EMPOWERMENT

Project Location

Country: 
Pakistan
City: 
TM Khan

Organization

Organization Name: 
Sindh Community Foundation
Organization Type: 
Other

Website

http://www.scfngo.org

Privacy Law

Consenso al trattamento dei dati personali
Do you authorize the FMD to the treatment of your personal data?: 
I do authorize the FMD to the use of my personal data.

Project Type

Helping youth step in the job market

Project Description

Description Frase (max. 500 characters): 

The project will benefit 1000 girls and young women of slums of TM Khan City trough advanced IT and job skills in conducive and more learning environment.

Project Summary (max. 2000 characters): 

The project is about the provision of low cost facilities of IT education to poor girls of the slums of Tando Muhammad Khan. SCF has established a Girls Resource Centre-GRC in 2009 in Tando Muhammad Khan with the idea and motive to equip girls of the poor families of the slums of the area with modern IT skills so that they can play active role in income generation for their family in future. The main aims of the establishing this GRC was that because the computers centers in the city mostly are mixed so due to strong gender barrier girls do not feel comfortable to learn while attending such courses at centers because of various social barriers and most of the families does not allow girls to get IT skills with boys, the other reasons was that the existing fee structure of computer education at commercial centers was very high so girls from poor families were not getting benefits from these facilities at local level because the fees structure was not affordable. Keeping these issues in consideration Sindh Community Foundation conducted a need assessment in the area and then developed an idea of Girls Resource to provide IT, carrier planning skills, library facilities and social education on various themes of leadership and gender etc. SCF succeeded to start GRC with support of Mama Cash Netherlands in Sep, 2009 and provided IT training to 119 girls with very minim and low fee structure and also provided career planning sessions to 99 girls and trained groups of 30 active girls on leadership, gender, human rights, confidence building, volunteerism, and life skills awareness. Girls feel very pleasant having learning environment at GRC because it is only for girls where they can speak and express their opinion and thoughts to each other. The current admission of computer course at GRC is 50 girls while computers are only 5 so most of time practical things are not completed by each trainees, there is need of more 10 computers so that girls can work on practical of computer with huge time and these expanded facilities can reach more new 200 girls from the poor families for computer education and more girls will get benefits from this. At GRC girls/trainees were also provided learning and awareness on various social issues through debate competitions, seminars on women rights, and importance of IT for girls, newsletters women voice to encourage them to write articles on social issues of women, library facilities updated their current affairs knowledge and information and job information. So the GRC has very good place where women meet each other and discuss their issues freely and their confidence has increased. Till the date GRC has been trained 220 girls and 180 girls for career planning. Brochure of YRC is attached for detailed understanding of GRC and facilities for poor girls and successes of the GRC are also highlighted in SCF’s annual report 2010 attached here.
Sindh Community Foundation (SCF) conducted a survey in the slum settings of Tando Muhammad Khan and opened a dialogue with community members about girls’ education and community needs. A report was developed based upon the observations as well as meetings with parents and girls separately. This assessment helped Sindh Community Foundation discover priority problems and determine ways to fix them.
See attached for more info.

How long has your project been running?

2010-09-29 22:00:00

Objectives and Innovative Aspects

The project was aimed
To train girls in slum areas in Tando Muhammad Khan City on basic and advanced computer skills;
To provide career counseling, awareness, and job skills training to girls;
To establish a Girls Youth Resource Center (GYRC) in order to provide a platform for freedom of expressions, views and discussion;
To build the capacity of 30 girls on social activism and understanding of social issues ranging from confidence building, life skills, HIV/AIDS, RH problems, gender, human rights, social activism, and leadership.

The establishment of Girls Resource Center and providing the integrated facilities to the girls and young women for increasing their income generation opportunities and getting information platforms to get information on job skills and jobs to be active economic actors .Provision of carrier counseling for encouraging girls for higher education higher education and leadership and social awareness program was the innovative ideas in the area and the GRC has become nervous of the girls empowerment in the area. Library facilitates for girls to prepare for pre entry test for higher education was also new approach. Exposure e of potential girls was conducted with the higher education institution to get know how about the admission systems due to strong gender barrier girls normally rely on their brothers and male family members to do these activities so through visits they became confident and inspired for higher education.

