Development

One month for a poster (Best version)

Thu, 30/07/2009 - 21:25

To give a European dimension to their Day Sustainable Development (celebrated on 11 December each year their school), high school students Alexis de Tocqueville (France) are proposed at first to ho

1. Project summary
Summary: 

To give a European dimension to their Day Sustainable Development (celebrated on 11 December each year their school), high school students Alexis de Tocqueville (France) are proposed at first to hold an exhibition on what schools are doing to their environment. Their idea: a school, a poster! Question to ask: What do you do for your planet? Each school has one or several posters, drawings or photographs and posted on virtual space of the project. They tried to pay attention to the whole world on issues of sustainable development and the global environment. Later, the high school in France has reproduced the works made for exposure of the "December 11" that took really a great success! Our Technical College "Petru Poni" of the city Onesti, Romania was represented by me (Mariana Bendou) and my colleague Professor Delia Nãdejde with 15-17 years old students from different trade classes.

2. Country (City / Region)
State: 
Romania
City: 
Oneşti
3. Company/organization/institute presenting the project
Organization: 
Colegiul Technic "Petru Poni", Oneşti
4. Type of organization
Select type: 
School
5. Project coordinator
Name and Surname: 
Mariana Bendou (Dima)
E-Mail: 
cool_marry_ann@yahoo.com
6. Website
The website of the project: 
http://twinblog.etwinning.net/8636
7. Please select the category in which you candidate your project
Youth Education Project. Select Project Users by age: 
Up to 18 years
Helping youth step in the job market: 
Helping youth step in the job market
Creativity and Social Innovation: 
Creativity and Social Innovation
8. How long has your project been running?
From: 
07/12/2008
9. Targets and Elements of Innovation
Please explain the targets and the background of your project: 

The approaches of the project with the European dimension: 
• pay attention to world problems sustainable development and the environment 
• to share our culture, civilization, diversity in others; 
• open the eyes of Europeans by the potential intellectual of our college; 
• be recognized everywhere our know – to do 
• create a strong relation with other nationalities. 
• comparisons between his country and other European countries; 
remark theirs values or their specific 
• love our country but also approach other countries Europeans,  understand the unity in diversity of the European space
• understand the importance of the study of language French as a common language of European countries and countries 
French, etc.. 

The best result of the project was  practicing (to exercise) foreign language learning through 
new technologies, see ICT through Twinnspace / eTwinning.
But project participants have also learned open to Europe and the world, comparing the practices 
sustainable development, develop citizenship but also imagination and creativity!

 It should be noted the surprising work and the originality of the works of the seriousness of
participants in the project despite the big difference / diversity of age (from kindergarten to university) ! Students or 
teachers had the opportunity to compare or to share their lives and their schools; teachers 
been pleased to make public (Internet) work and abilities / skills. The project was a wonderful 
experience, contributing to the increased prestige of school facilities are involved. They related friendships and it was 
already talked about the possibility of expanding joint activities (a future Comenius project, for example!). We  founded
news  educational benefits of working online (exchanges, feedback, motivation, etc.). Everyone has learned to post 
images on articles, add other documentation, create files or photo albums, make small videos or more
and, most importantly, we used the French language to communicate or work, we applied the principle of 
plurilingualism ... So, the Romanian team of Onesti, Romania, had the opportunity to prove their skills or computer 
language. Each school has one or more posters, drawings or photographs and posted on virtual space 
of Etwinning project. For this project, we tried to attract attention the whole  world on problems of sustainable development and the environment of the planet. The creativity of our students expressed their ideas / oppininons, by the choice of subjects 
for diversity and originality of the posters / drawings made by themselves. The posters were made in 
various drawing / peinting techniques and using materials different, that's why I added below each 
piece of work how it was done (by colored chalk, pencils colors, markers, etc.). 
The initial plan of the project (only one poster !) was later enriched and diversified , for example by creating 
new issues such as: "My City", "My school "," My country "”Our activities”.
 

We posted articles on the etwinning blog of project to make them public and other environmental activities /
and education of participants too.

During the winter holidays season, we changed virtual greeting cards or other useful  information . 

The greatest quality of this project was the development of interpersonal and communication multilingvistic between students from various countries.
 

All members of the Romanian team from Onesti, made the original works on sustainable development and the environment, they 
made changes in their project proposals. The Romanian members of the team etwinning had the opportunity to demonstrate their acquired competents of computer or French, English, of geography, ecology, conduct, art, etc.. They  maded  relations 
friendships with other relevant European countries ...
The two Romanian professors of Onesti, Mariana Bendou (Dima) and Delia Mihaela Nãdejde had the opportunity to share their experiences of life with other teachers, their teaching methods, their various opinions, they had the opportunity to make friends ...  The whole Romanian team of Onesti has succeeded in this project, to make known and acknowledged their high school (Technical College "Petru Poni", Onesti, Romania) abroad, respectively, to other institutions European school and discover, in turn, other sizes European education in schools ...

 

What does it try to achieve and how: 

Communication took place in French and 
English on the Internet by email (yahoo mail, 
hotmail, the Mail box of the project, the Forum project, 
skipe, yahoo messenger). We used scanners, web camera, 
software (Microsoft Word, Microsoft Office Power Point and 
Microsoft Office Picture Manager, Paint, etc.) for videos, 
photos and drawings. My students have achieved Romanian files 
or photo albums.

The work project  was published online :

 http://twinblog.etwinning.net/8636 

  My students have used the technology (ICT) in the project 
for information or communicate with each other 
learning more (or they learned they approached the 
french words specific to the language of science :
file / dossier, upload / télécharger, post, add / ajouter, send / envoyer, email / mél, home / page d’accueil, inbox / boîte de reception, etc.). Our team of Oneşti, Romania, creates the records: "The poster / The poster / Afişul", "Petru Poni" 
"Onesti" and "Romania / Romania / România" for to add 
photos (mostly taken by these people) and drawings 
/ posters of the project. 
Teachers have also used the ICT (correspondence 
on yahoo mail or hotmail or gmail and the mail box 
project), messages in the forum and virtual diary, chat 
skype or yahoo messenger, advertising the project 
on their blogs or sites of schools, etc.).. They reported on 
the internet not only in the project but also to change
views on their lives or their activities, their 
families, their education, their methodologies 
teaching, their students, etc.

