Laptops and Lions

I'm not sure how I feel about the buy a laptop give a laptop to a kid in Africa concept. Which African child is it going to? If the commercials are to be believed, it's kids in a dumpy one-roomed schoolhouse in the middle of the savannah. But what good are laptops to kids without electricity or clothes or clean water? Granted the computer is over the top exciting for them and probably the only time they'll use one, but in the middle of nowhere Africa, all they'll be able to do is type a Word document. It's doubtful they'll have internet, which would be able to bring the world to the small village in Kenya and probably the best, if not the only, reason to give them a computer. Fat lot of good it does with no internet access.
So maybe the commercials aren't correct. Maybe the computers are going to a school in the middle of the city. Those students would be more likely to have access to the internet and electricity and it's feasible that learning how to use a computer in primary school helps them in secondary school.
But pull the camera lens back a bit and look at the whole picture. The unemployment rates on the Dark Continent are abismal. The child may know how to use a laptop, but there's no guarantee it will help him get a job if there are no jobs to be had.
It makes far more sense to provide that child in the middle of the grasslands with a nearby source of clean water, immunizations, training in hygiene, and, perhaps most importantly, a source of income for the family. If the parents have a source of income, they'll be more likely to send their children to school. Otherwise, every able body in the family will be needed to scrounge for the next meal.
And what about the cities? There are no shortage of experts, armed with solid data, that claim Africa is in dire need of economic development. A great example is Nigeria and there telecommunications boom. Not only are people gaining access to phones, think of the jobs it's providing.
One could argue that a student who graduates with years of experience on a computer under his belt is perfectly placed to be a leader in any development ventures. This is true, but only if the development is happening. What good is an educated workforce with no work?
Laptops to African children has the potential to be a great idea, but in order for it to have an impact far more is needed. It's a bit like spitting into a forrest fire. It isn't enough to pat yourself on the back when your spit gives a satisfying sizzle, while the rest of the world continues to burn.