Woman working to establish computer lab for Afghan refugees

People are stepping up to lend a helping hand to the much than 6,000 Afghan refugees astatine Camp Atterbury, a grooming station operated by the Indiana National Guard.

About 800 troops are connected the crushed assisting.

Rupal Thanawala of Fishers says she doesn't privation acquisition to get near down since galore of the refugees don't cognize English, truthful she's establishing a machine laboratory astatine the campy and is calling connected the assemblage to help.

"47% of guests that we person successful Camp Atterbury are nether the property of 18," said Thanawala.

As the refugees accommodate to their caller country, agencies are moving to get them the resources they need, similar Social Security cards, getting children enrolled successful school, and more.

"These individuals needed a amended life," said Thanawala.

Thanawala is the vice president for BDPA Indianapolis. She says she wants to marque definite the children are acceptable up for success.

With support from the camp, she's mounting up an on-site machine laboratory and is successful request of astir 100 utilized laptops and iPads.

"I already person six laptops and iPads ready. Our extremity is wrong 1 week, we volition beryllium capable to mobilize to E-learning astatine camp," said Thanawala.

Thanawala toured Camp Atterbury Thursday.

"It was a precise overwhelming feeling but astatine the aforesaid clip I felt astatine bid due to the fact that I could spot our soldiers playing with kids, kicking shot balls [and] shooting basketball," said Thanawala.

Thanawala says it's our work to support those who protected our troops.

"These refugees are friends, contractors, our subject people. I'm an Army mom, truthful I cognize however important it is to nonstop our sons and daughters to forfeit onshore but not having radical to enactment them," said Thanawala.

If you would similar to donate a utilized laptop oregon iPad, marque definite the instrumentality has been wiped. Don't permission information oregon photos connected the instrumentality and marque definite it has a charger.

Casted, located astatine 1032 East Washington Street successful Indianapolis, volition judge them from 4-6 p.m. connected September 28, 30, and October 5 and 7. You tin besides scope retired to Rupal Thanawala astatine rthanawala@yahoo.com.

This communicative was primitively published by Rachael Wilkerson astatine WRTV.