“The most important thing that you can learn at any age is how to use a computer,” remarked training participant Julduz Sydykova, who had never used the internet before. Julduz was introduced to the online world in Kyrgyzstan through the IREX implemented Global Connections & Exchange (GCE) [7] and Digital Youth Dialogue (DYD) programs that bring information technology and internet to schools and libraries throughout the country. As part of the program, students and teachers receive training on computer skills and have open access to the internet at school.
Recently, GCE and DYD programs took part for the first time in Get Online Week [8], an international initiative held between February 28th and March 5th. Get Online Week is a campaign organized by Telecentre Europe to get new computer users online. This year GCE and DYD’s three libraries and 19 schools contributed to the campaign by bringing online 182 new users.
Student trainers from GCE and DYD felt proud passing on their technological knowledge to their parents, grandparents and friends’ parents as well as unemployed youth to the internet.
Trainees used the internet for a variety of things that interested them ranging from finding salad recipes, gardening tips, current news and emailing family members. Offline citizens were really excited about the opportunity to be online and one of the trainees who is a pensioner even decided to buy a computer for her grandson saying, “Now, I understand why young people like technology. “
“I heard a lot about the internet but I didn’t realize its enormous benefits until I used it for the first time myself today. I am happy that my daughter studies at Bokonbaev School, because it has free internet access. I am proud of our children teaching us what we couldn’t learn when we were in school,” reflected a parent and trainee Aitkan Atakulova after the event.
A detailed description and pictures about Get Online Week can be viewed in GCE’s latest newsletter [9].