 The project was for everyone a 
good reason to learn to work in team and 
test their abilities and skills. 

Which opportunities/problems does it address to: 

The best result of the project was  practicing (to exercise)
foreign language learning through 
new technologies, see ICT through Twinnspace / 
eTwinning.

But project participants have also learned open
to Europe and the world, comparing the practices 
sustainable development, develop citizenship but also 
imagination and creativity!

 It should be noted the surprising 
work and the originality of the works of the seriousness of
participants in the project despite the big difference / diversity of 
age (from kindergarten to university) ! Students or 
teachers had the opportunity to compare  or to
share their lives and their schools; teachers 
been pleased to make public (Internet) work 
and abilities / skills. The project was a wonderful 
experience, contributing to the increased prestige of 
school facilities are involved. They related friendships and it was 
already talked about the possibility of expanding joint activities 
(a future Comenius project, for example!). We  founded
news  educational benefits of working online (exchanges, 
feedback, motivation, etc.). Everyone has learned to post 
images on articles, add other documentation, create 
files or photo albums, make small videos or more
and, most importantly, we used the French language to 
communicate or work, we applied the principle of 
plurilingualism ... So, the Romanian team of Onesti, Romania,
had the opportunity to prove their skills or computer 
language. 

Please explain what is unique or special in your project: 

Each school has one or more
posters, drawings or photographs and posted on virtual space 
of Etwinning project. For this project, we tried to attract  attention  the whole  world 
on problems of sustainable development and the environment 
of the planet. The creativity of our students 
expressed their ideas / oppininons, by the choice of subjects 
for diversity and originality of the posters / drawings 
made by themselves. The posters were made in 
various drawing / peinting techniques and using materials 
different, that's why I added below each 
piece of work how it was done (by colored chalk, pencils 
colors, markers, etc.). 
        The initial plan of the project (only one poster !) was later
enriched and diversified , for example by creating 
new issues such as: "My City", "My school "," My country "”Our activities”.

We posted articles on the etwinning blog of
project to make them public and other environmental activities /
and education of participants too.

During the winter holidays season, we changed virtual greeting cards or other useful  information . 

10. Results
Describe the results of your project as per today: 

 

The best result of the project was  practicing (to exercise)
foreign language learning through 
new technologies, see ICT through Twinnspace / 
eTwinning.
But project participants have also learned open
to Europe and the world, comparing the practices 
sustainable development, develop citizenship but also 
imagination and creativity!

 It should be noted the surprising 
work and the originality of the works of the seriousness of
participants in the project despite the big difference / diversity of 
age (from kindergarten to university) ! Students or 
teachers had the opportunity to compare  or to
share their lives and their schools; teachers 
been pleased to make public (Internet) work 
and abilities / skills. The project was a wonderful 
experience, contributing to the increased prestige of 
school facilities are involved. They related friendships and it was 
already talked about the possibility of expanding joint activities 
(a future Comenius project, for example!). We  founded
news  educational benefits of working online (exchanges, 
feedback, motivation, etc.). Everyone has learned to post 
images on articles, add other documentation, create 
files or photo albums, make small videos or more
and, most importantly, we used the French language to 
communicate or work, we applied the principle of 
plurilingualism ... So, the Romanian team of Onesti, Romania,
had the opportunity to prove their skills or computer 
language. 

How does it fulfill the users’ needs: 

Everyone has learned to post 
images on articles, add other documentation, create 
files or photo albums, make small videos or more
and, most importantly, we used the French language to 
communicate or work, we applied the principle of 
plurilingualism ... So, the Romanian team of Onesti, Romania,
had the opportunity to prove their skills or computer 
language. 

Students or 
teachers had the opportunity to compare  or to
share their lives and their schools; teachers 
been pleased to make public (Internet) work 
and abilities / skills.

 

But project participants have also learned open
to Europe and the world, comparing the practices 
sustainable development, develop citizenship but also 
imagination and creativity!
How many users interact with your project per month and what are the preferred forms of interaction: 

It should be noted the surprising 
work and the originality of the works of the seriousness of
participants in the project despite the big difference / diversity of 
age (from kindergarten to university) ! Students or 
teachers had the opportunity to compare  or to
share their lives and their schools; teachers 
been pleased to make public (Internet) work 
and abilities / skills. The project was a wonderful 
experience, contributing to the increased prestige of 
school facilities are involved. They related friendships and it was 
already talked about the possibility of expanding joint activities 
(a future Comenius project, for example!). We  founded
news  educational benefits of working online (exchanges, 
feedback, motivation, etc.).

How has it improved the quality of educational and/or training services: 

We  founded
news  educational benefits of working online (exchanges, 
feedback, motivation, etc.). Everyone has learned to post 
images on articles, add other documentation, create 
files or photo albums, make small videos or more
and, most importantly, we used the French language to 
communicate or work, we applied the principle of 
plurilingualism ...

 

Project participants have also learned open
to Europe and the world, comparing the practices 
sustainable development, develop citizenship but also 
imagination and creativity!
How has it improved the participation of professionals, children, youth and other stakeholders: 

It should be noted the surprising 
work and the originality of the works of the seriousness of
participants in the project despite the big difference / diversity of 
age (from kindergarten to university) ! Students or 
teachers had the opportunity to compare  or to
share their lives and their schools; teachers 
been pleased to make public (Internet) work 
and abilities / skills. The project was a wonderful 
experience, contributing to the increased prestige of 
school facilities are involved.

The greatest quality of this project was the development of 
interpersonal and communication 
multilingvistic between students from various countries.

All members of the Romanian team from Onesti, made the original works
on sustainable development and the environment, they 
made changes in their project proposals. The 
Romanian members of the team etwinning had the opportunity to 
demonstrate their acquired competents of computer or French, English, of 
geography, ecology, conduct, art, etc.. They  maded  relations 
friendships with other relevant European countries ...
The two Romanian professors of Onesti, Mariana Bendou (Dima) and Delia 
Mihaela Nãdejde had the opportunity to share their experiences of 
life with other teachers, their teaching methods, 
their various opinions, they had the opportunity to make friends ... 
The whole Romanian team of Onesti has succeeded in this project, to make known 
and acknowledged their high school (Technical College "Petru Poni", Onesti, 
Romania) abroad, respectively, to other institutions 
European school and discover, in turn, other sizes European education in schools ...
How does it promote the use of ICT for the educational and cultural development by professionals, children and youth: 

The best result of the project was  practicing (to exercise)
foreign language learning through 
new technologies, see ICT through Twinnspace / 
eTwinning.

