Education for Development
and Democracy Initiative - EDDI

The Education for Development and Democracy Initiative (EDDI) is an African-led commitment from the U.S. Government to strengthen the educational systems and the democratization process of sub-Saharan Africa through linkages with the United States. EDDI's goal is to integrate these African Countries into the global community of free-market democracies through targeted and innovative approaches to education and citizen involvement.

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EDDI Partner School Program

Recently, after PCV Justin O. identified his former high shchool, made numberous contacts, and submitted a detailed proposal, EDDI agreed to fund a Partner School Program between Derby High School in Kansas and Aioun High School in Mauritania to promote communication and understanding between the two schools.

This project, although multi-faceted, is generally intended to extend access to computers and Internet to a wider population by making information technology part of the secondary school experience. Using human resources already in place, a sustainable computer facility can be established, in cooperation with the existing system of education. In addition, the project will allow for new-found computer skills to be applied practically both with class work and the exchange component. The population targeted is the staff, teachers, and students of the Aioun high school, but the entire community will benefit from this project.

The plan for this project is to create sustainable and affordable access to the Internet for students and faculty at the high school in Aioun through a not for profit facility. One cyber café exists in town now with reliable service, but the high demand does not make navigation feasible for the majority of the school’s population and the population at large. The first goal of this project is to introduce the students and faculty to information technology resources and to incorporate this technology into the classroom. Secondly, the project aims to develop an exchange program between the Aioun high school and Derby High School in the United States. E-mail and Internet will serve as the primary vehicle for interaction, but plans for students and faculty from both schools to visit their counterparts in their respective countries in the late spring or summer of 2003 will also be an integral part of the program.

-- Disclaimer: The content of this web site is a project of the volunteers in Mauritania and does not reflect any official position of Peace Corps or the U.S. government. --