Microsoft Community Affairs 2008 Unlimited Potential Program Recipients

Middle East and Africa

Microsoft congratulates the following Unlimited Potential (UP) grant recipients. We are proud to support their work.

Multiple Countries

Institute of International Education (IIE)

As an independent, nonprofit organization, Institute of International Education (IIE) seeks to foster sustainable development through training programs in energy, environment, business management, and leadership development. It works to collaborate with corporations, foundations, and governments to locate and develop people who are able to think and work on a global basis. IIE will manage the Women in Technology (WIT) initiative that is funded by the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) of the United States Department of State and local partners in nine countries: Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. The project focuses on five key areas such as professional development training, business planning, technology skills training through the Microsoft Unlimited Potential Community Learning curriculum, and professional development networks for women. The goal of the project is to train 15,000 women from nine countries in three years.

Bahrain

Bahrain Internet Society (BIS)

Bahrain Internet Society (BIS) promotes the use of the Internet by providing service and assistance to users. To realize the country vision to decrease unemployment and accelerate the growth of the knowledge-based society, BIS and Microsoft will develop a plan that focuses on technology skills development and access for 1,200 students in the next three years.

Egypt

Integrated Care Society (ICS)

In Egypt, small to medium businesses make up 98 percent of businesses and contribute significantly to the economy. Despite these figures, small and medium businesses are faced with increasing challenges of competition, high costs, and sustainability. To address these challenges, Integrated Care Society (ICS) seeks to give young Egyptians the tools and knowledge to become productive members of society by helping them enhance their technology skills for the current job market or by helping them establish their own small enterprises. With Microsoft Unlimited Potential funding, 1,100 Master Trainers will offer the following training tracks: Fundamental Track (for soft, communication, and technology skills), a Vocational Track (advanced technology training in software and hardware maintenance), and a Business Track (to help would-be entrepreneurs learn how to establish a successful business). This is the second year of the three-year program and the goal remains to train 3,000 small and medium business entrepreneurs.

The Federation of Egyptian Youth NGOs

Unemployment is one of the biggest challenges hampering socio-economic development in Egypt. The Federation of Egyptian Youth NGOs aims to build the technology capacity of its member organizations in order to improve the coordination of their efforts and their ability to engage with the community youth, private donors, and government agencies. The initiative aims to improve the employability of youth by developing their technology skills so that they are qualified and prepared to enter the work force.

Israel

Tapuah

Microsoft began working with Tapuah in 2006 and developed one of the main digital inclusion projects in Israel. The goal of the program is to build an informal education system to raise academic levels and contribute to increased economic development for Israelis across the country. The program has used existing community technology centers across the country to offer courses that combine the Microsoft Unlimited Potential Learning curriculum with English language, mathematics, and civics training. Microsoft Israel collaborated with various organizations, government agencies, and academic institutions to reach 10,000 people and an additional 80,000 through the Ministry of Education. The second phase of the program will broaden the reach of the program and develop a coalition representing all sectors of Israeli society who share a common desire to minimize the digital gap between generations. Microsoft Israel is working in partnership with Intel, Cisco Systems, JAZO, Zionism 2000, and the Prime Minister's Office. The program's goal is to reach 700,000 underserved youth of ages eight through 25 by the year 2010.

Tapuah – Women's Initiative

Tapuah's goal is to make technology accessible to Israel's underserved communities and provide the technology skills people need in today's knowledge economy. This project will serve unemployed women in Israel by preparing them to enter the work force or make a career change. Women in the program will learn technology skills by using the Microsoft Unlimited Potential Learning curriculum. They will receive soft skills training, which include résumé writing, how to conduct an online job search, presentation skills, and how to interview for a job. Microsoft Israel is working in partnership with Tapuah, the Israeli Employment Service, and WIZO (Women's International Zionist Organization) to provide skills training programs and external academic measurement and evaluation. The goal is to provide training to 1,500 women and place 40 percent of those women in jobs in the next three years.

Ilan-Israel Foundation for Handicapped Children

Ilan-Israel Foundation for Handicapped Children is a non-governmental organization with a mission to enhance the lives of people who are disabled by neural muscular diseases and to provide support for their families. With funding from Microsoft Unlimited Potential, this project will create accessible community centers for people with disabilities, by using existing community technology centers with computer labs. These community centers will provide free accessible software and assistive technology as well as IT skills training and support for people with disabilities. The goal is to empower people with disabilities by using technology to help strengthen their self-image and social skills.

Kenya

Strathmore Educational Trust

Strathmore Educational Trust is a public nonprofit charitable trust incorporated in Kenya that promotes educational ventures. The overall objective of the project is to support local economic development initiatives in Kenya and to help alleviate poverty by creating jobs and supporting small-scale enterprises. Youth are trained in basic computer skills, which they use in business training and development programs with their local partner the Informal Sector Business Institute (ISBI). The young people are trained in computer hardware assembly and maintenance. Those people who have completed the required training receive a computer for personal use. The program also works in conjunction with the International Youth Foundation to support the creation of new small entrepreneurial businesses in fields such as movie making, cell phone repair, and photography. The goal is to reach 7,500 community members in the next three years.