Results

Describe the results achieved by your project How do you measure (parameters) these. (max. 2000 characters): 
• 500 girls from poor families have been trained on basic and advanced computers skills and applications such as: Microsoft Office, web development, Adobe, internet operating, in-page Sindhi, In-page Urdu, and Coral draw. • Out of 2500 trained girls, 50 girls have received jobs in the private sector, companies or NGOs as computer operators or computer teachers/ instructors in nearby cities . • 200 girls received career planning aid, necessary jobs skills and career counseling. Thirty girls are following career plans for higher education and future direction. • Ninety girls received awareness and knowledge on current affairs and social issues through reading newspapers and books of their interest at library facilities. • The Girls’ Youth Resource Center was established, managed and supervised by the Management Committees which were comprised of the girls themselves. The Center provided a supportive environment, and 90 girls were able to utilize the GYRC as a center of information, discussing their issues and social problems freely and without hesitation or fear of criticism from their parents and male family members. • GYRC has been utilized by the girls in celebrating special occasions and for holding meetings of the Management Committee and Girls Association. • Thirty active girls trained on confidence building, life skills, HIV/AIDS, RH problems, gender, human rights, social activism and leadership • Girls have been involved in volunteer activities • Leadership skills and knowledge of 90 active girls was enhanced, and their engagement in social activism was boosted and supported • Girls Association was formed to manage and monitor the GYRC and helped in arranging seminars and debate competitions on International Women’s Day focusing on Human Rights and Importance of IT for girls. See attached for more info
How many users interact with your project monthly and what are the preferred forms of interaction? (max. 500 characters): 

100 girls and young women users are interacted monthly through IT facilities, library facilities and carrier counseling activities at GRC. GRC also provide job skills for young women through CV development, interviews skills, motivation and communication skills and awareness session on social issues and job information and linkages with the employers

Sustainability

What is the full duration of your project (from beginning to end)?: 
From 1 to 3 years
What is the approximate total budget for your project (in Euro)?: 
From 30.001 to 75.000 Euro
What is the source of funding for your project?: 
Grants
Specify: 
NGO
Is your project economically self sufficient now?: 
Yes
Since when?: 
2010-12-30 23:00:00

Transferability

Has your project been replicated/adapted elsewhere?: 
No
What lessons can others learn from your project? (max. 1500 characters): 

The parents of the girls in Tando Muhammad‘s slum areas are now very aware of the opportunities available to women and girls. They were mobilized through face to face and door to door meetings and interactive seminars at the Girls Youth Resource Center. They allowed their girls to get computer and social education so that they may become effective social and economic players. The girls who have been trained in social education and leadership convey their acquired knowledge regarding gender, human rights, and career possibilities to their parents. Twenty families allowed their girls to work in the private sector, and education about the girls’ involvement in economic and social development has occurred. Targeted communities’ behaviors towards girls have changed, and women now participate in decision making regarding choosing their life partner, education, and employment. Girls Association has addressed the issue of girls’ education, especially in girls’ primary schools in the slums and rural areas.
Girls and uneducated young women also demanded for launching vocational skills must be provided and other job skills for receptionist, accounting training, teaching skills so that can avail local private sector job market in the area and can improve the income sources.

