By Anthony Schoettle

Rupal Thanawala, founder and owner of Fishers-based IT consulting firm Trident Systems and president of the Asian American Alliance Inc., is spearheading an effort to equip and set up a computer lab for Afghan refugees – especially the 3,000 under age 18 – at Camp Atterbury.

More than 6,600 Afghan refugees have been given temporary housing at Camp Atterbury south of Indianapolis in the wake of the U.S. military’s exit from Afghanistan in August – and the subsequent takeover of that country by the Taliban.

With the help of the Indianapolis chapter of the BDPA (formerly known as Black Data Processing Associates), Thanawala started with a goal to round up 50 laptop computers. Already, with the help of several local businesses and organizations, she has supplied the Camp Atterbury encampment with more than 250 laptops and tablets and five projectors. She is now shooting to get another 150 laptops to equip the computer lab that has been created with the equipment.

The initiative has been so successful that agencies and military bases from other states have called asking her to help organize similar initiatives there.

Thanawala finalized plans this week to set up five more computer labs – at Fort Bliss in Chaparral, New Mexico; Fort McCoy in Sparta, Wisconsin; Fort Pickett in Blackstone, Virginia; Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in Fort Dix, New Jersey; and Marine Corps Base Quantico in Manassas, Virginia.

“This started out small, but it has become a national story,” says Thanawala, who immigrated to Chicago and then Indianapolis from India with her husband, Amit, more than two decades ago. “This has become a story about how the Indiana community came together to address a national issue.”

Here in central Indiana, the outpouring has been phenomenal, Thanawala says.

“People of Indiana are very giving and very kind,” she emphasizes. “When someone puts a call into action, I mean it’s not 10 minutes and you have responses, and wow have we gotten responses. I’m getting offers to help from everywhere.”

Shortly after she put the word out last month, she received 100 laptops and tablets from Indianapolis-based infrastructure construction company IEA, $5,000 from the Society of Information Management and 50 tablets from Indianapolis-based Republic Airlines, with possibly more to come. Local software firm Casted – a High Alpha portfolio company – set up a donation collection center and provided volunteers for four days. TechPoint Foundation for Youth helped Thanawala collect a database of computer courses for all age groups and WRTV-TV Channel 6 helped with promoting the cause, which has been dubbed #OperationAlliesWelcome.

“My whole idea when I started this was ‘where are the gaps,’” relates Thanawala, a tireless tech community networker. “They were asking for anything to keep the kids engaged, even sidewalk chalk. I asked about schooling. How are they keeping pace?”

Now, Thanawala explains, the Afghan transplants will have access to a commercial-grade computer lab, which can be used by the children and adults there.

The lab will be used to curate online education programs for children and adults and as an essential communication and language translation tool, as well as help adults there build resumes and apply for jobs. Thanawala and a small group of trained volunteers have started offering classes in English, math, computer literacy and internet safety. The classes will be offered five days a week.

“The iPads can also be used for entertainment – including educational games – because there’s (still) not a lot to do there right now,” she relates.

Thanawala’s mission at Atterbury is one that is near and dear to her.

Her son, Rahil, is in his second year at West Point Military Academy. As a cadet, he is on active-duty non-deployed status. After four years at the academy he will become a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army. Then he will have an eight-year service commitment.

“The (refugees) here were our allies in Afghanistan. Many were working side by side with our military men and women,” she expresses. “This is a humanitarian and friendship operation to me. This is the right thing to do.”

Anthony Schoettle is the director of communications for the Indiana Chamber. He started with the Chamber in 2021 after a long career in journalism. He’s won multiple awards for his storytelling ability on a wide range of business topics.