[CivilSoc] Peace Corps and AOL Time Warner Working to Bridge "Digital Divide" Overseas

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Peace Corps Awards Second Round of AOL Time Warner Foundation 'Peace Packs' 
from PR Newswire, Thursday, January 31, 2002 at 09:48
/FROM PR NEWSWIRE NEW YORK 800-776-8090/ 
Peace Corps Awards Second Round of AOL Time Warner Foundation 'Peace Packs' 
International Partnership Aims to Expand Digital Opportunity in Underserved Communities Around the World 
WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- The Peace Corps, in partnership with the AOL Time Warner Foundation, today announced that its second round of Peace Packs have been awarded to Peace Corps Volunteers in 21 countries to help bridge the international digital divide and extend the benefits of the information revolution.
Initiated in January 2001, the Peace Packs program provides basic information technology resources to support a variety of community-based projects developed by Peace Corps volunteers worldwide. The Peace Packs are grant awards that include computers, software, printers, Internet connectivity and various peripherals such as digital cameras, scanners and PDAs. By the close of this year, the Peace Corps partnership with the AOL Time Warner Foundation will have awarded more than 120 Peace Packs valued at approximately $1,000,000 in the aggregate.
Lloyd O. Pierson, Acting Deputy Director of the Peace Corps, said, "Because many of the communities in which Peace Corps volunteers serve lack access to computers, these innovative technology packages will strengthen the volunteers' local efforts as well as work to combat the digital divide. The generous support of the AOL Time Warner Foundation is truly making a difference at the grassroots level in countries throughout the world."
Kathy Bushkin, senior vice president of AOL Time Warner and president of the AOL Time Warner Foundation, said, "The Peace Pack program is extending the positive impact of the information revolution to local development projects across the globe, and we are delighted with the initial success of the program. We look forward to continuing to expand these digital opportunities to Peace Corps volunteers and underserved communities over the coming year."
Peace Packs were awarded to 38 Volunteers based on their unique and innovative proposals to integrate information technology into local health, education, micro-enterprise and other community development projects. Peace Corps Volunteers will also use the Peace Packs to teach computer skills, connect remote communities to the Internet and keep in touch with their fellow Volunteers for advice, support and ideas. Awards were made to Volunteers in countries such as Cote d'Ivoire and Mauritania in Africa; Bulgaria, Thailand and Nepal in the Europe/Asia region; and Tonga, El Salvador and Jamaica in the Americas/Pacific region.
According to a recent report by the Peace Corps Center for Field Assistance and Applied Research, the first round of 26 Peace Packs that were awarded at the beginning of 2001 have already given over 50,000 members of local communities across the globe improved access to and knowledge of computers and modern communications technologies. These inaugural Peace Pack Volunteer projects included, among others, conducting research to improve agricultural productivity in Belize; training local teachers to pass on computer skills in Ghana; teaching computer literacy to high school students and adults in Jordan; and providing access to health information in the national language to youth in Romania.
More than 7,000 Peace Corps Volunteers serve in 70 countries working to teach children, helping to improve health and nutrition of families, bringing clean water to communities and preventing the spread of AIDS and assisting small businesses and non-governmental organizations improve management techniques.
The AOL Time Warner Foundation seeks to use the power of media, communications and information technology to serve the public interest and strengthen society. The Foundation engages the full range of AOL Time Warner's unique resources to build innovative and sustainable programs in four priority areas: Equipping Kids for the 21st Century; Extending Internet Benefits to All; Engaging Communities in the Arts; and Empowering Citizens and Civic Participation. 
