Introduction
One of the major actors for a certain nation is the working force, in which the majority in the range of 15 up to 40 years old. Majority of these age groups are the youth. The youth should be involved and have to be aware of what is going on or what is happening in the countries development.
The Millennium Development Goals which is suppose to be achieved on the year of 2015. When we come to the achievement process, it needs the participation of different International and National organizations, the private sector, United Nation agencies, aid agencies, educational Organizations, civil societies the community as whole.
The youth, in which is the part of the community, is one of the major weapon to fire activities of the achievement process. The youth is energetic and powerful. The youth should be aware and involved in this activity as a key player. To achieve the involvement of the youth the youth should be informed and updated to current issues and what is going on, the youth also should get the chance to be involved what stages are available for them to be active and should be encouraged to keep doing what they are doing.
This project focuses on how to use Information Technology as part of the Millennium Development Goals achievement accelerator.
Objective
The main objectives of this project are
- Discovering and Searching avenues that the youth gathers. This focuses especially Universities found in the country. Universities are places where foundation of the nation built up, the youth.
- Establishing Resource centers that have computers and Internet, TVs and DVD players which messages about MDG and the youth can be presented. This gives information about what MDG is and what the youth is doing on achievement activity and what is expected from the youth.
- Establishing MDG clubs in Universities that involve the youth and provide training for those students that they can go out and teach the community around the University.
- Creating different Video and Phone conferences among other youth from different part of the world and the youth in this country. This helps for experience sharing and will give the youth a confidence that they have to do something based on the experience they get.
- With collaboration of Universities and the private sector, United Nation and the government, develop different volunteer activities that youth volunteers can join and contribute their best to the community I which it can accelerate the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
- Establishing a Central unit that coordinates this activities and proper implementation of the project.
Project sites:
The main project sites will be Universities and colleges found in different parts of, regions, of the country. The reason why the universities are nominated as a target site is because of:
- Most of the students are at the age of 18 up to 25, which is a good place to target the youth.
- Universities are the places where the youth is trained to develop their carrier and be active participant in the development process of the country after they graduated.
- University students are acceptable by the community found in areas around the university.
- Universities are willing to cooperate in activities like this so it will give the project easily to be implemented and will be supported by the university.
- Most student found in universities are eager to participate in different clubs and movements in which give the project a chance to be accepted easily and there will be many student members.
- Universities will be easy to establish a resource center which makes the implementation of the project easy.
Other than the students, instructors, and administrative staffs will get a chance to be a part of the MDG activist team.
Activities:
To achieve the project the following activities will be considered
- Establishing resource centers that are equipped with computers, Projector, Video cams, Television, DVD players and Internet.
- Establish MDG Activist Team, which can be composed of mainly students and supported instructors as well as by the school administration, in selected universities.
- Providing training for the MDGAT members concerning to how to use the technology provided to them, the Resource center, leadership training and about the MDGs.
- Creating network among all member universities and host virtual conferences and experience sharing events. Also organizing Video conferences with other MDG activists around the world including UN organizations.
- Establish MDG tour activities for members of MDGAT to giving them a chance to go around country sides near to their university and teach other youth about the Goals. MDGAT can create their own network to involve local youth groups in their activity.
- With collaboration with different volunteer organizations, organizing award ceremonies for MDGAT that has excellent contribution on the achievement process of the Goals.
- Organizing different quiz competitions between MDGATs by involving the Media especially the national television, the National Radio and if possible the Internet.
The Resource Center
This center can be established in collaboration of the University. Once the building is allowed, the resource center can have the following materials.
- 10 Computers
- 1 Video Cam
- 1 21’ TV
- DVD Player
- 1 Projector
- 1 Lap top
- Internet, if the university has broad band it needs only installation. Other wise dial up connections can be possible.
- Different MDG Oriented documents, CDs, DVDs, Books and other necessary Materials.
- 1 Printer
The main purpose of the resource center is to provide MDGAT members to have full access to Information. It also helps MDGATs to have connection with other youth found in another universities and the rest of the world. The resource center will give a chance for MDGAT members to organize different kinds of activities to promote MDGs to the school environment, communities around them and other youth clubs found in near by areas.
MDGAT (Millennium Development Goals Activist Team)
This is a club organized by student and the school administration. It will have its own executive body as others clubs do and will also have members. This team will be trained and supported by institutions that are working with MDGs.
After taking the training the team will be assigned to advocate the Goals and will be encouraged to organize their own proposals in which they think it is good for their activity. This team will be advised by the central organ that facilitates this event. The team is responsible for organizing different events like MDG advocacy tour, creating awareness events for school community and develops different youth friendly brochures for the community.
The Central body
This body will be located in one of the Universities or will have its own location in one of volunteer organization that work with MDGs like UNDP or the Government.
The central body will have the following tasks.
- It will organize the activities of the MDGAT’s in member universities.
- Organizes experience sharing with member university MDGAT’s as well as with the international communities.
- It organizes quarter and annuls reports for funding organizations, UNDP, UNSPD and UN HQ as well as for the Government.
- It facilitates the activities of this MDG clubs and based on their activity, it will allocate budget. It also will organize different trainings for MDGAT members.
- It follow up the activities in each university and will provide quarter and annual work plans, schedules and organize national workshops.
- Will write proposal on projects and search for funding.
- Will follow up the activities and if the approaches do not meet the target, it will initialize new strategies and action plans.
- Communicate with public medias and will work on advocating the activities of MDGAT’s and develop quarterly news papers through hard copy and soft copy.
- Monitor distribution of publications and resource materials for MDGAT’s and other partner youth groups as well as different National and International Organizations.
- Develop low cost effective mechanisms for advocating the Millennium Development Goals.
- Organize Volunteer services for MDGAT members during their break time with collaboration of different organizations that work on MDG or related issues in their nearest home town areas.
- Evaluates the activities on MDGATs and award the best performing Team at the end of every year, or at the end of every project phase.
- Organize quiz competitions.
Member Universities
- Haramaya University, Located in Harar, jijiga and Dire Dawa, Somali state and Eastern Ethiopia, Oromiya state
- Bahir Dar University, will cover areas around Bahir dar State
- Addis Ababa University, will cover areas around Addis Ababa
- Jimma University, will cover western Ethiopia in around Jimma, Oromiya State
- Adama University, will cover areas around Nazareth, Oromiya state
- Arbaminch University, will cover areas around the University, Southern State
- Mekele University, will cover areas around Mekele, Tigria State
- Hawassa University, Southern State
Based on the availability of technology and internet other universities will be included after seeing the achievement of MDGAT’s in this universities.
Expectation:
Form the project, the following will be expected;
1. MDGAT members will have the knowledge and opportunity to educate and engage the school community, different surrounding youth clubs and the community around the university, on the achievement process of the Millennium Development Goals.
2. The Experience sharing events will provide MDGAT members to share their experience nation wide as well as internationally.
3. Young volunteerism will be introduced to the youth in the Universities and there will be different opportunities for young people to volunteer in the community and fields that accelerate the achievement process of the Millennium Development Goals.
4. MDGAT members and Universities will work together on the achievement activities of the Millennium Development Goals in order to achieve the Annual Award and the Quiz Competition.
5. Reaching the youth will be easy. The youth can be reached through the offices located in universities. The local youth groups will get training and assistance and support from MDGATs.
