The One Laptop per Child Foundation has kicked off it's second annual Give a Laptop, Get a Laptop program. Donors can purchase a $199 kid-friendly laptop through Amazon.com, which will be donated to a child. If you choose to "Give One Get One," you can donate a laptop and receive one for a child in your life, for a total cost of $399.

The goal of the One Laptop per Child Foundation is to "empower the children of developing countries to learn by providing one connected laptop to every school-age child," according to the group's mission statement. The laptops provide opportunities for children who otherwise may not have access to education.

The XO laptop is about the size of a textbook, comes equipped with children's software and a simple web browser. It uses only four watts of power, and can be charged by solar power, pull cord, or even hand crank, an important feature for children in areas with no electricity.

Because hard drives and connectors inside laptops are the most common components to fail, the XO does not contain a hard drive, and only has two connectors. It is built to be extremely durable, and contains no hazardous materials.

The One Laptop per Child Foundation was created in 2001 by MIT professor Nicholas Negroponte. According to the organization's website, "It's not a laptop project. It's an education project." The program operates off of the idea that education should not be put off until other challenges in remote areas of the world are overcome, because education is a part of the solution to these problems, according to information posted on Amazon.com.

If you choose to order a laptop for your child along with your donation, you can receive it in plenty of time for Christmas. Amazon shipping options include one-day shipping, or if you have a few more days to spare, the laptop will ship free through Amazon's Super Saver Shipping program.

The XO laptops, originally created by Quanta Computer Inc., are currently being used by children in 30 countries around the world.

Sources:

One Laptop per Child. Amazon.com

One Laptop per Child Foundation.