Communication took place in French and 
English on the Internet by email (yahoo mail, 
hotmail, the Mail box of the project, the Forum project, 
skipe, yahoo messenger). We used scanners, web camera, 
software (Microsoft Word, Microsoft Office Power Point and 
Microsoft Office Picture Manager, Paint, etc.) for videos, 
photos and drawings. My students have achieved Romanian files 
or photo albums.
The work project was published online :
 http://twinblog.etwinning.net/8636 
  My students have used the technology (ICT) in the project 
for information or communicate with each other 
learning more (or they learned they approached the 
french words specific to the language of science :
file / dossier, upload / télécharger, post, add / ajouter, send / envoyer, email / mél, home / page d’accueil, inbox / boîte de reception, etc.). Our team of Oneşti, Romania, creates the records: "The poster / The poster / Afişul", "Petru Poni" 
"Onesti" and "Romania / Romania / România" for to add 
photos (mostly taken by these people) and drawings 
/ posters of the project. 
Teachers have also used the ICT (correspondence 
on yahoo mail or hotmail or gmail and the mail box 
project), messages in the forum and virtual diary, chat 
skype or yahoo messenger, advertising the project 
on their blogs or sites of schools, etc.).. They reported on 
the internet not only in the project but also to change
views on their lives or their activities, their 
families, their education, their methodologies 
teaching, their students, etc.
Describe how you measure (parameters) these results: 

Use of ICT within the project, Results and benefits, Curricular integration, European Size, Innovation and creativity, Sustainability, Overall quality

11. Sustainability
What is the full duration of your project: 
Less than 1 year
12. Transferability
Has your project been replicated/adapted elsewhere: 
Yes
Specify: 

Students or 
teachers had the opportunity to compare  or to
share their lives and their schools; teachers 
been pleased to make public (Internet) work 
and abilities / skills. The project was a wonderful 
experience, contributing to the increased prestige of 
school facilities are involved. They related friendships and it was 
already talked about the possibility of expanding joint activities 
(a future Comenius project, for example!).

What lessons can others learn from your project: 

The initial plan of the project (only one poster !) was later
enriched and diversified , for example by creating 
new issues such as: "My City", "My school "," My country "”Our activities”.

We posted articles on the etwinning blog of
project to make them public and other environmental activities /
and education of participants too.

During the winter holidays season, we changed virtual greeting cards or other useful  information . 

We are available to help others starting or working on similar projects: 
We are available to help others starting or working on similar projects.
13. Background information
Background: 

The greatest quality of this project was the development of 
interpersonal and communication 
multilingvistic between students from various countries.

All members of the Romanian team from Onesti, made the original works
on sustainable development and the environment, they 
made changes in their project proposals. The 
Romanian members of the team etwinning had the opportunity to 
demonstrate their acquired competents of computer or French, English, of 
geography, ecology, conduct, art, etc.. They  maded  relations 
friendships with other relevant European countries ...
The two Romanian professors of Onesti, Mariana Bendou (Dima) and Delia 
Mihaela Nãdejde had the opportunity to share their experiences of 
life with other teachers, their teaching methods, 
their various opinions, they had the opportunity to make friends ... 
The whole Romanian team of Onesti has succeeded in this project, to make known 
and acknowledged their high school (Technical College "Petru Poni", Onesti, 
Romania) abroad, respectively, to other institutions 
European school and discover, in turn, other sizes European education in schools ...

 

The project was recognized by the directors of our college and 
by other teaching colleagues or heds who have taken their 
moral support for this project and allowed us access to 
firm or other firms or laboratories, with our students as appropriate.

It should be noted the excellent 
collaboration between two Romanian professors of Onesti (Romania) Mariana Bendou (Dima) and Delia Nãdejde who made a very good team 
together. These two professors were able to give 
duties and similar tasks to students and to assess / 
compare the results. They gave awards to their  
students (good grades, diplomas, etc.) more involved in the 
project for to motivate their work and they have been known to do 
on the internet ...

 The French high school and an other  Romanian school participantwere already rewarded with Etwinning Quality Label for this project!

Barriers: 

Our high school with a technical profile, its students have not enough knowledge of artistic painting or drawing like others parteners of this project

Solutions: 

I allowed my students to choose their own working technique and I helped them

Future plans and wish list: 

I will continue working with some partners in this project on other topics;

I will invite many students from different classes to the development of future projects;

As a geography teacher too, I will try another type of school project sustainable development.

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URUGUAY: Global Leader in Equal Access to Digital Education

Thu, 30/07/2009 - 11:57

The One Laptop per Child association develops a low-cost laptop—the "XO Laptop"—to revolutionize how we educate the world's children.

1. Project summary
Summary: 

Ceibal’s strategic principles are: equality of opportunity in access to technology, democratization of knowledge and enhancing learning in schools and in the context of the whole experience of learners.
The project will be located institutionally and pedagogy developed in the field of primary education, since the target population consists of students from 1st to 6th year of primary education and their teachers.
The laptops are set up by OLPC for children are, lightweight, easily transportable and very durable. Its features enable work in diverse environments, also different to the classroom and open up opportunities for very different approach to teach and learn. .

