Educator Creates Community Impact Through Computer Literacy Training

The only person in her community to graduate with a university degree, Silvia was inspired to start a computer literacy project. She wanted to better prepare the youth in her community for university studies, teaching them practical skills for local tourism jobs, and helping them access distance learning opportunities. She knew that it would make a difference to families not just in Tortuga, but also in neighboring areas. Through mentorship, technical support, equipment packages, and resources to purchase building materials, Silvia and her community were able to remodel an abandoned building into the Tortuga Technology Education Center. Silvia also worked alongside ConnectED and the Universidad Autónoma de Nicaragua (UNAN) in Managua to establish a credentialed Certificate Training Program in Computer Literacy developed specifically for rural students with little to no computer knowledge. Through this program, rural students and teachers are able to learn basic computer literacy skills (using the internet, creating documents, spreadsheets, and slide presentations) that help them perform better in school and at work. The Certification and new skills have led to pay increases, jobs in the tourism industry, and scholarship opportunities for students to attend UNAN, Managua.