Horizon Lanka Foundation in Mahavilachchiya is utilizing all its resources to keep its ICT curriculum up to date, enabling the students to stay in touch with tomorrow’s technology. We expect our students to progress to higher studies in ICT. For that we have sought assistance from ICT educational institutes and so far have been successful in getting a generous helping hand from the IDM Institute. They teach our senior students free of charge at their branches.
Digital Butterflies, which enables Horizon Lanka students to get used PCs for a low cost plan, has produced positive results by familiarizing the families in the village with ICT. Digital Ambassadors is the next step forward.
The Model eVillage project is aiming to make Mahavilachchiya an ICT savvy village. To achieve this, it is understood that the organization cannot rely on hired experts on a long term basis. We get assistance from experts where necessary but at great expense. So, through Digital Ambassadors, we are aiming to produce our own ICT experts. The most outstanding senior students of Horizon Lanka have been identified as a great asset to Horizon Lanka’s future work.
This dynamic group of students, who have been with Horizon Lanka since its inception, are willing to work for the village even while they are doing higher studies. Once they are graduated, they can become full time employees.
So far 6 students have been identified as the first batch of Digital Ambassadors. They are expected to travel in groups, gather information, convert them into digital form, upload them to the relevant websites they are maintaining, teach the younger students and the villagers, do offshore assignments, etc.
So, we believe that this group of students should be well equipped with necessary ICT peripherals. We have identified that a laptop will make them Digital Ambassadors. Even used laptops would be welcomed.
Mr. Horikawa of Japan donated the first laptop, to kick start this project, to Iresha Dilhani, the first recipient of the Digital Butterflies project. This was the beginning of the beginning for Digital Ambassadors project.
Digital Ambassadors 