Are you available to help others to start or work on similar projects?: 
Yes

Background Information

Barriers and Solutions (max. 1000 characters): 
The parents of the girls in Tando Muhammad‘s slum areas are now very aware of the opportunities available to women and girls. They were mobilized through face to face and door to door meetings and interactive seminars at the Girls Youth Resource Center. They allowed their girls to get computer and social education so that they may become effective social and economic players. Demand is high and seating arrangement and timings are the major concerns because of the number of computers, timing are opened for evening time so there is need to open GRC from morning to the evening.10 computers were requested to German consulate at Karachi and supported some equipments were placed to adjust more 30 girls. Relocation of the GRC because it is the rented to sometime number of girls left the IT course before completion because of the new area was far and their parents restrict them not go there because of gender barriers, SCF staff provide an open meeting invited parents met with teachers and invited them in a seminars on importance of IT for girls so after this they realized and allowed their girls to continue the courses.
Future plans and wish list (max. 750 characters): 
1. SCF intends to expand the rooms to hire a big building where at one time at least 200 girls and young women can be adjusted to get learning in various sectors. • For this purpose GRC needs at least 3 years rent to become more sustainable to reach large number of girls and young women for employability skills • Furniture and fixtures would be required for 200 girls • New courses of vocational and other courses to get variety of jobs • 04 Courses will be developed in local languages 2. IT launch new courses on teaching skills, receptionist and management skills, vocational skills, accounting skills to get more jobs in private sectors mainly schools, NGO and emerging construction industry. • Establish advanced and decent computer laboratory by purchasing 30 new computers with advanced accessories and installations • Most competent computer instructors and salaries for 2 years initially 3. Monthly basis carrier counseling session for 1000 girls and young women and jobs information events • Support for arranging monthly session the fee of trainer/speakers in relevant field is needed • Develop a cohort of 120 active girls on social consciousness of various issues, confidence building, carrier learning skills, financial planning skills and leadership skills so that would be addressing girls issues in well manner. See attached for more info.
Spaces for Girls girls leadership ICT access to job market EMPOWERMENT Women Girl

Project Location

Country: 
Colombia
City: 
Bogotá

Organization

Organization Name: 
Juanete Comunicaciones S.A.S
Organization Type: 
Cultural Institution (foundations, museums, galleries, etc…)

Website

www.vocescomunes.com https://vimeo.com/user25657508

Privacy Law

Consenso al trattamento dei dati personali
Do you authorize the FMD to the treatment of your personal data?: 
I do authorize the FMD to the use of my personal data.

Project Type

Education up to 29 years

Project Description

Description Frase (max. 500 characters): 

Voces Comunes (Common Voices) is a communicational training project for the youth of indigenous and afro descendant communities in Colombia. In which through: A) An 8 days workshop, B) A continuos technical and theoretical accompaniment and C) A second workshop (a 4 days re enforcement workshop), the communities create their own communication collective and learn to produce their own content and media. Our goal is that giving them this knowledge and the necesary equipment, the youth represents communities interest and express themselves freely, and use communication and ICT as a tool for change, social inclusion, fostering self-recognition and community empowerment. Voces Comunes is also a place on the Internet where the ethnical minorities, that are often invisible to its governments and predominant cultures, can communicate, connect, interact, gather and share all the content produced by them as a result from the project, making a noticeable impact.

Project Summary (max. 2000 characters): 

Voces Comunes is a communication project developed for the youth of indigenous and afro-descendent communities in Colombia. Through practical workshops in their territories and continous accompaniment, they learn how to operate the computer, audio and video equipment that the project provides them, the communities will acknowledge and strengthen their communication skills with the use of the ICTs. All this through: A) An 8 days workshop, B) A continuos technical and theoretical accompaniment, C) A second workshop (a 4 days re enforcement workshop), D) the communities create their own communication collective and learn to produce their own content and media, allowing them to share their visions, cultures and processes in a better way, a way of their own.

Communication is a powerful tool that contributes to social inclusion, fostering self-recognition and community empowerment. It provides communities with the possibility to design and disseminate messages not just about their cosmovision but also using their own language and symbols. If such messages emerge from each community, they will respond to their particular context and, therefore, they will contribute to actual empowerment and self-advocacy. If youth of ethnical communities have access to the new technologies they will be able to produce accurate information about themselves. Moreover, they will have the power to make visible their experiences, needs and strategies to cope with conflicts. Through this, they can make their voices heard and find echo in other communities. Voces Comunes, being a network in itself, understands networking as a suitable and desirable outcome towards the strengthening of local and global relationships.

