RajPal Singh loves computers but comes from one of the 14,000 poor Indian families here.
His parents cannot afford a computer, which usually costs about $2,000 or more.
But with the help of IT Services Cooperative and the Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA), Rajpal's family has now been given a free computer.
It's part of IT Services' goal to put a computer in every Indian home here.
Rajpal's family is typical of the poor family that treats the computer as a luxury, even though now it's considered a necessary skill in most jobs.
Rajpal already feels left out compared wit his classmates.
Said the 10-year-old Blangah Rise Primary School student: "My friends make fun of me because I don't know how to use a computer as well as them.
"I feel hurt but I can't do anything."
Rajpal has heard of the Internet but does not know how to use it.
He does not know what email is.
Said his mother, Madam Pajan Kaur, 38, a housewife: "We're not rich, so I used to tell my children that studies are more important than the computer.
"But I heard young children are all learning the computer now."
Her husband, Mr Jaswant Singh, 53, earns about $1,000 as a driver. They have a younger daughter who is seven.
The family lives in a three-room HDB flat in Telok Blangah.
Mr Jaswant said: "We also don't know how t o use a computer. We have heard of the Internet, but that's all."
Was Madam Pajan afraid of the negative influences of the Internet.
She replied: "I heard the other mothers saying that you can find those dirty pictures and all that. So I was not too sure about getting a computer.
"But nowadays, even in Hindi films, you always see girls wearing see-through dresses, so we always turn off the TV.
"I guess we cannot stop them from watching, but we can control what they see, since they're still young."
The computer Rajpal's family will receive will come with a free Internet subscription for only nine months.
Said Madam Pajan: "I don't know if we can afford to pay the subscription after that.
"I also think that since they are young, they don't need the Internet yet."
Which is why putting a computer in a poor Indian home is only the first part of the battle.
Said IT Services Cooperative deputy chairman Viswa Sadasivan: "To many poor Indian families, a computer may not be a high priority item.
"We're trying to educate these parents.. that if they don't invest in a computer for their children, they are shortchanging them in the long run.
Helping the needy
Rajpal Singh's family is one of the 276 needy Indian families to be given a computer.
They were selected based on their income and profile.
These 276 computers and another 154 upgraded Pentium computers were donated to IT Services Cooperative.
The Pentium computers and others in future will be sold to less needy families at prices from $300 to $600.
IT Services Cooperative was launched by the Singapore Malayalee community about six months ago.
Said its chairman of the board of directors, Patrick Daniel :"Our aim is to help every Indian family here."
Families registered with the cooperative will get a three-hour computer course from Sinda. There is a family package at $30 for two parents and two children, while it costs $15 for individuals.
Mr Daniel said they would also consider families who couldn't afford the fees.
"And if they can't keep up their Internet subscription after nine months, we will try and find some sponsors."