This project aims to have a significant social impact on the relationship between the school and the family, the promotion of skills for the XXI century society in an attempt to reduce the existing digital divide

2. Country (City / Region)
State: 
Uruguay
City: 
Montevideo
3. Company/organization/institute presenting the project
Organization: 
CDI Uruguay
4. Type of organization
Select type: 
Cultural Institution (foundations, museums, galleries, etc…)
5. Project coordinator
Name and Surname: 
Jiulia Peruzzi Tirelli
E-Mail: 
juliap@media.mit.edu
6. Website
The website of the project: 
www.cdi.org.uy
7. Please select the category in which you candidate your project
Youth Education Project. Select Project Users by age: 
Up to 15 years
Helping youth step in the job market: 
NOT Helping youth step in the job market
Creativity and Social Innovation: 
Creativity and Social Innovation
8. How long has your project been running?
From: 
03/03/2007
9. Targets and Elements of Innovation
Please explain the targets and the background of your project: 

The introduction of computers in schools does not mean merely learning to use a technological resource, requires thinking about how their integration in the classroom enhances student learning, assessing not only access to new knowledge but also the development of attitudes, skills, etc.
Then you are not thinking in incorporating the technology itself, but according to the pedagogical approach. The integration of computers, was seen in the context of societal, cultural construction at the service of active development of significance by the student based on their interests and prior knowledge and based on their interactions with the object of knowledge through the teacher's mediation.
Education planning is seen as the anticipation of an area of opportunity for learning by the student, an area shaped by the teacher can be done in many ways. Computers widen that space, since these features are particularly appropriate for development of project work, topics, problem solving and networking.
This project has a very wide and ambitious target: to improve the ways that people learn and teach, to investigate social changes becoming through the experience

What does it try to achieve and how: 

The project will try to achieve it ambitious target and additionally, learn a lot of new pedagogic strategies and significant changes on the life of participants to be replicated and shared with all the people interested around the world.
The World Summit on the Information Society in Geneva 2003 recognizes that education, knowledge, information and communication are essential for progress, and welfare of human beings. Moreover, information technologies and communication technologies (ICTs) have an immense impact on virtually all aspects of our lives. The rapid progress of these technologies opens completely new opportunities to attain higher levels of development. The capability of ICTs to reduce many traditional obstacles, especially the time and distance, for the first time ever, allow the use of the potential of these technologies for the benefit of millions of people around the world.

We have not yet all the responses to “What does it try to achieve and how” instead we have many questions. Since is a projetc whit no precedents, we hope to learn by while doing it

Which opportunities/problems does it address to: 

Opportunities:
We are fully aware that the benefits of the revolution in information technology are today unevenly distributed between developed and developing countries and within societies. We are fully committed to turning this digital divide into a digital opportunity for all, especially those who risk being behind and further marginalized. Just give access does not involve overcoming the "digital divide". While the level of connectivity and use of technology is important, it is more important yet that people can have the knowledge, habits of critical thinking and values needed to use these tools in personal and collective development.
These are the great long lasting opportunities of this project: to built, all together a better life for everyone.

Problems:
Since this is a very innovative project, it could be rejected and/or misunderstand by teachers at the school.
Political changes at the government of Uruguay could change the educational aims of the authorities.

Please explain what is unique or special in your project: 

It is unique because is the very first time in the history that a country gives laptops to every children at primary schools.
I would like to remark that children own the laptop and carry them home or wherever they want. Also they keep their laptops even when they left the school.

CDI Uruguay is collaborating to extend the knowledge to families and communities in order to have better results extending the benefits of managing laptops to the whole society.
Other important innovation emerge from the agreement CDI Uruguay – CEIBAL to include families and communities at CEIBAL beneficiaries. Is a very innovative project aiming to demonstrate that the collaboration between ONE TO ONE projects and Communitarian Telecenters empower both projects towards the social development

10. Results
Describe the results of your project as per today: 

The project have promoted ownership by teachers and students, while generating innovation among its multiple innovations. Teachers are learning new ways in the exercise of its profession, children and teachers are learning how to learn, curiosity and willing to learn is increased ... as well as fun at the school!
Since children have the laptops at home, the whole family is curious and interested at this “magic machine” which is fully connected to internet, even at home, due to the mesh network with the server at the school. So parents and other relatives are also learning very new things and using laptops for their own interests. Here is shown the importance of the intervention of CDI Uruguay and its telecenters.
The Internet access in Uruguay has been increased from 25 % until almost 60 %

How does it fulfill the users’ needs: 

While the level of connectivity and use of technology is important, it is more important yet that people can have the knowledge, habits of critical thinking and values needed to use these tools in personal and collective development.
Just give mere access to technology does not involve overcoming the "digital divide. Hence the importance of this project in encouraging the student in developing the necessary skills to enable them to exercise responsible autonomy and criticism and actively participate in building a world more human, more democratic and fair.
Additionally, CDI Uruguay intervention will fulfill need of other users who are not children at schools.

How many users interact with your project per month and what are the preferred forms of interaction: 

CEIBAL:
330.000 children and teachers (the same every month because they are the whole amount attending primary schools at the country).
CDI URUGUAY:
50 teachers of public and private schools at face to face courses
50 teachers reached at e.learning
60 relatives of children who own a laptop and have them at home

How has it improved the quality of educational and/or training services: 

The World Summit on the Information Society in Geneva 2003 recognizes that education, knowledge, information and communication are essential for progress, and welfare of human beings. Moreover, information and communication technologies (ICTs) have an immense impact on virtually all aspects of our lives. The rapid progress of these technologies opens completely new opportunities to attain higher levels of development. The capability of ICTs to reduce many traditional obstacles, especially time and distance, for the first time ever, allow the use of the potential of these technologies for the benefit of millions of people around the world.

How has it improved the participation of professionals, children, youth and other stakeholders: 

Uruguayan authorities promoted the realization of a public Educational Debate with participation of professionals and all the people interested at the subject.
It should be noted that the inputs related to Education and ICTs, with citizenship participation, confirm the line of the exposed bases pointing to the need "to ensure resources for the use of ICTs as a tool for democratization of knowledge".

How does it promote the use of ICT for the educational and cultural development by professionals, children and youth: 

Its core is to promote the educational and cultural development of students, teachers and families to improve educational and social development.

Describe how you measure (parameters) these results: 

Number of beneficiaries : children, youth, adults
Number of new teachers acquiring computer literacy.
Level of Internet connectivity at the country.
A medium and long term it can be measured educational and social changes.

