Gender Week

2018-10-16T09:33:48+01:00March 8th, 2014|

As part of Gender Week, the organizing team  invited the president of the Harry Benjamin Resource Center (HBRS, a foundation working for the rights of transgender people), Tone Maria Hansen, to give a World Today presentation on gender identity. During the last decade, Tone Maria has been featured in various newspaper articles and in a TV-broadcast documentary, Absolutt Tone Maria, and can be seen as one of the leading figures of the Norwegian transgender movement. We were delighted to host her on this, her fourth visit to the College.

Among the many other activities and events held during the week – films, discussions and presentations – the Gender Week team, collaborating with The Publishing Cabin,  have produced ‘A Brief Illustrated Herstory of Womankind’. Read it here.

UKM 2014

2018-10-16T09:33:48+01:00March 6th, 2014|

Eduardo Campbell from Panama during the competition

Eduardo during the competition

UKM (The Norwegian Youth Festival of Arts) for the Fjaler municipality was this year held together with the municipalities of Askvoll and Gaular in the near-to-the-College town of Askvoll. Some students from the College came along to the event to see the show and support the four RCN students who were participating. Dasha (Russian Federation) and Tenzin (Tibet) performed a dance, Martin (Norway) was doing stand-up and Eduardo (Panama) was singing. The show was spectacular with performances that ranged from singing, dancing, bands and art pieces to comedy acts. The participants from the school all gave fantastic performances and Eduardo sang a Spanish song that captured the hearts of the audience and won him a ticket to the next stage of the competition.

Congratulations to all who took part and to Astrid Ardagh and Thea Sæterdal for helping to organise our involvement.

A Donation to DROP

2018-10-16T09:33:49+01:00March 5th, 2014|

Members of 'Dialog as'

Members of ‘Dialog as’

‘Dialogue as’ in Sola and Drude Berentsen, one of their members, has sent 3000kr in support of DROP, one of our student organisations and their work to support Sakyikrom United Primary school in Ghana. This is a tremendous contribution to the work of DROP,  so a big thanks to Drude and her colleagues on behalf of all who will benefit from this.

Read some more about the project here.

A Lucky Accident

2018-10-16T09:33:49+01:00March 5th, 2014|

It all began by accident. Literally. First year student Åge Frivoll went on a project week and had to return to Oslo to get his braces repaired after he was hit by a surfboard. He was sharing a room with an SOS student who had no computer, and while home he got a computer from his sister to give to his roommate. Then he started wondering how many other people needed computers at the College. He sent out a survey to all students and learned that some students had computers that were damaged and couldn’t afford to get them fixed. Some had none at all. Graduates raised funds for six laptops which were gratefully received before the Winter Break, but the need seemed to be greater than this. Åge took it upon himself to do something about it. When he gave his roommate a computer, Åge was deeply moved by the appreciative and humble reaction.

Åge - loaded down with laptops and clothing

Åge – loaded down with laptops and clothing

Understanding that many Norwegian schools throw out computers regularly to make way for newer models, Åge sent out emails to 25 schools in Oslo and Akershus Fylke, receiving responses from 2 of them, one of which produced concrete results. At Bjertnes School, he got in touch with Dag, who was responsible for the IT Department. Dag offered to wipe clean all the computers he could, and in addition asked teachers for chargers they’d be willing to donate. He devoted time and effort to supporting the initiative, ultimately providing 11 usable computers. The next step was to install the necessary drivers and programmes on these laptops. Over the Winter Break Åge got his parents to clear out their garage, creating a workshop space where he could work in peace, accompanied only by constant music. He borrowed heavy-duty extension cords from his neighbour, spread the 11 computers out, and got started, installing Windows XP then drivers and background software for components. In the survey sent to students he had asked for details about programmes needed, and then  custom-made the laptops to fit each individual’s specifications. He developed a system to make the process run smoothly, working from stage to stage with a check-list over 4 full days.

His parents thought it was a bit crazy, devoting all this time and effort to refurbishing used computers. Then he got his mother involved, asking her to collect clothing for the clothing store. She collected 50-60 kg of good quality clothing. Now Åge faced the challenge of returning to campus with 11 computers, a mountain of clothing, and 20 kg + of hiking equipment. Undaunted, he sent a mail to Larry asking if the College could help with postage, and received support in the form of postal packages, which lightened the load somewhat, but there was still a huge amount to carry. With duffel bags and backpacks stuffed with computers, clothing, and hiking equipment, he somehow made it back to Flekke. Back at College, Åge set about distributing the laptops and offering support to those who needed instruction.

What’s next? Åge hopes to acquire more computers in the future, adding to the supply available for students who arrive at RCN without their own.  His story gives expression to the well-known motto of “learning, earning and returning”.

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