By Evan Williams, MUN Impact Reporter
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We live in a world which is dominated by technology. Without access to computers, phones, or some other device with the capacity to connect us to the internet, we might as well make like Thoreau and settle in for the long haul of a hermit’s life. All jokes aside, it is a gravely serious matter. Students who are left without adequate resources to technology and the benefits that come with it can easily be left behind—can miss opportunities. What a great misfortune it would be for brilliant young people to remain hidden, for their ideas and creations to fall through the cracks merely due to lack of something as basic as a functioning computer.
Two years ago, Madison Swanson recognized just this possibility. Then a senior at John Burroughs School in Saint Louis, Missouri, she was inspired by her experiences at THIMUN, and in particular, her interaction with the HELA (Hope in Education and Leadership in Afghanistan) delegation, to start Plug-in Model United Nations (PiMUN). The mission of PiMUN, according to Madison, is to “further the MUN education of students in less developed countries (LDC’s) by giving them access to used, fully-functional laptop computers.” The business model is fairly simple, yet effective. In its essence, PiMUN works as such: schools, businesses, organizations, and individuals who have technology for which they no longer have any use can have the devices’ memories wiped, then send them to PiMUN. From there, the devices will be sent to those in need. Former recipients of PiMUN devices include HELA, the first MUN delegation in Afghanistan, as well as Skateistan, a group who strives to “empower youth through skateboarding and education.”
Madison and PiMUN embody what is great about MUN: it connects people. Whether these connections be emotional, intellectual, made in person, or made online, they work towards a global community working towards solutions to real world problems together. PiMUN allows students from all across the globe to confer via Skype, to chat about resolutions, breaking news, ideas, or just chat if they so please.
Today, Madison attends George Washington University in Washington D.C. Tomorrow, she could very well lead some unforeseen global initiative. The beauty of it? We’ll know when that happens—all of us will, HELA and Skateistan included, because we’ll get the news alert on our computers and/or phones—because we’ll be connected.