11. Sustainability
What is the full duration of your project: 
From 3 to 6 years
What is the approximate total budget for your project (in USD): 
More than 500.000
What is the source of funding for your project: 
Other
Other: 
governmental, with the collaboration of our NGO
12. Transferability
Has your project been replicated/adapted elsewhere: 
No
We are available to help others starting or working on similar projects: 
We are available to help others starting or working on similar projects.
13. Background information
Background: 

About CDI International Network: The Committee for Democracy in Information Technology (CDI) is a non-profit organization working to free young people from poverty and social exclusion through the establishment of community IT and Citizenship Schools. CDI views IT literacy as a way to promote employment opportunities, civic participation, formal education, ecology, health, human rights and non-violence.
CDI seeks to help individual communities establish their own educational programs. Since its inception in Rio de Janeiro in 1995, the Committee has supported 933 communities around Brazil, South Africa, Angola, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, México and Uruguay, to establish their own autonomous and financially self-sustaining IT and Human Right Schools
These neighborhoods are among the nation’s poorest. CDI provides these schools with technical assistance, teacher training, curriculum development, as well as donated software and computer equipment.
By implementing the CDI model, the EICs have enrolled 936.900 graduates so far, mostly children and teenagers. The Committee has successfully adapted its methodology to reach diverse groups, such as street children, visually-impaired youths, prisoners, and indigenous people.

About CDI Uruguay: It’s a program which empower its targets working in coordinati on with CDI International Network over all the territory of this country. Since the starting of CEIBAL project, CDI Uruguay is collaborating with it to extend its performance.

CDI Uruguay offers Uruguayan communities technical assistance, teacher training, and help in developing methods and specific curricula for different social groups, free of charge. In addition, CDI Uruguay donates computers, printers, and software. Once an EIC is created, CDI Uruguay continues to assist in its development.

Information technology is spearheading the modernization process the world over. Young people living in poor communities are consequently extremely interested in it. The computer skills and knowledge of human rights and ecology, acquired in the EICs, create more opportunities for participants, as well as for their families and neighborhoods. In addition, there is a growing demand for IT skills in today’s job market. These young people, once equipped with computer skills, will have greater employment opportunities and will consequently be better placed to integrate into society both economically and socially.

Governments and non-governmental organizations, as well as non-profit and international development agencies, have acknowledged the remarkable effectiveness of the CDI model. For instance, UNESCO has been instrumental in lending institutional support and has granted the Committee with its Seal of Approval. CDI finances its activities through partnerships with the government agencies, as well as with corporations and philanthropic organizations. With the help of partners including Inter American Development Bank, Microsoft, Avina, World Bank, Swiss Re Brazil Services de Participators, United Methodist Church, Ashoka, Global Partnerships, Zonamerica Business & Technology Park, Punto Ogilvy, ARTech, República AFAP, Fanapel, Estudio Luis Lecueder and many others, CDI is building a solid financial and administrative platform, where new funding can be securely invested for the development of effective social programs.

Barriers: 

- Lack of flexibility of the school teachers, in those who are too attached to old educational methods.
- Teachers who are not familiar with computers and have afraid of new technologies.
- social and familiar violence, which produces damages to the laptops made by some relatives, and stole of laptops when children are carrying them home to school and vice versa.

Solutions: 

- To work hard with the purpose of overcome the reluctance teachers to adapt to the new age in education and to accept the new technologies at the classroom, with all the methodological changes that this means. This work is being focused in pedagogical training.
- Training every teacher in computer science.
- A broadcast campaign to overcome these awful effects of the violence, above all saying the characteristic of these laptops. Laptops has a owner – the child- who has the password to start it. In case of rob, the computer is blocked and so has not value at the market.

Future plans and wish list: 

From CEIBAL:
-To extend the delivery of laptops to secondary education.
From CDI Uruguay:
- To obtain financial resources to reach more people -families and communities-. The needed resources are to be applied for travel and per Diem for students at isolate areas of the country. We wish to do gatherings of interchange and special trainings according to the specifics needs of communities.
From both CEIBAL and CDI Uruguay:
- To involve at this "adventure" as much people as possible (from our country and from abroad).
- To make researches to learn more about and from the process of this project.
- To spread out the great amount of knowledge acquired in the process of the project

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Nakuru Learning Center Educational Program for Vulnerable Children

Mon, 20/07/2009 - 12:15

Currently LDK supports 324 orphans and other vulnerable children with their basic needs to enable them reach their full potential.

1. Project summary
Summary: 

In 1998, Three Kenyans - Philip Ndeta (the brains behind the organization), Obed Tsuma and Benta Atieno founded Learning and Development Kenya (LDK) to work with the local communities to address the problems brought about by government’s introduction of cost sharing in the education and health sectors. While outwardly improving the economy of Kenya, these government measures ultimately led to an increase in child labor, high rates of school dropouts, and increased homelessness in children. As Director of the organization, Mr. Ndeta oversees the day to day running of the organization.

At LDK we believe that education is the great equalizer, and by working to ensure that all Kenyans (especially children), have access to quality educational programs, we believe we can dramatically reduce the inequalities caused by extreme poverty. Through teaching a child to read, helping a youth master a computer so she can get a better job, or educating the community about HIV, LDK is working tirelessly to equip the most vulnerable Kenyans with the tools they need to succeed.

Since 1998 and through its education program, LDK has been able to provide support for high education and specialized training in secretarial courses, computer, teaching (both primary and ECD), IT and even tailoring to over 150 young Kenyans who would otherwise not have had a chance to empower their talents and build their future. Though no follow up has been made to establish their current status, we believe that with the qualifications attained through our support they are now employed in the government or private sector or even self-employed and therefore contributing to nation building.

Currently LDK supports 324 needy children in nursery, primary and secondary schools. It further supports 74 orphans with shelter, food, medical care and other basic needs. The orphans live in the home at the Virginia center in Rhonda slums within Nakuru Municipality.

Programs: Education program; HIV/AIDS program; Environmental and Sanitation program; Peace initiative project; Relief activities; Civic education program.

2. Country (City / Region)
State: 
Kenya
City: 
Nakuru, Rift Valley Province
3. Company/organization/institute presenting the project
Organization: 
Learning and Development Kenya
4. Type of organization
Select type: 
School
5. Project coordinator
Name and Surname: 
Philip Ndeta
E-Mail: 
philipndeta@yahoo.com
6. Website
The website of the project: 
http://www.learninganddevelopmentkenya.org
7. Please select the category in which you candidate your project
Youth Education Project. Select Project Users by age: 
Up to 29 years
Helping youth step in the job market: 
NOT Helping youth step in the job market
Creativity and Social Innovation: 
NOT in Creativity and Social Innovation
8. How long has your project been running?
From: 
05/02/2001
9. Targets and Elements of Innovation
Please explain the targets and the background of your project: 

In 1998, Learning and Development Kenya (LDK) was founded to work with the local communities in addressing the problems brought about by government’s introduction of cost sharing in the education and health sectors. While outwardly improving the economy of Kenya, these government measures ultimately led to an increase in child labor, high rates of school dropouts, and increased homelessness in children.

