UAE cousins unlocking the internet for billions

ABU DHABI // Two Abu Dhabi teenagers are helping to unlock the wonders of the online world for billions of people without access to the internet.

Abdullah Kudsi, 16, and his cousin Marwan, 14, were inspired to act last year after meeting Matt Dalio, founder of Endless, a San Francisco-based computer company, while on holiday in the United States.

Mr Dailo’s company developed Endless 1, an affordable and easy-to-use desktop computer that can access a world of learning but is not dependent upon internet connections.

The 32 gigabyte hard-drive computer contains word processing software, a Wikipedia library and other information sources and video that the user can browse without being plugged into the internet.

With a cheap keyboard and mouse, the free software and educational content provides the computer with the means to educate a child, publish a newspaper or run a business, Mr Dalio said. The equipment can be plugged into an old television to create a desktop computer.

Abdullah and Marwan, pupils at the American Community School, were so excited by the possibilities of Endless 1 that they decided to support the project, first by introducing the computer to expatriate workers in the UAE.

The country is seen as a gateway to emerging markets Endless hopes to target that so far have been ignored by bigger computer and software companies. The teenagers have visited workers in their homes, explained the project to them, and supported a meeting between Endless and the Filipino community to promote the computer.

“We wanted to focus on communities who need this technology and who would be able to buy it and send it to their families back home,” said Abdullah, who is studying for his International Baccalaureate.

The tech-savvy Marwan contributes by demonstrating the computer and meeting with investors and businesses to win support for the project.

So far, their efforts have helped to persuade hypermarket chain Lulu to stock the Endless 1.

However, the boys’ ambitions do not stop there. Following a trip to the Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan, they witnessed the donation of 300 computers for use by the 83,000 inhabitants.

One of the most popular apps at the camp is a maths game for children. The refugees also produce their own newspaper using the machines.

“Most people send money or clothes to help the refugees, but what was lacking was educational investment as few children are getting any schooling,” said Abdullah. “The No 1 need for people in the Jordan camp was to be productive.”

Now the pair, along with their classmates, have raised money to buy computers for schools in Africa and Haiti, thus raising the profile of the company further.

Last week, they were joined by Camila Soares, director of ground research for Endless, at the Emirates Foundation Youth Philanthropy Summit in Abu Dhabi, where they explained their ambitions for the computer.

Ms Soares paid tribute to the boys’ work.

“Abdullah and Marwan have been fantastic,” she said. “They are real facilitators, helping business and charitable causes at the same time.”

Abdullah said: “We have a service course in school, a few hours each week to teach us how to help those who don’t have what we enjoy. But most of us go above and beyond that because we believe it’s so important to help others.

“The modern economy requires computer literacy,” he said. “But 4.5 billion people do not have access to computers. It’s not hard to solve this.”

With Abdullah and Marwan on their side, the challenge might prove easier to crack.

newsdesk@thenational.ae