COMPUTER LEARNING CENTER
In 2004, MAII launched an initiative to educate eager adults in northern Haiti. The first step in this process was the opening of the Computer Learning Center in Port Margot. This center houses more than 20 computers, which are equipped with software packages for business and academics. They were the first computers in the city, and remain the hot spot for technology within the community today. MAII uses the computer center to teach technology courses in its primary and secondary schools in Port Margot, and also offers classes for adults in the technical and vocational school. When not in use for classes, the Computer Learning Center is available to the public so that community members may benefit from doing business work, practicing skills, and enjoying the advantages of technology.
There is currently no Internet in the Port Margot region, and this lack of technology is contributing to the ever-widening wealth gap in Haiti. We believe strongly in the value of giving students access to the Internet while teaching them how to use it productively and responsibly. Internet capabilities help overcome information poverty, pave the way for efficient communication, and are important employable skills in themselves. MAII is working hard to have the Computer Learning Center hooked up to the web in the near future.