What does it try to achieve and how: 

We believe education is the great equalizer, and by working to ensure that all Kenyans (and especially children) have access to quality educational programs, we believe we can dramatically reduce the inequalities caused by extreme poverty.

Which opportunities/problems does it address to: 

Since 2000 Learning and Development Kenya has been implementing a literacy project, designed to improve on the literacy and reading skills of the orphans and needy children and prepare them for positive and active participation in nation building. LDK provides an enabling learning environment with modern teaching facilities including solid classrooms, highly qualified and caring teaching staff and a modern library with the necessary books to motivate and boost the morale of both the children and teachers at the institution. This has improved the standard of learning, making the project one of the best within the Municipality in terms of provision of quality education.

Meal program: Every day, we provide a warm meal to 324 students in our school, children who would otherwise miss a meal.

Emergency Relief: During the post-election violence in Kenya in 2008, LDK hosted nearly 7,000 displaced peoples, coordinating with the Red Cross to ensure steady food supplies.

Athletic Leagues to Drive Community Empathy and Understanding:
Historically, athletic competition has peaceably brought together individuals, factions, and even nations with troubled relations, and we believe that friendly competition and the spirit of teamwork can have a positive impact on the youth of Kenya who have been driven apart by the recent political elections. We have organized soccer games from teams of idle youth who would otherwise be engaged in gang-related activities and violence.

HIV/AIDS Education: In conjunction with the Ark Foundation of Africa, we’ve provided training workshops for locals that aim to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and promotes sustainable behavior change among the youth and residents. The workshops also aim to support scale up activities of CBOs within East Africa, engaging and strengthening the capacity of indigenous organizations so that they can scale up their programs and effectively meet the complex needs of orphans and vulnerable children in their communities.

Environmental Sustainability: It is a priority to LDK to ensure that the people we are helping will have a clean, healthy, safe place to live for many, many years – and environmental sustainability through improved sanitation is a critical component of that effort. LDK mobilizes youth in the community to participate in the environmental activities.

Please explain what is unique or special in your project: 

LDK provides an enabling learning environment with modern teaching facilities including solid classrooms, highly qualified and caring teaching staff and a modern library with the necessary books to motivate and boost the morale of both the children and teachers at the institution. This has improved the standard of learning, making the project one of the best within the Municipality in terms of provision of quality education. We consider this special for our literacy project.

The students in our classrooms are already among the neediest in the region, and by providing a warm meal as part of their education, we are improving their ability to learn while ensuring they are meeting their minimum daily nutritional needs. Our feeding program is of its own kind among the local schools.

Other than the local churches, LDK was the only local NGO in the area that hosted displaced peoples during the post-election violence in Kenya in 2008. This was because most of the affected people were from this area, a majority being the poor parents that LDK supports with education of their children. The facilities at its learning center also ensured safety of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) as well as our networking skills with both the provincial administration department and the Red Cross.

Being an active participant in community activities, LDK has positioned itself as a collaborating agency with the community in solving their most pressing issues. Due to this position the community has high regard for LDK’s initiatives, providing the much needed support and networking that is required for effective project implementation.

Initially there was stigma related to HIV/AIDS but with continuous awareness activities carried out by LDK staff and their understanding of the local cultures, the community became more cooperative and supportive. Also given the fact that we care for orphans in the community whose parents have died due to HIV/AIDS related dieses gives the community members all the reason to participate and support the imitative. Our unique facilities at the learning center have also made it possible for LDK to host participants for HIV/AIDS training and education.

10. Results
Describe the results of your project as per today: 

Since 1998 and through its education program, LDK has been able to provide support for high education and specialized training in secretarial courses, computer, teaching (both primary and ECD), IT and even tailoring to over 150 young Kenyans who would otherwise not have had a chance to empower their talents and build their future. Though no follow up has been made to establish their current status, we believe that with the qualifications attained through our support they are now employed in the government or private sector or even self-employed and therefore contributing to nation building.

Currently LDK supports 324 needy children in nursery, primary and secondary schools. It further supports 74 orphans with shelter, food, medical care and other basic needs. The orphans live in the home at the Virginia center in Rhonda slums within Nakuru Municipality.

During the post-election violence in Kenya in 2008, LDK hosted nearly 7,000 displaced peoples, coordinating with the Red Cross to ensure steady food supplies.

Since the Micor credit program was initiated in 2001 it has helped more than 4,500 families to develop sustainable sources of income (through loans of small amounts of seed capital at zero interest to start their own business), directly benefiting more than 36,000 individuals where an average family in these rural and urban poor areas consists of 8 members. These are families who otherwise would never have dreamed that financial independence was a possibility. In addition, we have held monthly workshops for the loan recipients to empower them with business skills. And because of the relationships we have fostered with the families of the many children from the communities enrolled in the schools, LDK is uniquely positioned to identify the most motivated, entrepreneurial individuals as recipients.

How does it fulfill the users’ needs: 

Users needs: Education – which we believe eventually contributes to reduction of inequalities caused by extreme poverty. LDK provides quality education and other services to its users, meeting their needs.

How many users interact with your project per month and what are the preferred forms of interaction: 

3,000 users. To be precise, 324 children, 22 teaching and subordinate staff, 1,600 familly members (200 families), 10 government, NGO and church officials, at least 500 other community members, and 500 other stakeholders (donors, overseas friends and guests, etc.) interact with our project per month through personal vists to the school (for the children, staff, government visitors, guests, and some parents), postal mail, and email. Some family members are updated by the school going children and therefore considered to be interacting with our project. Our termly newsletter since 2008 is also used as a form of interaction with the community while our website is visited by many people from around the world.

How has it improved the quality of educational and/or training services: 

The quality and standard of education of our children is high due to the determination of our teaching staff. The number of children per class is also reasonable at 35, enabling the teacher to reach all the children in the class, unlike in public schools where the population exceeds 120 children per class. This teacher-pupil ratio, in addition to available learning aids ensures that quality education is provided to the needy children. The interaction has fostered trust among the users who enjoy using the services, though it has not been able to attract more support in terms of funding, as we earlier anticipated.

