Keepod made news back in the spring when its model for bringing US $7 computer access to anyone around the world got funded on Indiegogo.

Keepod’s solution for providing reasonably scalable computer access to the 5 billion people currently living without it, is to create a supply of USB drives running the Android 4.4 operating system. This allows users to store all of their data and user settings on a single flash drive, making computer access rather than ownership the key to being able to do things such as read news online, bank online and participate in social media.

Now, Mintcoin Fund has launched a donations drive to bring Keepod’s flash drives plus some refurbished computers to 500 students in Marakissa, The Gambia.

“This campaign will offer these children internet access and their own personal devices to continue their education, research and interact with the world around them,” Mintcoin’s team leader of development, Jessica Hartman, told Cryptocoinsnews.com last week.

The Mintcoin Fund seeks to raise US$5,275 for the “Sponsor a Keepod Kid” campaign. That’s US$10.55 per child.

Donors have five different cryptocurrency options if they would like to contribute. These currencies include:

  • Mintcoin (donation address: Ma6XqKLkSN56Msa6J7vAoogtdvCKZdTnVr)

  • XCurrency (donation address: XXkc4jMGMcVF3Jt65ip9QKg6bAqmkb6JUX)

  • ViaCoin (donation address: VuSrWq58JVDNGn2mWxpmxZKiEXY4buWB9z)

  • W2Coin (donation address: WkJfBLpijuBTD9VdFxDzdCPvYvmnocEPt2)

At the time of writing, the equivalent of US $75 has been transferred to the Bitcoin address. Mintcoin Fund has said it will update its social media feeds weekly with the campaign’s progress. “Sponsor a Keepod Kid” is set to run through December 31, 2014, with the project’s implementation set for March 2015.

Problems with PayPal Donations

A PayPal address will be set up, the campaign’s page says. However, the paperwork licensing the Mintcoin Fund as an NGO according to French law, thus making it eligible to receive payments in fiat currency, is stuck in bureaucratic limbo, and it might not be settled for six months.

So, in the meantime, Mintcoin Fund kindly asks that no one refer to it as an NGO. Anyone who still wants to contribute in cryptocurrency is free to do as he or she likes.

(Cut to all of us nodding smugly.)

Where the Money Will Go

With the 500 Keepods having a retail value of US$7 each, the flash drives themselves only account for US$3,500 of the campaign’s goal. CCN’s story does a nice job of breaking down where the rest of the money will go:

  • $1275 will go to refurbishing 15 computers;
  • $500 will create a couple of internet hotspots that will provide a year of access;
  • Facilities, staff and IT support are already in place, so no money is being raised for those items.

For more information on Keepod, have a look at the company’s video:

- Keepod - intro from keepod on Vimeo.

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