By Zayn Abaakil | President
Dounia Project is an International not-for-profit organization working with disadvantaged youth in New York City, Morocco, and Brazil. We strive to utilize new media and communication technologies, video production and other similar tools to help students acquire 21st century skills that will enable them to become informed global and digital citizen.
Above all, we have as an ambition to teach them to instigate change in their communities, and put these skills at the service of those most in need. We believe that each and every young person has unique talents, and we aim to provide the right environment in which these talents can evolve for the benefit of all.
Our participants in Casablanca, Morocco are working on the theme of Youth with Disabilities and their Rights to Accessibility, so they have been in touch with hearing-impaired children from the National Association for the Deaf and Mute in Morocco (ANPS), and have been eager to lend a hand to the kids enrolled in this institution.
The students' current project is to help the ANPS build a presence on the web, using blogging, open source software, social media, and video. Participants created two video that will help the association develop a campaign to raise awareness on issues faced by the children and youth with speech and hearing disabilities.
Moreover, participants are improving their French and English language skills and started exploring a new field: philosophy with the support of the Ben M’Sik University students.
In the Bronx, participants started working on an awareness rising campaign on the theme of Human Trafficking. They are currently developing two videos addressing the issue of human trafficking in their own community. They also started taking French lessons just as their counterparts in Morocco, so English will not be the only language they will use while videoconferencing and chatting with their peers.
Both groups of participants are enhancing their communication skills through community management and social media workshops.
Participants in Brazil are currently on vacation and right after the Carnaval (late February 2013), they will start their sessions which include English lessons, Social Media workshops, Video workshops and Service Project Production on local and global social issues.
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