Due to our focus on the youth of ethnical minorities, Voces Comunes support community objectives related with their youth as: A) The participants of the project in each community strengthens their role and commitment within, they become the voices of their communities. B) The partincipants find the importance of communication as a motor for expressing their realities and as a tool for preserving their culture and surviving the challenges they face. C) In zones of violence, armed conflict and paramilitarism, the young participants of Voces Comunes have a new and different life option. D) Using the knowledge in communication acquired in the workshops, they can have an additional source of economical income. E) The young participants assume a new roll within their communities: they become the teachers in the communication for the generations that follows.

Voces Comunes has a website in which disseminates the contents produce by the communities and encourage the visibility, social inclusion, free expressions and interactions of each one. It allows communities participating in the project to share their content and find out what others have produced. In this website they will make evident problems they have in common, at the same time that they will identify successful conflict resolution strategies to reproduce. Our goal through this website is to consolidate a network in which the communities that are part of the project can post and share their own content and see the productions that others communities made. A place where they can comment, learn from each other experiences and share them with the world. With Voces Comunes, the indigenous and afro-descendent communities of the region will take advantage of Internet to be visible, heard, known and included.

The final version of our website (www.vocescomunes.com) will be online in two weeks, meanwhile please watch our videos: https://vimeo.com/user25657508 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ_Xy3WCI0mWBJlntbgaa3g/videos

How long has your project been running?

2013-01-30 23:00:00

Objectives and Innovative Aspects

- Establish communications collectives formed by young members of each community. We've achieved this by conforming the ideal group of young people as one of the first activities in the workshop.
- Sustain a project in which indigenous and afro-descent communities use communication as a tool for change, social inclusion and community empowerment. We've achieved this with the workshops, its practical exercises and motivational talks on the power of communication, as well as following every step of their learning process.
- Familiarize participants with the possibilities offered by the ICTs so they can produce and disseminate their own communicational products. We've achieved this with the workshops and by resolving every doubt they have.
- Establish the Voces Comunes network, a site in which many ethnical communities can connect, be seen, heard and included. A network that will help them strengthen their survival processes and life projects, and allow them to know the ones that others face. We achieve this by a continuos update of the Voces Comunes site and the interaction of its social networks.
- Disseminate the media content produce by each community in different platforms. We've achieved this A) through screenings in each community to show the productions the collectives made throughout the workshop, B) through Voces Comunes’ site and social media, and C) through applications to film festivals.
- Provide each community with basic equipment so they have the tools to produce their media content. The 4 communities attended so far have received a basic communicational kit.

Results

Describe the results achieved by your project How do you measure (parameters) these. (max. 2000 characters): 
- Voces Comunes started operations more than a year ago. During this time we have formed our professional staff and consolidated our field research that allowed us to start working with 3 indigenous communities (from the Nasa´s and Arhuaco´s people) and 1 afro-descent community (La Boquilla) in Colombia. - We have designed and developed a 8-day workshop for each one of them, in which a group of young people that represents the community create their own communication collective and learns to produce media content and express themselves trough video, photos and audios. So far, we have 8 productions made by the communities after we developed the workshops. In this productions they've used the knowledge and equipments acquired, and most of all, they've used their own culture as inspiration. All their media products will be posted in Voces Comunes’ website (which is in the last phase of construction). - We have also made the research and approach in order to attend and work whit the next (8) indigenous and afro descendant communities in Colombia. - Other results achieved by the project: Number of participants of the workshops developed so far: 60 people Number of etnical communities attended: 4 Number of communication collectives created: 4 Number of video produced by the project: 36 Number of excersices of video produce by each community during the workshops: 6 Number of video productions made by the communities after the workshops: 8 Number of communicational kits given: 4
How many users interact with your project monthly and what are the preferred forms of interaction? (max. 500 characters): 

Voces Comunes' site is still under construction, therefore the last couple of months we’ve focused on the interaction trough social media (Facebook, Flickr, YouTube, Vimeo and Instagram) and, our face-to-face workshops. Our Facebook page has been the most popular form of interaction, mainly because everyone can see any type of content (video, photos or information) in one place.

