Digital Natives

5 years after 3/11

After March 11,2011 Living Dreams received money literally from all over the world. Much of this was due to our presence on GlobalGiving, we raised a total of $187,000USD from 2011-2013. And approximately another 30-40,000,000 yen ($400,000) in general donations from GlobalGiving,Hope Initiative,Taylor Anderson Memorial Fund,JASSC (Japan American Society of Southern California,JASI (Japan American Society of Indiana,JACL (Japan American Citizens League,Impact Foundation,Kemin (Japan),AJET chapters throughout Japan, Barclays,Tony Bloom Charitable Trust,Tokyo International School and Schools from the UK and Switzerland.

5 years later, we are happy to report that the funds received by our generous donors have been invested in the future of the Tohoku children by way of the DIGITAL NATIVES program where over 350 computers have been purchased half of which were placed in Tohoku homes giving over 300 children on average at 5 homes access to the internet and monthly training.

The core objective of this project is to meet the needs of children through technology programs and learning activities.  The children living in children’s homes in Japan have very little access to the world beyond their home and school. Only a small percentage of children in these homes in Japan go to college and about one-third of these children are at least two grade levels below their peers.  Provision of basic technology to these children helps bridge the divide and prepare them for a successful future.

The Digital Natives program is built on the philosophy that access to the Internet can be a viable tool for children to communicate, explore and learn. Simultaneously, the digital medium is fast becoming our go-to and primary source for accessing all kinds of essential services and information; job seeking, government programs, health information, etc. The skills required to access this information are indispensable.

Internet Connection: Living Dreams will work with the children’s home to connect their facility to high-speed internet, provide wireless access, and ensure safe and secure access for children.

Supporting Technology: Tablets, laptops, printers, cameras, and supporting software have been provided largely due to the support of MICROSOFT and SENTREE.  Ideally, each older child will have access to their own device.  Living Dreams will repair, replace, and update technology and equipment as needed.

Technology Training: Both the managers of the children’s homes and the children have been trained on safe and effective use of the equipment, software, and cloud system.

We see this investment in the children’s future paying dividends of them finding their paths via software training and now career assessment tests which have been donated by Riasec. Coding as well as numerous projects have been introduced through collaboration with other NPOS such as PhoTohoku (who started by taking family’s photos to start their albums all over after having lost theirs) and Touchy the Human Camera with our Digital Camera lecture.

Links:

• Living Dreams
• Living Dreams in Tohoku

Following the giving to our campaign which was also promoted during #GivingTuesday, we have raised funds which will go for computers in some of the homes which have asked for additoinal devices.

Much focus has been on coding and teaching the children how to use Scratch for coding. https://scratch.mit.edu

Going into 2016 we are looking to scale the Digital Natives program from Tohoku and Kanto down to Nagoya.

We are endeavoring to set up a computer in a home in each of the 53 Stations of Tokaido with our new marketing plan of "53 stations of connectivity" increasing our homes from the original ten pilot homes to be on target with over 63 homes by the end of 2016.

In March 2016, Microsoft is going to hold training programs for the staff of the homes and the children.

Thank you for supporting us.