Ugunja Community Resource Center (UCRC)

The Ugunja Community Resource Center (UCRC) is working to enhance the livelihoods of the people who live in the Siaya District of Nyanza Province in Kenya through better use of technology. Technology training is being used to improve health standards, business opportunities, agricultural practices, and social networking. The project aims to share local resources, document local history and culture, and facilitate communication between community members and organizations. UCRC has grown from a social development organization to an economically sustainable organization that provides consulting services to local government agencies, including the police service, to develop technology-based products and solutions to fight crime. An estimated 4,500 community members will benefit from this program over the next three years.

Kuwait

Kuwait Economic Society

Kuwait Economic Society (KES) was established in 1970 with the objective of promoting economic growth and reform within the Kuwait economy. Project EMPOWER's goal is to bridge the technology skills gap amongst the Kuwaiti society by empowering women and helping young people find jobs and career opportunities. The program aims to support 1,000 students in the target group and provide them with the skills that correspond to the needs of employers and the society. The EMPOWER program is currently operating seven community technology centers in different regions of Kuwait and has graduated 175 students using the Microsoft Unlimited Potential Community Learning curriculum in Arabic. Seven additional community technology centers are expected to open within 2008. These centers are open to the public when classes are not being conducted.

Mali

Afriklinks

AFRIKLINKS is a non-governmental organization (NGO) whose goal is to provide information and communication technologies (ICT) support, including training, monitoring, and evaluation; VSAT and network installation; and help-desk and online support. The aim of this project is to develop the capacity of various members of the Malian community, including female dropouts. The students will undergo a three-month intensive training program to improve their skills for their existing job or to find new employment. With the help of Microsoft Unlimited Potential, USAID, the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and their local implementing partner, the Federation of Malian telecenters (FETEMA), AfrikLink aims to train 21,000 community members in the next three years.

Mauritius

SOS Poverty

SOS Poverty initiatives focus on a number of issues, including welfare programs to distribute food, furniture, and clothing; social leadership training to develop new social workers; and IT skills training for unemployed and underemployed young people. The ICT Training Project will provide technology training facilities and basic computer and life skills training to help unemployed and underemployed youth and women find jobs. Through the support of the Government and the British Council, as well as Microsoft Unlimited Potential funding, SOS Poverty strives to reach 6,000 youth in the next three years.

Morocco

PlaNet Finance Morocco

PlaNet Finance Morocco, as a member of the PlaNet Finance international network, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting poverty through the development and enhancement of the microfinance sector. With Microsoft Unlimited Potential funding, the project will create a global sustainable solution by offering access to technology for microenterprise management, including training, computer delivery, support to technology sector careers, and development of specific technology tools for the microfinance sector. This program will also support participants in the government program, Moukawalati, which aims to create 30,000 microenterprises and small and medium businesses in 2008.

Nigeria

Chief Bola Ige Information Technology Centers (BIITC)

Chief Bola Ige Information Technology Centers' (BIITC) mission is to contribute to the creation of a knowledge-based information society in Nigeria by providing people with the technology skills they need today. The centers also provide the community with a location for activities in leadership development, health education, adult literacy, business development, local governance, and civic education. With Microsoft Unlimited Potential funding, these centers will provide IT skills training to unemployed women and help them acquire the skills they need to find employment. The centers aim to reach 1,500 women this year. BIITC works closely with many partners, including the Nigerian government and UNESCO.

Fantsuam Foundation

Fantsuam Foundation is a rural-based non-governmental organization that works with local communities to fight poverty through integrated development programs. The aim of this project is to build the capacity of Fantsuam's community-based Knowledge Resource Centre to enable technology-based learning. The immediate beneficiaries will be young people, including orphans and vulnerable children from families affected by HIV/AIDS in the Kafanchan area of Nigeria. Program objectives include training volunteers to work in the Children's Computer Club, teaching video production skills to adolescent mothers, and teaching brick-making skills to young people who have dropped out of school. The objective is to reach 9,000 community members in the next three years.

Senegal

PlaNet Finance

This project aims to promote the efficiency, innovation, and diversification of microenterprises in Senegal; create new business opportunities and improve entrepreneurial growth potential; and increase the technical capacity of Senegalese micro-entrepreneurs. With the Microsoft Unlimited Potential grant and support from other partners such as the UNESCO Community Multimedia Centers and UNICEF, PlaNet Finance aims to train 1,300 micro-entrepreneurs in the next three years in the use of data-processing tools, management, social, and entrepreneurial skills.

