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Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT)

Harnessing the power of youth, DOT transforms young people into leaders of change as they deliver Information and Communications Technology (ICT) training in their own communities.

DOT's unique youth-led programs empower people living in communities that are developing, in transition, or under stress with the confidence to use technology for entrepreneurial, community, educational, and personal development.

Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, DOT operates economic, education, and leadership programs through a network of local offices in China, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Egypt, Uganda, Tanzania, the United Arab Emirates, Mexico, and the USA.

Launched in 2002, DOT has mobilized more than 3,500 young ICT Interns who have trained and coached more than 600,000 people in communities and schools around the world in the use of technology and entrepreneurship.

DOT adheres to a fundamental principle of localization. In each of its locations, DOT establishes a local organization, staffed by local professionals, recruiting local young people (DOT Interns), developing local partnerships, and guided by a business plan to achieve long-term sustainability.

DOT's global partners include the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Cisco Systems, IBM, The MasterCard Foundation and USAID. In the USA, DOT is grateful for the support it receives from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, AmeriCorps and many local organizations in Mississippi and Louisiana.

Programs

Harnessing the power of youth, DOT transforms young people to become leaders of change in their communities. DOT programs empower people of all backgrounds with the confidence to use technology for individual, community and educational development. DOT programs make technology meaningful and relevant to people's day-to-day lives.

Economic Programs

ReachUp! is DOT's foundation economic program. It trains young university graduates (DOT Interns) to deliver entrepreneurship and ICT curricula to members of their community. ReachUp! also focuses on developing the self-confidence, business and technology knowledge of Interns so they can become leaders of change in their communities.

StartUp! is DOT's second economic program, designed to help young university graduates (DOT Interns) work with budding entrepreneurs in their communities to use technology to grow micro- to small-sized entreprises.  ScaleUp! is DOT's tertiary economic program, aimed at preparing young university graduates (DOT Interns) to support well-established business owners in taking their businesses to the next level through the use of information and communication technologies (ICT).  Connected Communities is DOT's training program geared towards helping community knowledge centres and telecenters improve their business practices, local services, and sustainability through ICT, partnerships, and business planning. Education Programs

TeachUp! places young university graduates (DOT Interns) in schools to guide and assist with the integration of techology into classrooms, and foster new technology adoption amongst teachers.

Leadership Programs

Youth Leadership is DOT's program that provides ongoing professional development and social networking opportunities for our growing global network of former Interns.

Corporate Leadership programs foster executive and corporate-level collaboration and mentorship with global communities and youth through corporate volunteering. DOT is an implementation partner in IBM's global Executive and Corporate Service Corps.

=Impact=

Established in 2010, DOT Rwanda has trained 180 new graduates (DOT Interns) to facilitate the ReachUp! and StarUp! programs; those new graduates have themselves equipped more than 35,000 women and young people with technology, business and workforce readiness skills.

DOT Vision

"To eradicate poverty, vulnerability and gender inequality by giving all people the skills and knowledge to use technology to achieve educational, social and economic opportunities."

DOT Rwanda's Programs

DOT Rwanda's programs focus on the capacity development of young people and entrepreneurs, emphasizing 21st Century workforce readiness skills and using technology to unlock creative capacity.

DOT programs equip community participants with tools and capabilities that will help them to advance their economic status by building successful, sustainable livelihoods. The DOT Interns who facilitate programs are young graduates from Rwandan universities who act as trainers, mentors, and coaches in their own communities. DOT Rwanda delivers training programs that equip young people and entrepreneurs with 21st century workforce readiness and technology skills. DOT Rwanda's programs are delivered and facilitated by young new graduates from Rwandan universities ("DOT Interns") who act as trainers, mentors, and coaches in their communities.

The community members and entrepreneurs who participate in DOT's programs emerge equipped with technology and business skills, as well as a greater awareness of the opportunities around them, increased self-esteem, and plans to develop sustainable livelihoods.

DOT Rwanda facilitates the Reach Up! and Start Up! programs in Rwanda in partnership with national, international, and community-based organizations.

Research Programs

Research at DOT is engaged in more deeply understanding the programs, practices and the contexts in which DOT works. Such insights can then be shared, tested, and contested in a variety of global and local networks, fostering debate as well as thought leadership.