The focus of the ArenA project was to research and develop an interactive learning resource specially designed for the people of Greater Pollok. This resource enables users to develop new transferable skills that will benefit them and their local community – through a process of creative research methods and community consultation, StoryBox, a resource for creating and viewing stories, was designed.

Computers For Families (CFF) has the strategic mission of ensuring that young students are provided with opportunities to learn technology in public schools and at home in order to remove the negative consequences of the digital divide. Santa Barbara Partners in Education (Partners), a non-profit organization, supports this mission by providing all students from low-income families with donated refurbished computers, discounted Internet access, training and instruction. The Santa Barbara County Education Office (SBCEO) integrates the CFF program’s operational components—Distribution, Family Training Night, SBCEO Portal, etc.—with its Media and Instruction department's strategic goals.

This is a social enterprise based in central kenya, that provides data back up services to institutions, produces computer designed wall hangings, offers a range of training programs to clients who range from organisations, the community and social groups.

DATCO PROGRAMS & SERVICES

1. DATA BACK UP SERVICES

Over the last 20 years, there has been a steady progression of community based institutions such as schools, hospitals and private ventures. Many of the said institutions do not have ICT infrastructure neither do they have computer trained personel. They therefore risk losing their vital data incase of eventualities such as fire or burglary. DATCO started data backing up services in the year 2005, where we have been able to serve seven schools & a local church owned water project. After necessary arrangements are made with the institution, DATCO collects, analyses, records and stores the data in both manually(filing) and electronically using database programs such as Ms access. The service is relatively new and we hope to get more clients as in the future. This service is provided at fee which has an annual subscription depending on the nature and magnitude of data.

(B) GRAPHICS & ARTWORK

DATCO produces computer-designed wall hangings. This is achieved by designing, then printing the writings using the computer programs such as adobe pagemaker. The writings (in form of hard copy print outs) are later mounted on marbles & tables. These are later sold as wall hangings after necessary finishing touches have been applied. Our wall hangings came in various sizes and prices. They are later sold in retail outlets such as bookshops and supermarket. We also offer typeset and printing services.

© PROFESSIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM

Over the last two years, DATCO has organised over 15 training programs where more than 600 people in the rural areas of central Kenya, have had a chance to meet, talk and learn from various experts and professionals such as agricultural officers. The three major areas of training are:

i. Agriculture

ii. Economic development

iii. HIV & AIDS

DATCO has a contact directory of professional in the fields mentioned above. When a client needs training in any of the services, DATCO hires and engages the professionals on contract or casual basis. The training is carried out in the field or in our multipurpose centre. In other words, DATCO sits as the interface between the proffesionals (trainers) and trainees. This program has enabled the local populace gain knowledge and therefore develop both socially and economically. Under our training program, DATCO has set up an Elimu (education) center. At this center our instructor carries out training on basic computer skills on full time basis. This center also doubles up as our main office of operation. The center has a program coordinator who is in charge of DATCO’s daily affairs.

PROGRAMME TEAM

DATCO has a program team that includes:

v A project coordinator: The project coordinator runs & manages the daily affairs of the project.

v Community leader/representative: he/she represents the community in policy making and also promotes the program within the community. He is normally a church leader or a civic leader.

v Others: they include our staff, and outside advisors. They help in defining objectives.

Together...We Build Bridges to a Better Future 

ICTs training for capacity building, empowerment and combating poverty among the people with disabilities in their communities.

ICTs offer individuals the ability to compensate for special needs to access knowledge by adapting digital media to the nature of their disabilities, and to enhance their social and economic integration in communities.

on the political agendas of countries.
They we need to be taken to move into the information society and the central role played by education in making the information society a reality is clearly highlighted.

Until now information on the use of ICT in the field of special needs education (SNE) has been limited to national and region level and very little information has been available at the world level.

KHouse Project develops Educational, computer-based activities to fight digital and social divide among children, youth, and adults (teachers and seniors).

