The year 2006 marks the 39th Anniversary of NGO SPES Psycho-socio-vocational Training activities that since 1981 integrate IT – Information Technologies to propel entrepreneurship promotion.

During the month of January SPES Vocational Teachers ICT-oriented prepared a creative multimedia programme for special, simultaneous, diffusion to two groups of Teenagers, under temporary sheltered custody, in two different sites. These parallel satellite broadcasts took place, in early February, in the PROBATION HOME FOR GIRLS and the SHELTER FOR WOMEN & CHILDREN IN DISTRESS.

A series of virtual photos illustrate the SPES Vocational & Multimedia Centre e-Learning potential and e-Readiness to broadcast user-friendly, low-cost, creative programmes via the AfriStar satellite that converges over the Mauritian Islands and can reachout, simultaneously, to hundreds of sites for Teacher and Pupil Multi-literacy Training, in order to Bridge the Digital Gap, and to provide support and special tuition to vulnerable children and adults with literacy and socio-economic needs.

On the SPES Open Day event, the Guest of Honour was the dynamic Honourable Rama Valayden, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, who participated enthusiastically at the SPES live interactive video-conference via the Mauritian new wireless modem/nomad internet system.

This preceded the satellite e-CLASS SPES model demo programme of a practical interactive e-lesson, based on active learning, which is part of the Pluri-lingual and Multi-literacy Global Village Project, specially designed by SPES after extensive applied Vocational research using advanced hi tec equipment.

For ecological and cost-saving reasons NGO SPES integrated, to this development project, a mobile solar system that facilitates e-Learning session indoors as well as outdoors, and which is suitable for all sunny areas.

SPES Open Day 8 February 2006

SPES Vocational and Multimedia Centre at Quatre Bornes, controlled and monitored the satellite broadcasts of creative programmes, simultaneously, to the two sites via WorldSpace AfriStar satellite/Toulouse

Monitoring the satellite broadcasts to the two sites via satellite
The Honourable Minister Rama Valayden interacting with Mr. Hamuth from the Probation Office
The Honourable Minister Rama Valayden’s receptivity and participation was most appreciated by all the connected up participants
Attentive participants to the e-learning diffusion sessions at the SPES Quatre Bornes Vocational anad Multimedia diffusion controlling Centre

Probation Home for Girls

Video-conferencing via wireless internet modem placed at the window sill
The Assistant Commissioner of the Ministry of Social Security and National Solidarity, Senior Citizens Welfare and Reform Institutions and on the right the SPES representative who controlled the simultaneous broadcasts and chatting
Direct Video conferencing dialogue with the Minister who was at Quatre Bornes

Shelter for Women & Children in distress

The rabbit modem/nomad internet on window sill placed for the video conference session
The third SPES team of Vocational teacher trainers interacting with the Quatre Bornes participants from the Forest Side site
The Representatives of the Shelter focussing on the computer screen images, on the Quatre Bornes Teachers voices and interacting through chat

To be noted that the groups of teenagers under sheltered custody in the two sites were not photographed but enjoyed learning, via the satellite e-CLASS diffusion, a SPES “Health Recipe” cooked in a microwave to save energy and keep the food flavours.

Some of the Participants of the above diffusion session made the remark that the SPES ICT approach was:
“a Dream come true”, in view of our NGO’s imagery-based easy e-Learning programmes, that can speed up the EFA –
Education for All UN Millennium Goal.

New diffusion in all the same sites to test newly arrived e-tools: portablehubs and loudspeakers to facilitate future SPES indoor and outdoor e-learning sessions.

SPES Vocational and Multimedia Centre monitoring, a week later a creative practical CLASS during new broadcast trials to improve video-conferencing sound volume via the wireless rabbit modem using newly arrived very effective small mobile loudspeakers.

The SPES Vocational teachers at the Quatre Bornes Multimedia Centre controlling the interactive diffusion

The SPES Representative busy new successful interactive satellite tests to Quatre Bornes SPES Centre andl also while driving in a car en route to the two sites.

The WorldSpace satellite dish placed on top of the roof of a car that can be in movement

The third team of SPES operators en route in a car had perfect reception for video-conferencing using
the nomad rabbit modem and also obtained the audio and picture resolution via AfriStar satellite from SPES was also excellent.

The Forest-side receiving via video conference system the image the SPES representative posted at Curepipe
nomad coupled to solar power for video conferencing inside or outside a car
A satellite CLASS broadcast inside a car in motion was also excellent

The end result was that the three SPES ICT Teacher Trainers Teams were very pleased with their new successful diffusion sessions using their latest e-tools for increased sound volume and better connectivity and Knowledge Access using video-conferencing via internet and also via the innovative radio / computer coupled to a mobile solar system suitable for community-based sustainable development appropriate for all the needy sites in the Mauritian Islands.