SOURCE Peace Corps and AOL Time Warner Foundation
CONTACT: Peace Corps Press Office, +1-202-692-2230, pressoffice@peacecorps.gov ; or Jeff McAndrews of AOL Time Warner Foundation, +1-212-484-7649, jffmcandrew@aol.com /
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<CENTER><B>Peace Corps Awards Second Round of AOL Time Warner Foundation 'Peace 
Packs'</B> 
<P><I>from PR Newswire, Thursday, January 31, 2002 at 09:48</I><BR></CENTER>
<P>
<P>
<DT>/FROM PR NEWSWIRE NEW YORK 800-776-8090/ <BR>Peace Corps Awards Second Round 
of AOL Time Warner Foundation 'Peace Packs' <BR><BR>International Partnership 
Aims to Expand Digital Opportunity in Underserved Communities Around the World 
<BR><BR>WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- The Peace Corps, in partnership with 
the AOL Time Warner Foundation, today announced that its second round of Peace 
Packs have been awarded to Peace Corps Volunteers in 21 countries to help bridge 
the international digital divide and extend the benefits of the information 
revolution.<BR><BR>Initiated in January 2001, the Peace Packs program provides 
basic information technology resources to support a variety of community-based 
projects developed by Peace Corps volunteers worldwide. The Peace Packs are 
grant awards that include computers, software, printers, Internet connectivity 
and various peripherals such as digital cameras, scanners and PDAs. By the close 
of this year, the Peace Corps partnership with the AOL Time Warner Foundation 
will have awarded more than 120 Peace Packs valued at approximately $1,000,000 
in the aggregate.<BR><BR>Lloyd O. Pierson, Acting Deputy Director of the Peace 
Corps, said, "Because many of the communities in which Peace Corps volunteers 
serve lack access to computers, these innovative technology packages will 
strengthen the volunteers' local efforts as well as work to combat the digital 
divide. The generous support of the AOL Time Warner Foundation is truly making a 
difference at the grassroots level in countries throughout the 
world."<BR><BR>Kathy Bushkin, senior vice president of AOL Time Warner and 
president of the AOL Time Warner Foundation, said, "The Peace Pack program is 
extending the positive impact of the information revolution to local development 
projects across the globe, and we are delighted with the initial success of the 
program. We look forward to continuing to expand these digital opportunities to 
Peace Corps volunteers and underserved communities over the coming 
year."<BR><BR>Peace Packs were awarded to 38 Volunteers based on their unique 
and innovative proposals to integrate information technology into local health, 
education, micro-enterprise and other community development projects. Peace 
Corps Volunteers will also use the Peace Packs to teach computer skills, connect 
remote communities to the Internet and keep in touch with their fellow 
Volunteers for advice, support and ideas. Awards were made to Volunteers in 
countries such as Cote d'Ivoire and Mauritania in Africa; Bulgaria, Thailand and 
Nepal in the Europe/Asia region; and Tonga, El Salvador and Jamaica in the 
Americas/Pacific region.<BR><BR>According to a recent report by the Peace Corps 
Center for Field Assistance and Applied Research, the first round of 26 Peace 
Packs that were awarded at the beginning of 2001 have already given over 50,000 
members of local communities across the globe improved access to and knowledge 
of computers and modern communications technologies. These inaugural Peace Pack 
Volunteer projects included, among others, conducting research to improve 
agricultural productivity in Belize; training local teachers to pass on computer 
skills in Ghana; teaching computer literacy to high school students and adults 
in Jordan; and providing access to health information in the national language 
to youth in Romania.<BR><BR>More than 7,000 Peace Corps Volunteers serve in 70 
countries working to teach children, helping to improve health and nutrition of 
families, bringing clean water to communities and preventing the spread of AIDS 
and assisting small businesses and non-governmental organizations improve 
management techniques.<BR><BR>The AOL Time Warner Foundation seeks to use the 
power of media, communications and information technology to serve the public 
interest and strengthen society. The Foundation engages the full range of AOL 
Time Warner's unique resources to build innovative and sustainable programs in 
four priority areas: Equipping Kids for the 21st Century; Extending Internet 
Benefits to All; Engaging Communities in the Arts; and Empowering Citizens and 
Civic Participation. <BR><BR>
<P>SOURCE Peace Corps and AOL Time Warner Foundation<BR><BR>CONTACT: Peace Corps 
Press Office, +1-202-692-2230, pressoffice@peacecorps.gov ; or Jeff McAndrews of 
AOL Time Warner Foundation, +1-212-484-7649, jffmcandrew@aol.com 
/</P></DT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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