Providing tools to help bridge the global digital divide for youth.

One of six global educational NGOsselected to participate in the globalICT pilot initiatives of the World Economic Forum.

Mission

To act as a partner and ally in bridging the global digital divide for youth, promoting cultural understanding between students in developed and developing countries, and facilitating the use of technology in education.

About WCE

• 143 current formal partner organisations in 40 countries• 100 online tech, telecenter-business and content support

volunteers• WCE gathers computers in 26 cities in the following ten

countries: Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, USA

• WCE has shipped 6,434 computers valued at $1,931,200 in 21 shipments to connect 784 schools with 306,000 students in 15 countries

• WCE works with NetAid, UNDP, UNESCO, USAID, World Economic Forum, and Peace Corps Volunteers in several countries

Services

• Consulting: WCE provides online (and some onsite) volunteer support services in technology, content, and business to help partners, schools, and centres draft and implement sustainable plans to prepare and network schools, train teachers, maintain the computers, and encourage them to develop, adapt, and share local content and curriculum

• Computers: WCE sources computers, networking gear & software donated by companies, nonprofits & individuals in developed countries at the lowest cost to connect poor youth to the Internet years faster than would otherwise occur

• Cultural: WCE brokers sister-schools partnerships, online tech and website development among students, and visits by “Internet Ambassadors” to exchange training for better understanding of other cultures and history

Approach

• Help 143 NGO and government partners in 40 countries find ways to make Internet maintenance & connectivity sustainable

• Use WCE's 11 offices; hundreds of online tech, telecenter-business and content support volunteers; and 20 global strategic allies to leverage resources and services for our partners

• Act as a quiet, respectful, and transparent broker helping others to grow capacity get visibility to optimise their success in getting poor youth connected to the Internet

Container Contents

• 400-435 used Pentium or Power Mac or laptop sets each including: color monitor, mouse, keyboard, and power cords

• Networking gear, parts, speakers, printers (one for each ten computers), hubs, scanners, and software from donor companies & individuals

• Partner provides: duty waiver, 220 volt transformers for printers, appropriate wall plugs, local software installation, and delivery to schools

Partner Requirements

• Commit that the primary use of most of the donated computers is to connect poor youth to the Internet

• Present a sustainable implementation plan that shows capacity and a draft list of interested schools & centres

• Pay WCE's sourcing and administrative cost of $57.50 per Pentium and/or $40 per Power Mac plus shipping

• Agree to final disposal of equipment in a way that minimizes damage to the environment

Schools/Centres

• Be recruited by NGO or government ministry partner that plans, trains, installs, and monitors

• Agree to protect, maintain, and connect computers to the Internet for poor youth (charging fees for adult use is ok)

• Help youth in your school/centre to partner with more experienced sister-school, file semi-annual reports, and develop a cultural and historical website

Connecting schools

• WCE experience from Nigeria, Cameroon, Benin, Uganda, Tanzania, Georgia, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Lithuania and others.

• Success factors:

- local partnerships and ownership

- volume and long preparation time

- streamlined technology

- vivid outside/international links

- local contribution in funding, long term funding allocated or identified

- adaptation to geography, local knowledge of technical challenges

- strong support from authorities

Sample school connectivity model

• Specific room set aside

• Design as community center

• Variety of technologies used

• Desktops or thin clients

• Sister school(s) locally and internationally

• Virtual technical and pedagogical support

• Connecting to existing solutions for individual schools (so far)

Challenges

• Economy of scale

• Sustainability

• Funding infrastructure and terminals/interface

• Matching technology and need

• Channelling resources

• Technology efficiency

• Determine level of maturity

Requests of Businesses

• Donate working Pentiums and Power Mac desktops and laptops and network gear, parts, software, and peripherals

• Encourage employees to volunteer to consult online or to visit to train, network, maintain computers in local schools

• Sponsor all or part of a container shipment ($5,000-$28,000) and/or provide one-time financial grant to partners for training and initial electrical and networking equipment

Universities Initiative

Universities in developing countries adopt 5 roles related to neighboring primary and secondary schools:

• Computer and network maintenance by tech students

• Teacher training in instructional use of the Internet

• Development, adaptation, and sharing of local content

• Business support for local telecenters-in-schools

• Environmentally appropriate dismantling of dead computers

Ongoing Evaluation

For three years after the computers arrive, WCE gathers and posts data and pictures on their status, use, and impact:

• Each partner is expected to visit each school once a year

• Students in each school report to WCE online twice a year

• WCE volunteers and staff visit partners and some schools

• Partners write summary report once a year

Thank you

We hope that you will consider helping us as a partner, volunteer, or equipment donor.