Approximately 70% of the world's population, or 5 billion people, do not have access to computers or the Internet. Over 86% of Africa's population has no Internet access and many live in the most isolated and impoverished regions. Millions of young women and men in rural Africa are cut off from a world of education, employment and empowerment. This project will provide support for a technology hub in rural Gulu, Uganda allowing individuals and the community to create solutions to their own challenges through technology.
The Rotary Club of Gulu will partner with U-TOUCH, who provides technology tools and training to enable and advance economic empowerment in disadvantaged regions. In 2010, U-TOUCH opened its first Digital Centers in the rural villages of northern Uganda, a region ravaged by extreme poverty and rebounding from a horrific civil war. The Centers offer free computer training and Internet access to those most in need and eager to learn. In these last three years U-TOUCH has graduated over 3500 trainees from the Microsoft Digital Literacy Curriculum, while providing a variety of related life, work, health, communication, entrepreneurship and digital art skills.
This project will follow the U-TOUCH self-sustainable model for technology hubs. With the resources of equipment and personnel (see budget below) it is expected that the Hub will become 50% self-sustaining within two years, 75% within three years and 100% within four years. At this point in time, the Hub will fully owned and operated by the local community. We look forward to working together to empower the people of northern Uganda to become increasingly self-reliant and to improve the economic conditions of the communities.
The Rotary Club of Gulu has members that are working with U-TOUCH locally. Please see letter under documents from cooperating organization describing relationships with RC of Gulu. The host Club will continue this involvement, manage grant funds and do hands on projects at the Hub as needed to fully develop the Center.
DDF contributions in grey are pending approval of the corresponding district committee.
Note: as of July 1, 2015 there is a 5% additional support fee for cash contributions. This fee does not appear in the financials above because it does not apply if the funds are sent directly to the project account (without going through TRF, and therefore without Paul Harris credit). Clubs sending their cash contribution to TRF must be aware they will have to send an additional 5%.
