The hero getting laptops to children
How community hero Prem Gyani has been collecting and repurposing old laptops that he delivers to schoolchildren to help with home learning
Even homework seems bearable when Prem Gyani turns up in Tara the tuk-tuk, delivering free emergency laptops to schoolchildren. The fun yellow and green automated rickshaw, normally used for weddings, has recently been brought back to life to help cheer up struggling families. Tara’s owner Prem (62) is a retired IT worker who decided to put his technical skills to good use following a casual conversation with a neighbour in the Cambridgeshire village of Helpston.
He explains: “I was just talking to a neighbour over the fence who is a mum of three. She explained that although her children had always shared a laptop the move to home-schooling had meant that overnight they needed one each and I thought: ‘that’s a problem!’” Knowing how important education is for children – and realising it was an additional financial burden many families couldn’t afford – Prem, who has two grown-up sons with wife Heidi (62) immediately set about finding a solution. “As a primary school governor, I knew that Chromebooks were the preferred computers in schools. And I also knew that free software had recently been made available to convert old laptops into Chromebooks,” he says. Back home, Prem immediately fished out a couple of his own old laptops, dusted them down and gave it a go. He admits he was amazed by the speed the conversions could be done. “It was almost instant. I looked online and although the instructions sounded complicated, they really weren’t,” he says.
Deciding other people must have unused laptops hidden away at home, he put out an appeal on his local village
‘I’ve promised all the children I’ve given laptops to that when this period is over, I’ll take them out for a ride in Tara. So we’re going to be really busy!’
WhatsApp group asking for donations of old laptops. That evening, six arrived on his doorstep followed by another 11 the following day. More soon poured in and, by contacting local schools, Prem was able to find good homes for them all within a 20-mile radius.
Delighted, Prem’s next question was, ‘Now how can I make this fun?’ Deciding to involve flower-bedecked Tara and dress in the Bollywood costume he dons for weddings, he dusted down his tuk-tuk for deliveries.
“The children absolutely adore it and as I’m driving round, pedestrians laugh and wave at me. Even officers in police patrol
cars smile,” he says. “But I don’t take her out if it’s raining – I use my car,” he laughs.
Tara was made in India and transported to Britain by Prem, who’d always loved tuk-tuks ever since he began visiting the country as a teenager with his father, who was born there, and his English mother. “If you’ve been to India you’ll know the pure joy of riding on them. I’ve always thought they were great fun and, modified, they are legal to drive on the roads over here.”
When he and Heidi moved out of London to Helpston four years ago, they made a deal that she could have a hot tub if he could have his own tuk-tuk, which he named Tara after a cousin.
With a 195cc engine, the maximum speed Tara can go is 44mph. Her tank only holds a gallon of petrol so filling her up is cheap at around only £3.
The fun element aside, Prem’s motive for doing what he’s doing – and in just three weeks he has delivered more than 70 repurposed laptops – is deadly serious. Each laptop distributed has a sticker on the bottom saying, ‘When you have finished with this, please pay it forward,’ urging children to kindly hand it over to someone else in need and not just dump it.
“I care about things that matter – such as education, poverty and refugees – and I’ve lived by that,” says Prem. “What drives me is doing the right thing. Things that don’t matter to me are money and status. Once you’ve got a certain level of comfort, you don’t need more. I’m not interested in keeping up with the Joneses and my wife is likeminded.”
Prem, who Heidi calls an ‘annoying angel’ because she never knows what
he’s up to next, insists his actions aren’t entirely altruistic though.
“For someone who is very socially gregarious, being in lockdown is a bit of a downer so it’s also good for me at this depressing time,” he admits.
“I am a naturally happy person and
I am also really energetic. I love seeing other people smile. That makes me smile.”
Prem’s kindness has made a big difference to many families, including single mum Joanne Warren. Her daughter Taylor-Lea (10) was struggling to do schoolwork at home on an old mobile phone before they received a laptop from him. “We couldn’t afford to just go out and buy a laptop so this has helped brilliantly. People like Prem deserve medals. He’s made me feel that things aren’t that bad!”
Even when lockdown is officially over and schoolchildren are all back in their classrooms, tomorrow is still going to be another busy day for Tara and Prem.
“I’ve promised all the children that I’ve given laptops to, when this period is over, I’ll take them out for a ride in Tara. So we’re going to be really busy!” he laughs.
‘If ever you’ve been to India you’ll know the pure joy of riding in a tuk-tuk’