Community Computer Center
Donation protected
"We need money to ship recycled computers to South Africa. They will be used to teach the youth Computer skills while creating and filling jobs"
Hi, my name is Ann Marie Lahti. I am the host mother to Nkululeko Victor Masombuka from South Africa.
I met Juliet Malambe and Victor in August of 2016 and we’ve had an amazing time together. I have been impressed with the creativity, drive and leadership demonstrated by these young people during their year in the United States through the Community College Initiative (CCI) Scholarship.
Growing up in Mpumalanga Siyabuswa (Victor) and Limpopo Sibasa (Juliet), South Africa they had very few opportunities to gain important computer skills which would open doors to employment due to a lack of access to computers. Regardless of this disadvantage, which is faced by many of their community members, they worked hard and were accepted into a scholarship program to study in Appleton, Wisconsin
at Fox Valley Technical College in the IT Program.
Victor and Juliet’s hard work, dedication and strong desire to serve motivated them to run for Vice President and Secretary, respectively, of the Fox Valley Technical College student body. They served as leaders on campus, completed numerous volunteer hours, and shared their cultural experiences with many Fox Valley elementary, high school and college students.
Inspired by the American Culture of volunteerism and being socially responsible, and knowing how many people in South Africa are excluded from this digital world in which we live due to the lack of access to computers, they decided to make a change and give back and thus was born IT Prodigies.
IT Prodigies is an organization whose mission is to reduce the Digital Divide (lack of access to computer skills) by opening computer centers in underserved communities. The program will be self-supporting by opening cafes along with the computer centers. The cafes will generate the income needed to meet operating expenses and employ local people. Free computer classes will be offered to young people on the weekends to help them learn the skills that they will need to succeed in their future jobs.
Why is this important? South Africa has a youth unemployment rate of 51%, which is due not just to the lack of jobs, but also to the shortage of skills. IT Prodigies will provide free accessibility to computers and offer Basic Computer and Programming classes.
We have received a generous donation of about 40 computers from a partner here in the United States and we are working on raising money for shipping, transporting and setting up these computers to South Africa.
The total amount needed for this portion of the project is $11 000. Your help will be greatly appreciated as we make a difference together.
Hi, my name is Ann Marie Lahti. I am the host mother to Nkululeko Victor Masombuka from South Africa.
I met Juliet Malambe and Victor in August of 2016 and we’ve had an amazing time together. I have been impressed with the creativity, drive and leadership demonstrated by these young people during their year in the United States through the Community College Initiative (CCI) Scholarship.
Growing up in Mpumalanga Siyabuswa (Victor) and Limpopo Sibasa (Juliet), South Africa they had very few opportunities to gain important computer skills which would open doors to employment due to a lack of access to computers. Regardless of this disadvantage, which is faced by many of their community members, they worked hard and were accepted into a scholarship program to study in Appleton, Wisconsin
at Fox Valley Technical College in the IT Program.
Victor and Juliet’s hard work, dedication and strong desire to serve motivated them to run for Vice President and Secretary, respectively, of the Fox Valley Technical College student body. They served as leaders on campus, completed numerous volunteer hours, and shared their cultural experiences with many Fox Valley elementary, high school and college students.
Inspired by the American Culture of volunteerism and being socially responsible, and knowing how many people in South Africa are excluded from this digital world in which we live due to the lack of access to computers, they decided to make a change and give back and thus was born IT Prodigies.
IT Prodigies is an organization whose mission is to reduce the Digital Divide (lack of access to computer skills) by opening computer centers in underserved communities. The program will be self-supporting by opening cafes along with the computer centers. The cafes will generate the income needed to meet operating expenses and employ local people. Free computer classes will be offered to young people on the weekends to help them learn the skills that they will need to succeed in their future jobs.
Why is this important? South Africa has a youth unemployment rate of 51%, which is due not just to the lack of jobs, but also to the shortage of skills. IT Prodigies will provide free accessibility to computers and offer Basic Computer and Programming classes.
We have received a generous donation of about 40 computers from a partner here in the United States and we are working on raising money for shipping, transporting and setting up these computers to South Africa.
The total amount needed for this portion of the project is $11 000. Your help will be greatly appreciated as we make a difference together.
Organizer
Ann Marie Lahti
Organizer
Kimberly, WI