Sustainability

What is the full duration of your project (from beginning to end)?: 
From 1 to 3 years
What is the approximate total budget for your project (in Euro)?: 
From 75.001 to 500.000 Euro
What is the source of funding for your project?: 
Grants
Is your project economically self sufficient now?: 
No

Transferability

Has your project been replicated/adapted elsewhere?: 
No
What lessons can others learn from your project? (max. 1500 characters): 

- Communication and free expression should be more democratic because everyone can tell stories and everyone has stories to tell.
- Ethnical communities want and are ready to tell their own stories. They don’t allways need others to talk about their realities.
- Even tough Internet offers many different content, the digital users are interested in what the ethnical communities have to say and in seeing them in equal conditions (they can also be media producers).
-Communication is not only useful to inform, but to generate social changes.
- The indigenous and afro-descendant communities of Latin America are facing similar realities and challenges in order to survive. This is why they want to learn from the survival processes that other communities face.
- Like us, the ethnical minorities also have a voice and want to use it. As it has been said to us, they are planning to be the “best ancestors of history”, therefore they want to leave their legacy and show their culture, cosmovision and social problems through the use of ICTs.
- Even though the young representatives of the communities have not grown up using the ICTs, they know the importance they have and are eager to learn how to use them. Its commitment in this matter can be seen in the videos they’ve produce by themselves since we developed the workshops.

Are you available to help others to start or work on similar projects?: 
Yes

Background Information

Future plans and wish list (max. 750 characters): 
Future plan: Found raising, grand searching for next 3 years of the project sustain. Future plan: Re enforcement workshops (4) for the communities that Voces Comunes work with in 2013-2014. Future plan: Inicial workshop for new communities (Attending 4 new communities per year). Future wish: Voces Comunes for children: design the strategy to start early the recognition of ITCs and properties of communications: Photography, video, audio basic knowledge for children, prepare them to be around the community communicational project. Future wish: After attending the first 8 communities develop Voces Comunes Festival: To gather the young participants from each community, discuss each process and show all the productions and share experiences. Future wish: Voces Comunes Latin America: Expand the project and help other countries in Latin America to replicate it. Future wish: Global Voces Comunes: Expand the project and help other countries to replicate it.
Youth technologies social development minorities indigenous communities identity free expression Environment EMPOWERMENT education communities communication afro-descendant

Project Location

Country: 
Nigeria
City: 
Port Harcourt

Organization

Organization Name: 
TechClass Nigeria (video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecI40Tn6nsY
Organization Type: 
Other

Website

http://www.techclassng.org

Privacy Law

Consenso al trattamento dei dati personali
Do you authorize the FMD to the treatment of your personal data?: 
I do authorize the FMD to the use of my personal data.

Project Type

Education up to 10 years

Project Description

Description Frase (max. 500 characters): 

Breaking barrier to education using online video technology.

Project Summary (max. 2000 characters): 

Dominic Nsikan a serial social entrepreneur and the founder of TechClass Nigeria one of the fastest growing online video contents service providers for teachers and students in Northern Nigeria. My project utilizes the power of online video technology to provide top quality educational materials and real time online classes through YouTube and Skype to teachers in Yobe, Maiduguri, Gombe, Damaturu, Zaria and other Boko Haram insurgence communities where there are little or no access to quality textbooks, training manuals and research facilities as a result of the over three years of continues destruction of educational facilities by the activities of the radical Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram.

How long has your project been running?

