Gearing towards academic excellence, the Rotary Club of Ladner and Rotary World Help Canada donated the first in Asia: dust-proof and bullet proof Asian Ruggedized Education System (ARES) offline server system which includes educational packages, videos, tools and various digital educational resources to Imus National High School on Feb. 17.

       Rotary World Help Canada President Bonnie Sutherland and Director Elena Agala and President Elect of the Rotary Club of Ladner Bridget Jacob, together with Engr. Eric Go, IP, Rotary Club of Imus and Rose Baguio, Champion President, Rotary Club of Imus, aided the donation of ARES which aims to provide quality and innovative education without the use of internet connection or Wi-Fi to Imus National High School under the leadership of Mr. Arturo P. Rosaroso Jr., Principal IV of INHS, and supervision of Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Rosemarie D. Torres.

        Agala shared her initiative to build the ARES project in the Philippines while Jacob said that “helping others to change for a better world” is one of the primary goals of Rotary Club and at the same time, building connections between Canada and the Philippines.

ARES is comprised of resources ranging from pre-school to post-graduate, including thousands of videos and books, the whole Khan Academy curriculum, STEM resources, 300 Ted Talks and the immense Wikipedia library.

        ARES also provide agricultural guides and medical resources for the entire community to benefit.

Looking back, it was in the year 1992 that Sutherland with her late husband, Don, worked in Africa and saw the predicament of education in Kenya. Back then, Don and Bonnie shipped containers of books and other materials to Africa. They knew that the unfortunate situation made both teachers’ and students’ dream for a better future, unattainable.

        All these events led to the formation of charitable Afretech Aid Society and collaborated with Rotary Clubs to supply more shipments such as libraries, computers, medical equipment and more.

        As of February last year, ARES labs have been successfully installed in 47 schools, continuously changing the lives of a generation of students, teachers and the entire community.

        Imus National High School is beyond blessed for having the first ARES in the Philippines, and in Asia. The ARES project believes that if one really wants to change the world, he must begin by educating the children.