How has it improved the participation of professionals, children, youth and other stakeholders: 

Participation is still less except for a few high schools and local churches that have mobilized their students and members to donate for our activities targeting the orphans and the poor. The youth participate in the activities while other members of the community have been very supportive, inspiring us even more. The government recognizes the role LDK play in the provision of basic needs to the needy and has supported our initiatives like donation of food for the feeding program and a grant for the learning aids.

How does it promote the use of ICT for the educational and cultural development by professionals, children and youth: 

The use and promotion of ICT is core to our project and a major component of our activities. The installed cybercafé at our learning center allows not only students but the rest of the community members to use the internet and communicate with people around the world, effectively promoting the use of ICT among the professionals, children and youth.

To market our services: Education, training, HIV/AIDS etc., to a wide audience LDK uses a number of techniques including advertisement in both print and mass media, posters, brochures, our end of the term/year newsletter, and even the internet. We therefore try to reach as many people (professionals, children and youth included) through frequent use of these techniques, again, effectively promoting the use of ICT.

Describe how you measure (parameters) these results: 

We record the number of users applying for our services. The number has exceedingly increased over the years, indicating strong support of our programs by the users.

Exams done by the children in our school together with other children in other Municipal schools: Comparison done has shown that children in our school have done much better than children in other public schools, confirming the high quality of education that we provide to our children.

We interview the public to find out how they view our services and they positive comments confirm their satisfaction with our services.

The visitors to our website, viewing our programs and interacting with us thereafter now exceeds 4,200 people. This is also used to measure the results of our services.

11. Sustainability
What is the full duration of your project: 
More than 6 years
What is the approximate total budget for your project (in USD): 
From 30.001 to 75.000
What is the source of funding for your project: 
Sale of products or services
Is your project economically self sufficient now: 
No
12. Transferability
Has your project been replicated/adapted elsewhere: 
Yes
Specify: 

The Government of Kenya through the district children’s office started a street children rehabilitation center “Ukoa Mtoto” within Nakuru Municipality and sent its engineers in 2007 to our learning center to get a view of the home we put up for the orphans to replicate the same at their planned rehabilitation center.

During our HIV/AIDS workshop held in 2007 for CBO leaders from Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, participants from Tanzania were particularly impressed with not only the solid buildings but with the whole set up for a home for orphans who have been empowered and feel very much at home. They lived with the children in the same home during the workshop period and promised to replicate the same in their respective projects. No follow up has been made to confirm if at all replication has been made by any of the participants.

What lessons can others learn from your project: 

Quality is everything that others can learn from our project. With quality the users feel assured of the results.

Empowerment approach: We empower the users to feel part of the project, hence project ownership.

Permanent (solid) structures: These ensures that quality is provided to the users, for example the case with IDPs who felt much secure at our center during the post election violence.

Networking: Good and sustainable results are obtained through consistency and networking. LDK has been consistence with its approach to poverty aleviation, establishing and positioning itself as a poverty reduction agency within the community and hence wining the much needed support from all stakeholders – community, government, donors and friends.

Innovation: Unique activities started after careful research for community needs have had profound effect on the lives of our users.

Invovement and participation of the users have garaunteed project sustainnability even during difficult times when funding is so low like now.

We are available to help others starting or working on similar projects: 
We are available to help others starting or working on similar projects.
13. Background information
Background: 

In 1998, Three Kenyans - Philip Ndeta (the brains behind the organization), Obed Tsuma and Benta Atieno founded Learning and Development Kenya (LDK) to work with the local community to address the problems brought about by government’s introduction of cost sharing in the education and health sectors. While outwardly improving the economy of Kenya, these government measures ultimately led to an increase in child labor, high rates of school dropouts, and increased homelessness in children.

Since 1998 and through its education program, LDK has been able to provide support for high education and specialized training in secretarial courses, computer, teaching (both primary and ECD), IT and even tailoring to over 150 young Kenyans who would otherwise not have had a chance to empower their talents and build their future. Though no follow up has been made to establish their current status, we believe that with the qualifications attained through our support they are now employed in the government or private sector or even self-employed and therefore contributing to nation building.

Currently LDK supports 324 needy children in nursery, primary and secondary schools. It further supports 74 orphans with shelter, food, medical care and other basic needs. The orphans live in the home at the Virginia center in Rhonda slums within Nakuru Municipality.

Vision: To see a free Kenyan Society without inequalities of extreme poverty, destitution, deprivation, or austerity.

Mission: To respond to the needs of the communities and those of their children with a primary objective of improving the quality of life of those in need.

History: Local non-governmental, non-profit, non-sectarian development organization founded in 1998. It acquired special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations in 2008.

Programs: Education program
HIV/AIDS program
Environmental and Sanitation program
Peace initiative project
Relief activities
Civic education program

Overview of donors that have contributed to our programs:
Foundations; INGOs; Overseas corporations: The Hilden Charitable Fund – UK
Bertelsmann AG – Germany
The Ark Foundation of Africa – USA
CO-OPERAID – Switzerland
Random House New York – USA (Books)
Crossroads International – Hong Kong (China)
Misereor – Germany
Advantage Africa – UK
MIVA Switzerland (Vehicle)
Government: Kenya Government (Department of provincial administration – food for feeding program).
Kenya Government (Ministry of education – Grant for support of informal education system).

Programs details
Literacy Project
Since 2000 Learning and Development Kenya has been implementing a literacy project, designed to improve on the literacy and reading skills of the orphans and needy children and prepare them for positive and active participation in nation building. LDK provides an enabling learning environment with modern teaching facilities including solid classrooms, highly qualified and caring teaching staff and a modern library with the necessary books to motivate and boost the morale of both the children and teachers at the institution. This has improved the standard of learning, making the project one of the best within the Municipality in terms of provision of quality education.

Meal Program
Every day, we provide a warm meal to 324 students in our school, children who would otherwise miss a meal.

Skills Training Workshops
The skills training program is more connected to the micro credit project. It aims to provide capacity building and therefore strengthen individual business skills of the loan recipients. The program is based on the premise that trade is the most effective way of helping the poor to create sustainable, long-term solutions to the economic problems they face. It has helped beneficiaries to master their trading skills, lowering default rate on repaying the loans.