Sharjah

Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS)

Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS) provides education, care, training, and rehabilitation to children and adults with special needs, with varying levels of disability. This project will establish a Computer Learning Center for deaf students and people with mild mental disabilities to provide them with the opportunity to gain the technology skills they need to find a job, to empower them in all aspects of their lives, and improve their standard of living.

South Africa

P.E.A.C.E Foundation

P.E.A.C.E Foundation's objective is to provide disadvantaged communities in South Africa with the necessary tools and information to accelerate their development and improve educational and economic standards in their communities. In many rural communities, communication tools do not exist and there is a lack of qualified trainers. Through Microsoft Unlimited Potential funding, community technology centers will be created and will offer IT skills training programs as well as access to a phone, fax, and photocopying. The centers will provide the community with core services, including financial management and marketing courses to develop and expand small entrepreneurial businesses. In distant rural locations, Internet and satellite technology will be used. More than 3,000 people will benefit from this program over the next three years.

Library Business Corners

Library Business Corners is a non-governmental organization that strives to raise awareness among rural communities that self-employment is an option to generate income and wealth. Local libraries serve as user-friendly locations where existing and prospective small business entrepreneurs can obtain information. The Cape Access initiative was started in 2004 by the Provincial Government of the Western Cape, in partnership with the Library Business Corners and community-based organizations called e-Community Forums, to accelerate socio-economic development. To date, six telecenters have been set up in rural parts of the province to provide access to general and government information through the Internet. With Microsoft Unlimited Potential funding, additional sustainable e-Community Forum telecenters will be established.

SANGONeT

SANGONeT's mission is to support the effective use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in Southern African civil society organizations by providing quality services and initiatives. This three-year project started in Fiscal Year 2006. At the end of this project, telecenters will be certified as training centers and will be in a position to issue certificates, which will encourage more people to come to the centers for training and help make these centers self-sufficient. The project will provide a high standard of training for Microsoft Digital Villages and the South African telecenters will ensure that students are trained to meet the requirements of the National Diploma on End User Computing, which is endorsed by SAQUA. The project will initially benefit 188 telecenter managers. At the end of three years, it will have benefited 500,000 people. In addition to support from Microsoft Unlimited Potential, project partners include Sangonet, Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa, and Telecentre Association of South Africa.

Tanzania

Miracle Corners of the World

Miracle Corners of the World's mission is to empower youth to become positive agents of change in order to improve their lives and contribute to their own communities around the world. With Microsoft Unlimited Potential funding, the objective of this project is to provide IT skills training to underserved and unemployed youth to enhance their opportunities for employment and income generation. The geographic focus will be the Arusha and Songea areas of Tanzania. Miracle Corners of the World provides learning opportunity to youth through their Technology Learning Centers in urban and rural settings. The goal is to train 10,000 youth in the next three years.

Affordable Computers and Technology for Tanzania

Mkombozi was established in 1997 and its mission is to empower vulnerable children and youth in building a better society. The Affordable Computers and Technology for Tanzania project focuses on vulnerable children and youth. Microsoft Unlimited Potential support will help increase the number of people who receive information and communication technology (ICT) skills training in the various centers run by Mkombozi. In addition to their nonprofit activities, Mkombozi runs a business wing that will ensure the long-term sustainability of the organization. The project goal is to reach 18,000 community members in the next three years.

Tunisia

Basma Association for the Promotion of People with Disabilities

There are estimated to be about 151,000 people with disabilities in Tunisia. Basma is creating employment opportunities for people with disabilities by offering IT skills training and access to new technologies. With Microsoft Unlimited Potential funding, the Basma Association will establish a regional Accessibility Resource Center for North Africa and the Arab world. The center will offer technology tools and IT skills training to help people with disabilities find jobs in the public and private sectors and contribute to the Tunisia knowledge economy. The goal is to reach 15,000 community members in the next three years.

Turkey

Civil Society Development Center

The purpose of the project is to help local Turkish non-governmental organizations (NGOs) develop their use of information technologies, to help them to achieve their objectives for the economic and social development of Turkey. With support from Microsoft Unlimited Potential funding, this national project plans to work with 146 NGOs.

Youth for Habitat

Youth for Habitat is an international network of 300 youth-focused organizations working in partnership with the United Nations. The network was established during the 1995 Copenhagen Social Development Summit with the participation of 300 youth organizations with diverse religious, racial, cultural, and national backgrounds. Building on the first phase of the project, Empowerment of Youth through Improved e-Governance in Turkey, Microsoft Unlimited Potential funding will help the project strengthen the technology capacities of the organizations by developing a common platform for them to share information through Turkey's Local Agenda 21 Program (LA-21). Young people, with an emphasis on young women, will receive IT skills training from peer trainers. The project goal is to reach 50,000 young people throughout Turkey in 2008.