International Programs

The Haiti Support Project (HSP) is a U.S. based, African American led initiative that provides humanitarian and economic assistance to Haitian non-governmental organizations seeking to ameliorate the conditions for the Haitian people. The group has provided nearly $500,000 in aid to date. They continue to search for new and innovative ways to partner in the development process.

The Youth Education & Sports (YES) with Africa program seeks to partner with African non-governmental organizations interested in youth leadership development. During 2002 the program anticipates training nearly four hundred youth in Benin and Senegal between the ages of 7 – 18. The program includes health education, cultural arts, athletics (basketball) and an introduction to new technologies.

The Center for Community Development will be a vehicle to help build local capacity to provide sustainable development foundations for their communities. Activities will occur at the community level domestically and abroad. Application of innovative, appropriate technologies will be a specialization of this local development approach. Environmental protection programs will also be important to our sustainable development perspective. Micro-enterprise development programs may be of assistance in some local contexts. Building a support network for community development practitioners will also help facilitate this work.

The Center for International Technology and Education (CITE) will provide technical assistance to developing communities and institutions specializing in educational development. An applied, experiential learning approach will focus on the development of competence in teachers and students in basic skills and designated professional fields. Technical training, curriculum development, teacher preparation and pedagogical training, and English language instruction will be specialties of this international center.

International programs associated with IBW must generate independent means of support for their funding. It is hoped that new models of self-reliant funding will emerge from these innovative leadership development programs, partnerships and technology training initiatives.