LearniT Program Offers IT Exposure To Children

Bangalore, India - Indian children from disadvantaged backgrounds will get a helping hand across the digital divide as Nortel joins forces with the non-profit organization, Dream A Dream, to establish Asia’s first Nortel LearniT Center in Bangalore, India.

Through the Nortel LearniT center and the connectivity it offers, Indian students will have the opportunity to access, use and embrace technology as a powerful learning and discovery tool. For many it will be the first time they have been exposed to the Internet and the opportunities that technology brings to their education and their future. Nortel LearniT initiatives focus on building the skills and knowledge that 21st century learners need for success.

“The hyperconnected world should reach all corners of the planet and the efforts of Nortel LearniT and the Dream a Dream team are helping previously unconnected children take part in this exciting new era by demonstrating not just what technology is but also how to use it,” said Ravi Chauhan, managing director of Nortel India. “The Nortel LearniT Center in Bangalore gives us the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of some of the neediest children by helping them achieve success in the digital age.”

Whether through delivery of technology learning materials, outreach efforts targeting local charities, educational lectures, and other channels, Nortel volunteers regularly help community groups around the globe share the opportunities for success that technology provides. As mentors at the new Nortel LearniT Center, Nortel employees in India will play an integral part in the project’s success by spending time each weekend with the students to help inspire learning through the power of technology. Volunteers undergo extensive training offered by the Enable Child Foundation, a Dream A Dream partner, enabling them to provide high-quality computerand Internet-based education to the children in creative and engaging ways.

Nortel LearniT is an initiative of Nortel Community Relationsto prepare teachers, students, and learners of all ages to develop 21st-century skills that will provide a basis for their ongoing engagement in learning and personal achievement. With a range of partners and a variety of proven educational methods, Nortel LearniT offers guidance on technology issues for students, educators and lifelong learners around the world.