Fire and Ice develops the “leaders of tomorrow” – our children and students – by connecting schools in North America and Europe with schools in developing nations (particularly those in rural and remote areas) and engaging them in live, online collaborative projects that address critical social challenges (such as climate change and poverty reduction) using the most advanced, yet economical and accessible ICT solutions to ensure that no student is left behind due to geography or financial resources.

Mahiti Manthana, a project of IT for Change, is a multi-pronged ICT strategy using radio, video and telecentres towards a contextual and convergent, technology-mediated, social change process. The project is embedded within Mahila Samakhya Karnataka (MSK), a development intervention of the Government of India that seeks to empower disadvantaged rural women.

“Maths to play” is a webzine, carried out thanks to the collaboration of students from three european schools within eTwinning (European Union eLearning programme). The project aims at spreading scientific culture among students and citizens, since this is firmly believed to be a fundamental element of social and economic empowerment. It implements a non-traditional approach to Maths, through which students can learn “by playing”, but also by reflecting on the deepest meaning of this subject.

The project won the 2007 Global Junior Challenge Award.

Mol-Matera Online Newspaper is a multi-lingual e-monthly magazine. Pupils from schools all over the world can contribute and collaborate with by sending their own articles and reviews. In doing so, we encourage self-expression and occasions of opinion debating for teenagers in order that they can experience differences and similarities sharing together cross-cultural interests, ideas and concerns.

The project, started in 2000, has been awarded numerous prizes and has been given increasingly broad appreciation both on a national and international level.

Mtandao Afrika (MAf) is a Pan African Program, a new style of learning that aims at the promotion of Internet-based education in Africa. It is a collaborative program targeting learners in the age of 12-19.MAf promotes the adoption of methodologies and approaches that enhance the educational process using ICT to empower youth to become critical learners and thinkers. MAf encourages collaboration among African learners in the development of African knowledge networks through creating their educational entries. A contest is held periodically where the students and coaches’ work together in teams in order to develop an educational website, at the end of the period, judging takes place and the candidate winners are invited to a youth camp where the final judging takes place along with some intensive training programs and other cultural visits.

Paul's Computers Institute (PCI) is a grade “A” Vocational training centre which offers professional training in IT; Data Processing, Accounting, Programming, Hardware/Software Maintenance, Repairs, Networking, and Internet Services, Bamenda, Cameroon founded by Paul C. Mickelson, Retired Firefighter from Beloit, Wisconsin, U.S. who came to Cameroon as a Peace Corps volunteer in 1992. PCI works with a network of friends who collect used computers and books from the US and ships them to Cameroon yearly. The books are distributed free to schools, libraries and the computers are used for training at the institute.

The recently launched  New Zealand Science Learning Hub www.sciencelearn.org.nz aims to spark fresh thinking and engagement in science education for New Zealand schools.

The Hub has been developed by the internationally respected University of Waikato - for clients the New Zealand Ministry of Research, Science and Technology (MORST). 

Working with a national network of leading science educators and subject experts, and in close collaboration with award-winning elearning company CWA New Media, the Hub offers a media rich environment through which contemporary themes can be explored by teachers and learners.

Through Contexts such as Icy Ecosystems, Earthquakes, The See Through Body and The Sporting Edge, the work, people and organisations of New Zealand's world-class science sector can be discovered.  Freshly commissioned teaching and learning resources, articles, videos, people profiles, interactives, animations and illustrations support each Context with more Contexts in development.

Contribute to the innovation and the improvement of the developing world’s education through a totally ONLINE High School program with free INTERNET access delivered completely through an online ICT technological GNU platform for a quality academic proposal trough scholarships specially directed to people of short academic opportunities, vulnerable, of limited resources and in pedagogical risk. Besides mastering 6 years of academic contents, they also develop reading and writing skills, self confidence, fluent use of information resources, computer literacy, and also become expertise in the use of online delivered courses, expecting to arrive at 5000 students by 2010 with UNESCO support.