Youbridge

YouBridge supports students and entrepreneurs around the world by giving them laptops and access to the world wide web. The Youbridge platform then enables the recipients and donors to connect directly and interact with each other. The organisation lets interested individuals and organisations send one or more new laptops to less developed countries. The idea is that when the targeted youngsters have access to information and get connected to the Youbridge social network, they get more engaged in their own education.

In it's mission statement Youbridge states: "They [the students] learn, share, create & collaborate. They become connected to each other, to the world & to a brighter future." This connects very well with the intentions behind our Maono and LEALA projects in Katanga, Lubumbashi. Using the Youbridge system, we provided a laptop for two of our local partners in the Maono project (Etoile du Sud/Usahidizi and Village Matima). They have since been using these machines to conduct their normal activities as well as to stay in touch with us electronically. EDS Lubumbashi has also started contributing to the national (Kinshasa) EDS website and blog.