DOT-COM Activity: Bridges to the Future Literacy Project
DOT:dot-EDU
Country: South Africa
Funder(s):
Short Description: The principal goal of the Bridges to the Future Initiative South Africa (BFI- SA) is to reach out of school youth and adults in poor communities in South Africa by leveraging the potential of ICTs to improve literacy, basic skills and access to information in support of life-skills for health, HIV-AIDS prevention, and economic development, with a special focus on gender.
Phase/Type of Activity: Pilot Status: Active
Start date: August 01, 2002 End Date: January 01, 2005
Contact
Dan Wagner , Professor and Director
International Literacy Institute , University of Pennsylvania Email: Tel: 215-898-9803
Full Description: dot-EDU will support the first year start-up of the three-year ICT/Literacy project, Bridges to the Future. The principal goal of the Bridges to the Future Initiative South Africa (BFI- SA) is to reach out of school youth and adults in poor communities in South Africa by leveraging the potential of ICTs to improve literacy, basic skills and access to information in support of life-skills for health, HIV-AIDS prevention, and economic development, with a special focus on gender. The BFI in SA is part of a multi-country effort aimed at using ICTs to help the poorest of the poor. The four main partner agencies include: the International Literacy Institute, South Africa National Department of Education, Limpopo Provincial Department of Education, and School Net South Africa. Update: The projects implementing partner, dot-EDU Resource Partner University of Pennsylvania, has recently reported progress toward finalizing negotiations with local partners, which will allow implementation plans to being moving forward at a faster pace.
Core funding for the DOT-COM Alliance is provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture & Trade, Office of Energy and Information Technology (EGAT/EIT/IT), Office of Human Capacity Development: Basic Education Team (EGAT/HCD), and Office of Women in Development (EGAT/WID), under the terms of Award numbers: GDG-A-00-01-00009-00, dot-GOV; GDG-A-00-01-00014-00, dot-ORG; GDG-A-00-01-00011-00, dot-EDU.