Inclusion for People with Disabilities in Colombia

These wonderful microproject is coming to an end and we want to recap our work with these five amazing organizations!

Alongside this project we have worked closely with the 5 beneficiated organizations. Firstly we identified their needs and established the support mechanisms that we will provide to them.

In order to strengthen its technological capabilities, MAKAIA has given them:

• Feasibility assessment to be recipients of donations of software; when organizations were eligible, we started the donation process and some organizations are already enjoying licenses from Google or Microsoft, antivirus and others.
• Each organization has carried out an evaluation of digital maturity, which is a self-assessment where organizations answer some questions about the usage of technology in their organizations, the result is a level of technology that opens the way to determine what will be the accompaniment in each of them; and this support began with the realization of a digital maturity advisory.
• In addition, we have granted licenses for the Platform Nodo Ká, a platform created by MAKAIA where organizations can manage all processes of cooperation; with this license, a training component was carried out on the use of the platform.
• Technical visits have been performed by our expert staff, in order to conduct an assessment of the technological infrastructure of each organization. Some of the key points tested are Internet connection, technology uses, who use technology devices in the organization, the number of computers they have in the organization and other key points.
• After the technical assessment MAKAIA has performed an ICT adoption analysis to find what are the specific need of training for each organizations
• Once we have the final result of the ICT adoption analysis we designed a training program for each organization.
• The training process was offered to the organizations according the needs found after applying the assessment, they were among other topics in issues of:  cloud Computing; create, manage and share folders and documents on the cloud; install and configure software donated; social media and community management; e-learning, MOOCs; software for PWDs; business planning; labor productivity with mobile devices; maps and georeference; online conference; and online team work.
• These organizations have received support to install and configure Gsuites and to create e-mails accounts with the domain according each hosting.
• Organizations have had the chance to have a photo session with an American organization of professional photographers so they can have a set of pictures of HD quality.

The testimonies of our beneficiaries spoke from themselves! Here are some of them:

• "These trainings are great!, now it allows us to have tools so that the young people we serve can handle the computer better, the trainings have served us enough for our professional life as here in the entity" Aula Abierta, Paula.
• "We now have institutional mail with the domain of the organization, also MAKAIA gave us training to learn how to use Google applications. This will allow us to be more efficient in our work, we are incredibly grateful." Foundation Mónica Uribe, Adriana.
• "Here we have a lot of staff who work in the field and for them it is very interesting to be able to learn how to use collaborative tools online. We are many in the institution, we hope that who went to the trainings become replicators of information." Rehabilitation Committee, Diego.

Thank you so much for supporting the improvement of quality of life of many people, these couldn’t be possible without your contribution. We encourage you to see out video, spread the good news and share this powerful project with your family and friends.

Thinking out how to supress the barriers that disability presents when using and adopting technologies, has been one of our greatest learning through this journey we have made together.

All days, anywhere and at any time people with disabilities have to face challenging situation and barriers for their proper development as part of the society. However, technology has become an essential tool to lower many of these barriers. MAKAIA is committed to the straightening of technological, communicational and infrastructural capacities of the five organizations with have been working since the end of last semester. In the ultimate goal of promoting social development.

We are consent that the importance of technology use for these organizations remains in the guidance and support given from our organization. This is why we have been working nonstop to identify their needs and meet them as soon as we are allowed to. We have gather experts and practitioners from our awesome MAKAIA team and some external partners such as Ruta N to be the ones to lead the development and growth of these organizations. 

With all five, Fundación Óyeme, Fundación Amigos con Calor Humano, El Comité de Rehabilitación, Mónica Uribe con Amor y Discapacidad sin Barreras – Aula abiertal; we have so far introduced to them a communications and social media component, that will allow them to make the most of their social networks, increase their followers and promote their actions among the beneficiaries and potential donors.

We are so exited the organizations are in training of use and adoption of ICT; educational software, Gsuite, and clouding computing tools for efficient and collaborative work. Last but not least there is a special motivation for each organization to develop a sustainable business plan hand in hand with our local partner Ruta N.

All these actions combine together provide development opportunities that enable people with disabilities to grow economic, recreational and personal level

As always, thank you for your contributing to improving the quality of life of many people, these wouldn’t be happening without your support. We encourage you to spread the happiness and share this wonderful project with family and friends.