Mind the Gap
Internet for students
Problem
Benin students in West Africa need equipment to enable them to gain 21st century skills, without which the cycle of poverty and hopelessness cannot be broken. In classes of over 60, students share desks and supplies. Technology tools which can help teachers bridge digital gaps are needed if students in Benin are to have access to up-to-date information and be able to interact with their peers about issues facing us citizens on the planet.
The Gift
Your gift has the potential to "teach students how to fish, rather than just giving them a fish." The digital divide grows daily as students in the US learn new digital media skills, while students in Africa are only passive recipients of low-end products and information produced outside their countries. Through technology and training, these students can become producers and sharers of knowledge with peers worldwide. Only then can they be effective participants in the global economy of the 21st century. Your gift of $1,500 provides two computers, internet connection and teacher training for a school in Benin. Support and training is provided by iEARN-Benin for building and sustaining school-based and community-wide technology skills.