2011-01-30 23:00:00

Objectives and Innovative Aspects

TechClass Nigeria aims to bridge the barrier to quality education as the result of over three years of massive destruction to educational materials and facilities by the Islamic sect Boko Haram in northern part of Nigeria. This project aims to propel progress towards sustainable development in the area of education focusing its activities mainly in northern Nigeria before replicating it to other part of the country. TechClass utilizes quality online video-training for teachers and also providing them with access to over 2000 quality educational material online.

Results

Describe the results achieved by your project How do you measure (parameters) these. (max. 2000 characters): 
Using our innovation of distance-learning video technology, my organization have successfully trained over 5000 teachers empowering them with the necessary tools they need to scale up quality and sound education in their various communities. With the frequent killings and bombings by the Boko Haram terrorist sect, it is impossible for professional teachers to go to northern Nigeria. To break down the walls between these communities and provide quality education to the most vulnerable young people, TechClass Nigeria is helping to bridge the gap by creating a platform to provide quality video-training for teachers and students providing them with access to over 2000 quality educational materials online. My project’s online learning centre approach led to a new found motivation amongst students, teachers and community members alike. Visual aids and innovative technology had never been integrated into learning before and the impact was almost immediate. Students grew more curious, enrollment nearly doubled and academic performance improved while parents became more involved in their children's learning and teachers benefitted from more interactive, engaged online classrooms. Students even began competing and excelling in local academic competitions crediting the use of TechClass videos in helping them to prepare.
How many users interact with your project monthly and what are the preferred forms of interaction? (max. 500 characters): 

TechClass uses its unique online registration process to capture the names, sexes and ages of registered teachers and students. Monthly record of registered users ranges from 5-20 for teachers and 30-50 for students. Physical training and workshop for teachers comes up every month end using our learning centers across the communities we operate.

Sustainability

What is the full duration of your project (from beginning to end)?: 
From 1 to 3 years
What is the approximate total budget for your project (in Euro)?: 
From 10.001 to 30.000 Euro
What is the source of funding for your project?: 
Sponsorships
Is your project economically self sufficient now?: 
No
When is it expected to become self-sufficient?: 
2015-01-30 23:00:00

Transferability

Has your project been replicated/adapted elsewhere?: 
No
What lessons can others learn from your project? (max. 1500 characters): 

Youths across the world can be involved in education and learning in order to propel progress towards sustainable development by getting themselves involve in the policy making processes most especially in the area of education. From my own perspective, this can be done first by asking our government to fully domesticate any existing regional or national legal framework on education in favor of educational development. Youths can also take a bold step in holding their various governments responsible on what they have done in implementing sustainable educational programs in their various countries. Partnering with Nonprofit organizations in developing programs aimed at promoting grassroots education is another innovative way young people can offer themselves in accelerating sustainable development. Advocacy campaigns, workshops and seminars can also serve as valuable tools to enforce sustainable development.

Are you available to help others to start or work on similar projects?: 
Yes

Background Information

Barriers and Solutions (max. 1000 characters): 
The major challenge facing our project is the constant unavailability of internet network to provide distant learning to teachers and students in remote communities as the result of the destruction of internet facilities by the terrorist group. Insecurity of our volunteers sometimes halts our reach out activities to schools in remote areas where we are functional. As a result of these short comings and the frequent attacks of internet installations by the sect, we send out most of our resources materials, textbooks and training manuals through the post office to the various schools authorities.
Future plans and wish list (max. 750 characters): 
Our project anticipates continuing to propel progress towards sustainable development in the area of education. We hope to continue to partner with both multinational and Non-profit organizations across Nigeria in developing programs aimed at promoting grassroots education. We are targeting to spread our activities to other region of Nigeria in order to achieve the desired transformation in the educational sector and enabling out of school children to enroll and succeed in school. TechClass will work to continue in to contribute to addressing key challenges and obstacles that hinder young people's participation in education and how they can have access to quality education starting by using our platform in empowering themselves.
SCHOOL online education technology video EMPOWERMENT teaching
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