In addition to YTF's core programs, YTF has worked with other organizations to implement innovative programs at our Community Technology and Learning Centers.

Women's Economic Empowerment Program (WEEP)

The project objectives are to:

• Provide an ICT based women's business guide, which will provide information to women who are running small-scale businesses, planning to grow or set up new businesses in the Niger Delta.
  
  
• Increase the business knowledge of women in rural communities, provide support on how to apply the knowledge and enable women in rural communities have an important edge in today's competitive global markets.
  
  
• Provide practical information to women on conflict management, managing groups, marketing skills, fundraising skills, advocacy and decision-making, business planning, HIV/AIDS and gender within the of local governance.
  

Read More about WEEP

Science and Health Tele-Academy

Youth for Technology Foundation (YTF) provides a unique role model of young people who are proud of their culture and are taking action to improve health and social conditions in their local communities.

The Science and Health Tele-Academy is an open and distance learning program that uses information and communication technology to address poverty alleviation through community health education in rural areas.

Read More about the Science and Health Tele-Academy

Global Education Tele-Community Initiative (GEI)

The Global Education Tele-Community Initiative (GEI) is a networked global learning community of leading scientists, engineers, educators and executives. The program trains youth in primary and secondary schools to solve business issues in an integrated science-math-technology format.

Youth for Technology Foundation's Owerri Digital Village has been an international education site for the GEI program in Africa since June 2003.

GEI's objectives are to: (i) increase the economic base of youth and families in economically disadvantaged communities; (ii) increase the number of high school and college graduates from economically disadvantaged communities; (iii) strengthen the science, math and technology foundation of youth [K-12] in economically disadvantaged communities; and (iv) foster global collaboration among youth and adults from diverse cultures. These objectives are accomplished through increased access to real-world, project-based education programs using advanced multimedia and communication technologies.

A multimedia network of modern telecommunications technology, which includes interactive video conferencing and PC - to- PC webcasting, connects youth and adults in each hub with one another and with professional mentors based at leading educational institutions.

Youth acquire the following skills through their participation in this program, measured pre and post training.

1. Basic computer skills (Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Web Design).
   
   
2. Online research skills.
   
   
3. Production of professional quality documents including presentation slides, R&D plans and research data summaries.
   
   
4. Increased knowledge of science and health issues related to HIV/AIDS and water purification and sanitation techniques.
   
   
5. Increased cognitive reasoning skills, through collaborative efforts with other youth, leading scientists, health personnel and educators worldwide enabled by multimedia technology.
   
   
6. Increased verbal and written communication skills through weekly collaborative efforts.

IV. Mtandao Afrika (formerly ThinkQuest Afrika)

Since July 2004, the Owerri Digital Village has served as a training location for the Mtandao Afrika program in Nigeria. Hundreds of young people, ages 12 to 19, have participated in the Mtandao Afrika program at the Owerri Digital Village. The participants are offered the unique chance of crossing geographical and cultural barriers to get together and form teams where they acquire life time skills of project and time management, ICT skills and research skills while creating an educational website.

The training modules include the following: An introduction to Windows and Office, Internet and e-mail, Collaborative Online Learning and Web Development (HTML and FrontPage).

Mtandao Afrika Youth Testimonials