Internet Access and Training Program (IATP)

IATP News from Western Eurasia

February 18 - March 3, 2005

MOLDOVA

Employees of the Vatici Mayor’s
office learn computer basics at the
IATP access site in Orhei, Moldova

Local Government Officials Learn Computer Basics in Orhei, Moldova
On February 26, IATP staff member Vlada Burlacu conducted a three-hour seminar on computer basics for six representatives of the mayor’s office in Vatici. Peace Corps volunteer Veronica Escalona, a management consultant in the mayor’s office, encouraged her colleagues to visit the nearest IATP access site in the neighboring city of Orhei, Moldova. Burlacu gave a brief introduction to IATP and its services and explained how to edit texts, work with tables, and efficiently manage files and folders. Presently, the Vatici Mayor’s Office has only one computer, and the staff takes turns using it. The course improved their efficiency, making their limited computer time more productive. The officials will return to the access site in March for a class on Internet basics. With their newly acquired knowledge, the city government plans to apply online for funding to provide information access and training courses with an emphasis on computer and Internet literacy for the approximately 1,000 residents of their village.

website
Petru Scurtu (CC 02) gives lectures
on breast cancer prevention in his
online course

Alumnus Conducts Online Distance Learning Course on Breast Cancer Prevention
During the second half of February, students from Moldova and Romania registered for a new distance learning (DL) course created by Petru Scurtu (CC 02), a therapist from the Ungheni Center of Family Doctors. The course is in Romanian. With a primary focus on women and family doctors, the course provides a thorough explanation of how to detect the first signs of breast cancer. Students of the course learn about breast cancer, its main causes, consequences, preventive measures, and various forms of treatment. The 25 course participants reside in Chisinau and Ungheni, Moldova, and Lasi, Romania. Victoria Chihai (CC 02), a staff member at the medical rehabilitation department at Nicolae Testemiteanu Medical and Pharmaceutical State University in Chisinau, remarked, “The information [in the course] is very well structured and presented, and is accessible to participants who are not necessarily medical professionals.” Through this DL course, women and medical professionals in Moldova obtain useful information about breast cancer prevention.

UKRAINE

Students of Sumy State University
work in groups on their project
presentations

Young Leaders Learn Presentation Techniques in Sumy, Ukraine
On February 26 and 27, Svitlana Buko (FLEX 97), IATP mobile trainer and coordinator of the Ukrainian Media Partnership Program, conducted a seminar entitled “Presentation Techniques” at Sumy State University. Twenty-seven young leaders from the departments of journalism, law, and philology attended the seminar. Buko gave the audience several pointers on giving presentations. Her tips included the importance of setting goals for a presentation, creating structure, and using supporting materials. Participants put their newly acquired skills and knowledge to work on three different projects: development of an online youth newspaper called the Student’s Cultural Bridge, organization of a local youth social center, and participation in a fundraising campaign for local orphanages within the framework of the Information Technology for Orphans project, co-sponsored by IATP Ukraine and Peace Corps volunteers. On the second day of the seminar, IATP trainer Andriy Piven focused on technical implementation of MS PowerPoint presentations, demonstrating tools for slide design and slide shows. As a result of the seminar, the young leaders mastered key presentation skills as a tool for promoting their projects for the benefit of the local community.