Unlimited Potential
 The Microsoft Unlimited Potential (UP) program is an extension of Microsoft's efforts at creating social and economic opportunities that change people's lives and transform communities. It is a global initiative that focuses on improving learning for underserved individuals through technology skills that focus on real-world skill development and enhancement of total productivity.
Launched in India in August 2004 as Project Jyoti, the UP program in India focusses on building community technology learning centres (CTLCs) that act as a hub for providing training and facilitating greater interaction. Project Jyoti reaches out predominantly to rural communities and women, in villages and semi urban areas, and empowers them with technical tools to start micro enterprises and engage in basic trade. This is complimented by efforts to integrate, facilitate and benefit the individual, the family and society at large by giving them access to relevant information and technology, and - more importantly - equipping them with the proper skills to actually use this technology and expand their opportunities.
Key Features
The objectives of Unlimited Potential are met through a series of activities that include:
- Cash Grants: For setting up Community Technology Learning Centres (CTLCs) and hiring trainers. Till date Microsoft has made cash and software grants aggregating to Rs 29.2 crores to 10 NGOs
- IT skills training curriculum
- Software donations for running the CTLCs
- Community Technology Support Network - for facilitating collaboration amongst CTLCs worldwide, aggregating best practices, and developing & delivering relevant content and curriculum.
Highlights
Project Jyoti is being implemented in four phases:
- Phase 1: Targeted areas in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and New Delhi. Partnered with 2 non-profit organizations – World Links & Development Alternatives.
- Phase 2: Targeted areas in Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry and embroidery workers in the Kanpur-Lucknow corridor in Uttar Pradesh. Partnered with 2 non-profit organizations - M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) & Datamation Foundation.
- Phase 3: Targeted areas in Gujarat, Orissa, Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka. Partnered with 2 non-profit organizations - NASSCOM Foundation and Mahila SEWA Trust.
- Phase 4: Partnered with 4 non-profit organizations – Development Alternatives, Drishtee Foundation, Indian Society of Agribusiness Professionals (ISAP) & Grameen Sanchar Society (GRASSO).
- In addition, Microsoft announced grants to CAP Foundation, a Hyderabad-based NGO, to provide IT skills training to victims of human trafficking as well as vulnerable communities at risk of trafficking. CAP Foundation, along with Delhi-based Prayas and other NGO partners, will engage with these communities to set up a network of 95 Community Technology Learning Centres (CTLCs) across key urban and semi-urban centres in India. Some of the CTLCs will also be located in strategic locations in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Vietnam.
Program Partners
Microsoft's UP grants provide non-profit organizations with funding to support technology-training programs ranging from learning basic computer skills to using business productivity applications. The recipients of these grants become partners in Microsoft's mission to bridge the Digital Divide. Currently our project partners in India include:
To know more about the Unlimited Potential program and how you can participate, email upindia@microsoft.com
The 10 UP projects being currently implemented in partnership with the above NGOs target to directly train 167,243 people by end-2009. |
