Online education network helps impoverished communities

A new initiative by the Canadian International Learning Foundation (CanILF) has set out to overcome what Canadians say is the single biggest barrier to becoming a volunteer - lack of time, The Vancouver Sun reports.

"Change the world in five hours a week” is the mantra of the Educator Volunteer Network, which matches up skilled Canadians with schools in developing and at-risk regions around the world, letting them donate their time without ever leaving their desks.

EducatorVolunteer.Net is the brainchild of Ryan Aldred, president of the CanILF, a registered charity devoted to improving educational opportunities for children in destitute and war-torn regions, The University of British Columbia reveals. Through the agency's work in Afghanistan, Aldred said, he saw that online volunteers could make a massive difference to schools.

So far, more than 50 volunteers have signed up to provide one-on-one online assistance with new technologies, research requests, curriculum enhancement, development of resources, writing content for Web sites and putting together budgets and business plans.

EducatorVolunteer.Net is seeking new online volunteers experienced in education, communications, information technology, infrastructure, business or project management, as well as teachers and schools in at-risk regions, Market Watch says.

Donations are needed to recruit, train and connect volunteers and educators, with tax receipts available for eligible Canadian donors.

"I am very grateful for such an opportunity," says Patrick Makisa, director of Rock Community School, in Uganda. "Volunteers are offering great guidance as per school instruction and teachers' activities. I have benefited in my growth in issues of education. Thank you for this great Educator Volunteer Network."