donation, the computer is shipped to the donor's choice of location, a certificate of appreciation is placed on the wall where that computer is located in Ukraine, and the donor receives a letter of thanks from the school. Many donors plan to sometime visit the town to see how it is benefiting the school.

Mr. Hanas recently returned from a visit to Boryslav, a small town in western Ukraine, where he helped supervise the installation of a computer learning center at the local "Internat," a school for children with polio or birth defects.

Several years earlier a grandmother of a crippled boy in the school had suggested that "a computer learning center could be of great benefit to these kids." With the help of Rotary International and individual sponsors, funding was raised for the computer learning center.

"The computer learning center is now in operation and, in fact, I spoke to that grandmother two weeks ago," said Mr. Hanas. "She said that, thanks to the most generous benefactors from the United States of America, my grandson receives one hour of computer training per day. Each day he impatiently looks forward to next day's lesson and is full of hope for the future."

The Kobzar Society Ltd., a 501(c) (3) non-profit corporation, has shipped about 750 computers. Anyone interested in donating computer systems or sponsoring a computer donation to the Kobzar Society may visit the website kobzarsociety.org or write to: Kobzar Society Ltd., P.O. Box 37, Lehighton, PA 18235.

The article above appeared in the Times News of Lehighton, Pa., on Sunday, February 4. It is reprinted here with the permission of the author, Al Zagofsky, who is a free-lance journalist.

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