Two New

Two New Community Technology Centers Opened in Arroyo Cano and Carrera de Yegua, San Juan de la Maguana
Arroyo Cano, Province of San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic, February 22, 2012

These centers provide personalized education and continuing education andtrainingfor citizens toachieve more productive employment and improve their quality of life.

Today the Office of the First Ladydelivered two new Community Technology Centers (CTCs) in the Municipal Districts of Arroyo Cano and Carrera de Yegua. Now, there are ten such centers operating in the Southern province, …

Today the Office of the First Ladydelivered two new Community Technology Centers (CTCs) in the Municipal Districts of Arroyo Cano and Carrera de Yegua. Now, there are ten such centers operating in the Southern province, allowing residents to develop their skills, receive education and training, and gain access to productive work.

The main event was held in the Municipal District of Arroyo Cano,and was headed by Dr. Altagracia Suriel, Director of Social Programs in the Office of the First Lady, on behalf of the First Lady,Dr. Margarita Cedeño de Fernández.Meanwhile, representatives of the Office of the First Lady held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Carrera de Yegua.

In her keynote address, Dr. Suriel stated that the CTC represented a ray of hope for the community of Arroyo Cano and its surrounding areas.  “Today we are starting a new chapter in learning, opportunities, and training for boys, girls, young people, women, farmers, and members of the entire community,” she said.

Moreover, according to Dr. Suriel, the Office of the First Lady’s goal with this CTC is to bridge the digital divide and put communication and information technology in the hands of community members, giving them access to that knowledge, and to all the information that is available on the Internet and in online databases and books, and also so that they can use the social networksto enrich their own knowledge in all areas.

Dr. Altagracia Suriel stated that with this new center, gaps were being bridged and new opportunities to overcome marginalization were made available, in addition to providingsimilar opportunities to those that people who live in urban areas already have.

These CTCs offer opportunities for members of the rural communities to benefit from the advantages offered by the Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) toreceive a more personalized education, continuing education, and the training necessary to gain access to better employment, thereby improving their quality of life.

Young Maria Dicén, a second-year high school student at Liceo María Trinidad Sánchez, expressed the gratitude of Arroyo Cano’s youth, and stated that this CTC means more than just a building and computers, as it represents modernity, growth, development, and opportunity, with the clear goal of reducing the digital divide and bringing us closer to being more competitive and productive in all human activities.

“Arroyo Cano is making great strides.  This is a defining moment marking a before and after in the history of our Municipal District, as technology is part of a society in progress, with commitment, and dedication. We will also shape it with values,” added Dicén.

In turn, Ángel Yubert Medina Sánchez, General Coordinator for the Board of Management, thanked Dr. Margarita Cedeño de Fernandez on behalf of the town for the great work her office has carried out on behalf of the Arroyo Cano community, and pointed out that this contribution was a great opportunity to end technological illiteracy and reduce the digital divide.  “The Board of Management and the other volunteers who work alongside us commit to care for and make good use of this collective treasure, which has been placed in our hands, andto ensure that the free services will be made available to all.”

With these centers, Arroyo Cano and Carrera de Yegua will receiveclasses on digital literacy, access to databases, fax service, online education programs, and information on employment.  A conference room and amultipurpose room for meetings and planning educational and cultural activities will be available to benefit the community.

Detail on the CTCs

For boys and girls, between the ages of three and five years old, the CTCs provide a Space for Hope, where the little ones will receive a comprehensive education which would allow them to reach their maximum potential in cognitive, motor, communication, and social skills.  These spaces have been approved by the Ministry of Education.

Each center includes a modern network made of 30 computers with Internet connection, providing area residents with access to quality educational programs, as well as to books and encyclopedias.  Additionally, they have a document library and severalvirtual libraries, a reception center, offices, and an information area.

For boys and girls, between the ages of three and five years old, the CTCs provide a Space for Hope, where the little ones will receive a comprehensive education which would allow them to reach their maximum potential in cognitive, motor, communication, and social skills.  These spaces have been approved by the Ministry of Education.

Each center has a CTC Radio, with Modular Frequency (FM), which is a space for dialogue, integration, and participation for all.  Its programming includes 70% educational content, used to develop topics of local interest, emphasizing those related to all sorts of abuse and child labor, preventing disease and teen pregnancy, information for housewives, and environmental care and conservation, among others.

With these two centers,the Office of the First Ladyhas now opened a total of 77 CTCs around the country, with the goal of providing Dominicans with access to the infinite world of knowledge available on the Internet, the fastest method of communicating with the rest of the country and with the world, preparing to compete in the 21st century, which is the century of knowledge and information.

As part of the event, the San Juan Federation of Farmers and Coffee Growers, represented by the Federation’s President Meraris Sánchez, honored the First Lady with a Plaque of Recognition, which was accepted by Dr. Altagracia Suriel, Director of Social Programs, on her behalf. The members of the Center’s Management Board then were sworn in by Dr. Suriel.