By Veronica Philippe | Project Officer
Dear friends,
Thank you for supporting us throughout 2019. We are glad to share that in commemoration of the 15 years of partnership with Microsoft in favor of a region with greater access to the necessary skills and technology, we launched the 15 Stories for 15 Years of Partnership book.
This publication aims to present some inspiring stories of POETA participants and how teachers, youth, women, and people with disabilities use technology to innovate, create and strengthen their communities. We are grateful to our donors in GlobalGiving who make these success stories possible.
The book also showcases the impact stories of three women from Itaborai, Maracanau, and Sobradinho in Brazil. To read their stories, please click the following link: https://www.trustfortheamericas.org/media/press-room/kits/versions/en/15-A%C3%91OS-POETA-FINAL_liSPFYi.pdf
Further, we would like to give a shoutout to some talented youth with disabilities from the POETA Program in Mexico, Costa Rica, Peru and Argentina.
An app to help people with hearing disabilities
Edel --- Santa Catarina, Mexico
Edel is a 19-year-old student from Santa Catarina, Mexico. Edel, who has a hearing disability. He joined POETA YouthSpark at the UTSC (Universidad Tecnológica Santa Catarina) Center where he took coding, app development, innovation, and entrepreneurship courses. Inspired by his courses and interested in innovating through technology, Edel and his classmates were able to develop an App called Infotrans, which helps people, including those with hearing disabilities, track the status of their flights.
Edel and his team competed internationally, among 600 participants, at the JA Global Youth Forum. Here, Infotrans won third place. Throughout the Forum, Edel was able to attend conferences with world-class keynote speakers and participate in alumni panels and entrepreneurship workshops.
Edel is thankful to Microsoft, The Trust and UTSC for their continuous in his journey to develop key computer science skills as he shares he is committed to continue learning to both innovate and help empower others with disabilities.
Technology allows Marbellys to see the world
Marbellys ---- San Jose, Costa Rica
Marbellys is a young woman from San José, Costa Rica who has a visual disability. Marbellys works at PANACI (Patronato Nacional de Ciegos) and has always been interested in learning how adapted technologies work. Looking to becoming more independent, Marbellys joined the POETA Center at PANACI where, thanks to Microsoft and The Trust, she received digital skills training through the Window-Eyes program.
This program allows Marbellys to use a computer through screen readers and voice recognition. Marbellys comments: "Thanks to Window-Eyes, many doors have been opened; it has opened up the world I had always wanted to explore and it has allowed me to feel useful in my community." In addition to learning digital skills, Marbellys increased her self-esteem and self-confidence, allowing her to feel fulfilled as she is now able to support her family.
Briggitte changes her life through POETA YouthSpark
Briggitte --- Lima, Peru
Before joining POETA YouthSpark, Briggitte was a 22-year-old shy woman with limited mobility due to a type of Spina Bifida. Because of economic constraints, Briggitte dropped her undergrad studies to help her mother at home.
After hearing about POETA YouthSpark at a health fair, Briggitte joined the project at the Fundades Center in Lima. After three months of training, Briggitte developed key technical and digital skills which allowed her to secure a job at Konecta, where she became responsible for managing the company’s large CRM (Customer Relationship Management).
Briggitte’s experience at the POETA YouthSpark Center and the relationships she developed here allowed her to increase her self-esteem and become more independent. Briggitte is grateful to Microsoft, The Trust, and Fundades for helping her develop key skills that have allowed her to shape her future.
Technology opens up a world of opportunities for Magdalena
Magdalena ---- La Plata, Argentina
Magdalena, 25 years-old, lives with her 9-year-old son from La Plata, Argentina and is a massage therapist. Magdalena, who has a visual disability, joined POETA YouthSpark through the CILSA Center. After her Digital Skills training at the Center, Magdalena acquired employability skills empowered through technology. She learned how to operate Microsoft Office package, how to develop her CV, and how to create blogs and websites. Thanks to these skills, Magdalena was able to strengthen her business.
With support from CILSA, Magdalena secured an internship at the Universidad del Litoral. Inspired by her own learning process, Magdalena decided to become a professor and is now studying to become a Technology Professor.
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