Microcredit Program
To help families develop sustainable sources of income, we loan small amounts of seed capital at zero interest to families to start their own business—families who otherwise would never have dreamed that financial independence was a possibility.

The micro credit project has been implemented on the believe that the best way to address poverty is to help families and individuals to become financially independent – through free revolving loans, education and training, that will lead them into income generation and employment. And because of the relationships we have fostered with the families of many children from the community enrolled in the school, LDK is uniquely positioned to identify the most motivated, entrepreneurial individuals as recipients. These individuals are often the parents of our students, which allows us to ensure that this support is being targeted at the families most in need and maintain continuous contact.

Emergency Relief
During the post-election violence in Kenya in 2008, LDK hosted nearly 7,000 displaced peoples, coordinating with the Red Cross to ensure steady food supplies. Other than the local churches, LDK was the only local NGO that was involved in this exercise because most of the affected people were from this area, a majority being the poor parents that LDK supports with education of their children. The facilities at its learning center also ensured safety of the Internally Displaced Persons as well as our networking skills with both the provincial administration department and the Red Cross.

HIV/AIDS Education
The program aims to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and promotes sustainable behavior change among the youth and residents.
LDK has also collaborated with the Ark Foundation of Africa to support scale up activities of CBOs within East Africa:

Too many orphans and other vulnerable children (OVC) in Africa are growing up in situations of scarcity without education, healthcare, strong parental support etc. Similarly, grandmothers who care for the majority of orphans are overwhelmed, doing their job under very difficult, unsupportive circumstances. Grandmothers are simply doing what they know and what they love doing, day after day.

In countries with very weak or practically non-existent social safety nets like Kenya, indigenous NGOs and CBOs are also struggling to survive. Many do not have the resources or enough staff with the right skills and training to enable them to effectively address OVC related challenges.

To address this dilemma, LDK and the Ark Foundation of Africa and its partners organized a 5-day capacity building workshop for leaders of indigenous organizations in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. The participatory workshop focused on building culturally sustainable and realistic programs to close the large gap between the need and available services. Learning and Development Kenya acted as the host organization for the workshop.
30 participants were nominated for the workshop from eligible organizations working directly with orphans and vulnerable children and their caregivers. Most of the nominated organizations that participated in the workshop are based in the districts of:

Kenya – Nakuru, Mombasa, Nandi and Trans Nzoia
Tanzania – Bagamoyo, Dodoma Rural, and Mbozi, and Zanzibar
Uganda – Gulu, Kitgum, Luwero, and Wakiso

The workshop aimed at engaging and strengthening the capacity of indigenous organizations so that they can scale up their programs and effectively meet the complex needs of orphans and vulnerable children in their communities.

Athletic Leagues to Drive Community Empathy and Understanding
Historically, athletic competition has peaceably brought together individuals, factions, and even nations with troubled relations, and we believe that friendly competition and the spirit of teamwork can have a positive impact on the youth of Kenya who have been driven apart by the recent political elections. We have organized soccer games from teams of idle youth who would otherwise be engaged in gang-related activities and violence.

Environmental Sustainability
It is a priority to LDK to ensure that the people we are helping will have a clean, healthy, safe place to live for many, many years – and environmental sustainability through improved sanitation is a critical component of that effort.

LDK mobilizes youth in the community to participate in the environmental activities. Usually once a year in tree planting exercises when the long rains start in March/April, and once monthly in the clean up exercises. Most of the youth participating in these activities are those being supported but they influence other members in the community in the overall cleaning exercises.

Barriers: 

Poverty is at its highet in this urban poor (slum) area. The users come in large numbers but have not been able to contribute substantially to the level that the project can remain sustainable. Our IT training has not quite picked up since a majority of the targeted youth cannot afford to meet our subsidzed tuition.

Funding from potential donors has been less or nil in some situations, leading to difficult implementation of the planned activities. For sustainability purposes we plan to diversify our funding sources and initiate more for-profit activities that will generate more income and cover for any dificit in donor funding.

Marketing of our products – college, Cybercafé, magazine etc. has not been effective due to less funding for marketing activities.

Cultural norms: Particularly stigma when it comes to HIV/AIDS awareness program.

Solutions: 

Consistency in provision of services, for example our creation of awareness activities for the HIV/AIDS program has worked positively towards stigma reduction among the target groups.

LDK has started for-profit activities to meet the needs of our charitable initiatives. We have planned to introduce a magazine “The Charity”. The first copy is ready but funds for its production, marketing and distribution is still unavailable.

Sale of T-Shirts planned.

Student’s canteen planned.

Sale of stationery and being agent for Safaricom for M-PESA services also planned.

Cybercafé has been installed.

College planned, awaiting marketing to get the minimum number of students. Facilities and human resources are available and on standby.

Future plans and wish list: 

LDK plans for the future:
LDK hopes to become a vibrant organization adhering to its core values of integrity, honesty, fairness, openness, respect and responsibility in all that we do. It will focus on improving the lives of the poor, especially children, youth and women, and those affected by the HIV pandemic.
In the next two years LDK hopes to enroll more than 1,000 children and youth in its literacy program – from nursery, primary and secondary schools. Its training facility will be training more youth in IT and other specialized courses to enable them gain the required skills for employment. The construction of the stalled primary school will also be LDK’s top priority once more funding is available.
For it to remain sustainable LDK will target to fully operate the student training facility and offer other services associated with it including a student canteen, a cybercafé, and a stationery shop. Other income generating activities like the production and sale of publications e.g. a newsletter/magazine will be LDK priority at this time and when funds become available.
To have more impact within the community it operates and to contribute positively to reduction of poverty, LDK will increase its loan support to the poor members and continue with the workshops to empower the beneficiaries with business skills required to ensure business success.
For the projects to be run professionally and ensure that the stated goals and objectives are met on timely basis, LDK will require to retain and sustain its qualified staff, by paying them salaries and allowances based on the current market rates.
Stalled initiatives: Soccer teams and athletics will be enhanced when LDK access more funding.

When all this is achieved, we believe we shall be taking a holistic approach towards fighting the inequalities caused by extreme poverty within the communities that we work with.

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