Summary of the project

 KT Care Foundation will launch a social business by using the financial support received from its crowd funding campaign as an initial capital. In a big village, Thet Kel Thaung in Delta region of Myanmar, it will establish a service center for photography, copying, typing and printing services. Service centers of this kind are common in Myanmar because individuals do not have personal access to the required technology and equipment, however in rural, agricultural based communities like Thet Kel Thaung availability of these service centers is limited.

The profit generated from that shop will be used to keep the business itself running as well as to support financially the computer literacy project in which computer classes with affordable fees will be made accessible to the youth in rural communities. The expected result of the project is that rural youth are equipped with computer skills leading them to improved career opportunities.

 Why computer classes? (Myanmar and IT Literacy)

Literacy rate (15-24 years of age)   95.8%

Internet penetration rate                0.7 % (majority in major cities)

Located in South-East Asia, Myanmar is one of the world’s Least Developed Countries (LDC). Although the vast majority of youth (age 15-24) in Myanmar are literate according to Government Statistics, due to lack of or insufficient IT literacy programs in formal schools, even graduates cannot use computers and the internet well unless they can afford to attend courses in computer training centers.

Internet access in Myanmar is also not widely accessible even to people who are living in urban areas and the internet penetration rate is as low as 0.7% (500,000 internet users) of the total population of more than 50 million.

Now in Myanmar, job opportunities are expected to expand dramatically due to the democratization process, the lifting of sanctions, foreign investment and market-oriented economy.

Due to lack of computer and internet skills, Myanmar youth especially those in rural areas, will have very limited access to career opportunities. To pursue computer courses in training centers is not an affordable option for youth in remote areas because of the costs of transportation to the urban area where the training is offered, living costs and training fees. Now is the time to start linking youth with IT!

Budget Summary

Headings                                                   Cost in AUD

Computer Training Center                            3700

Copy/Print/Typing Service                             2000

Other Start-up Costs                                        1900

One-month running charges                           400

Total (financial target)                                    8000

 What is KT Care?

KT Care is a Myanmar foundation, started by the Kyaw Thaung family to assist the millions of people severely affected by Cyclone Nargis, which devastated the Ayeyarwaddy Delta region of Myanmar in May 2008. The foundation is registered under the UK Charity Commission. KT Care has directly supported more than 3,000 people in various parts of Myanmar through its various programs: disaster relief, reconstruction, and development.

KT Care’s vision for Myanmar is that communities have improved their socio-economic status through developing the capacity of their citizens to promote and lead sustainable development.

Learn more about us atwww.ktcare.net andwww.facebook.com/KTCareFoundation . Contact us at[email protected] .