In an age of social networks, very few adapt themselves for social change. MYTecC’s online environment is aimed at building the regional community of youth through fun activities, cultural exchange, skill-building, and experimentation with new ideas.

Thanks to the online platform, MYTecC instructors can reach students between classes and extend learning in a private environment they can monitor. MYTecC students are likely to participate in activities and share them with young people they may never meet. Much as one might connect youth merely for the sake of connecting them, the online community simultaneously teaches tangible skills and works well toward reducing, and eventually alleviating, any possible cross cultural divides. Groups that have successfully made friendships through personal contact will nurture and encourage the group of youngsters who will meet in a virtual context.

Content is interactive, flexible, and dynamic. In a networked world, learning becomes a social experience, a way of reflecting culture, and a means of making a difference. Knowledge should then be adapted to meet local needs. This is exactly what the tools are meant for and what the curriculum intends to do.

A case in point is the social and life skills curriculum provided to the instructors. It consists of numerous modules devoid of any cultural slant and overtone. MYTecC Instructors adapt this program to suit the needs of the community in which they operate. Each adaptation, or change whenever necessary, is communicated to other instructors in the initiative by means of Web 2.0 tools. Feedback is instantaneous, and the exchange provides the dynamics for further refinement of the program. Instructors and students also learn about the fundamental differences between their communities and others. Participation leads to learning; and learning ultimately leads to citizenship skills.

Amazingly enough, our kids could no longer wait to fervently enjoy the MYTecC virtual environment and actually start expanding their friends' network to include other new kids from other participating countries. From the very outset of the program, our pupils unleashed the power of their inclination, thanks to the Web 2.0 tools, to set their minds free and wide open to know about other cultures. The following footage is about a video chat among the MYTecC kids in Israel, Turkey and Portugal:

Additionally, just as we have discovered that the instructors have sophisticated technology skills, and have actually employed them in the tools development, we predict that some students will, during their second year of study, aspire to become developers of the toolset themselves. This is cross-cultural, skill-building at work. Here comes again a living proof that MYTecC pupils, under the supervision of our committed instructors, have already started to develop a sense of sharing skills and experience with their peers across borders. The following video demonstrates one of our Moroccan kids dismantling a computer:

Instructors Say

Nada Abdul Kareem Saif Ghanem

I’m a 24 year-old Yemeni national. I’m a MYTecC instructor in Hodeidah, Yemen, teaching 25 ambitious Yemeni kids.

Since high school, I’ve been utterly amazed at the world of ICT and how magically decisive its tools might be to shaping and redefining economies as well as how crucially important for countries like ours, particularly in a new globalization era, to invest in the leaders of tomorrow so as to keep pace with the world’s economy.

I eventually felt tremendously buoyed up by the extremely rewarding future I would have if I chose to pursuit the technology knowledge. I accordingly made up my mind to carry on my higher education in computer science and engineering. My firm determination and strong motivation were the driving force for me to get a Bachelor’s degree in the said field with a very good distinction. Then MYTecC came at the very point in my life where I was thinking about the right way to invest my efforts and enhance my knowledge and skills. It has truly been beyond my expectations, since it’s not merely about technology but most importantly about laying the foundations of global citizenship. Now, I’m very proud of being part of this pioneering experience in our region and very honored to help youth in my country to open up to the world and build a better future for themselves and their community.

Joana Moreira Guedes Barbosa

I’m a 28 year-old Portuguese national. I’m a MYTecC instructor in Porto, Portugal, teaching 25 kids.

I’ve had a multifarious educational journey and community service experience which have set me apart as a quite well-rounded, active citizen. I have studied languages, arts, philosophy and humanities, as well as been very much in action for the last five years as a teacher in Portuguese schools and an activist in an NGO for women's rights, family and education.

I was pretty much excited to become a member of the MYTecC family simply because it’s the opportunity I’ve been waiting for to make use of my experience and determination to benefit my country and the world. For me, MYTecC is a very innovative project in the sense that it has transcended the traditional way of teaching to a revolutionary perspective of education geared to help youth become successful business leaders in a globalized world. Being comprehensive of the technological, cultural, and human issues, MYTecC, in my belief, has got what it takes to achieve long term developmental goals. It is the future, indeed!

Samir Essousi

I am a 25 year-old Moroccan national. I’m a MYTecC Instructor in Rabat, Morocco, teaching 20 young Moroccan girls and boys.

I have had a language- and culture-oriented academic experience, been always fascinated by the realm of technology, and been genuinely concerned about the human-related issues.

Having a Bachelor’s degree in the English Language and Literature (Linguistics Option), and a Master’s degree in Translation, I consider myself pretty much as having quite a multicultural, multidimensional worldview. Furthermore, I’ve always believed that there is a miscellaneous assortment of life skills and surplus values one should possess to become a successful person. Now, even more than ever before, with the advent of Web 2.0 technologies in an ever-shrinking world, the business playing field is being constantly leveled. This is the reason why it is super-motivating for every young ambitious person who craves for excellence to exert stout efforts in a way to develop a sort of lifetime employability. It eventually goes without saying that a likely global citizen should, by default, retain business acumen, pluralistic and egalitarian values, dialogue and communication skills, and a multinationalism-based democratic attitude.

This is exactly what MYTecC is all about and definitely in accord with my inclinations. It actually intends to develop a human network across borders and endow it with the basic technological tools and a whole array of human values and life and business skills to shape a prosperous future. Ultimately, we’ll be able to bridge both the technological and cultural divides immanent in the world of today.

Abdelfattah Al Idrissi

I am a 26 year-old Moroccan national. I’m a MYTecC instructor in Salé, Morocco, teaching 20 kids.

Having received quite a diverse education, from the English Language to leadership and development, and having been the coordinator of Amal Salé Association (ASA) since 2005, I’ve had an intriguing experience which made me realize how tremendous the role of social work is to achieving development, and how extremely decisive collaboration, mutual understanding and respect of the Other might be.

I’ve joined the MYTecC world because I believe it’s definitely the breeding ground for my aspirations and those of a multitude of hopefuls in my generation. MYTecC stands out for me as a life-changing experience accessible for every zealous youngster out there. By bringing people together and providing them with a toolbox rich in technological and life skills to build a bright future for themselves and their communities, MYTecC sets out a long term plan to help the region move forward and get rid of all the ills likely to come across the way to prosperity. Unique and promising, MYTecC is motivating enough for me to invest my efforts in my pupils and pass on the torch to generations to come.  

Najwan Odeh

I am a 26 year-old Palestinian national. I’m a MYTecC instructor in Ramallah, Palestine, teaching 25 Palestinian kids.

Ever since I was a little kid, I have always been well disposed towards levying challenges and quenching my thirst for knowledge and excellence. That’s the reason why I’ve embarked on a totally extraordinary journey by carrying on my higher education in IT and Computer Science. It was a golden opportunity for me to learn a lot about the power of technology and acquire its tools. Alongside my academic experience, I’ve carried out a wide range of technology-related trainings and worked for some IT companies, which has given me a chance to enrich my scholarly pursuit, and eventually to peel my eyes on the cutting edge of information technologies.

Given the nature of my persona and the circumstances in my community, volunteerism and social service stand out for me as the ultimate means to lay the foundations for a prosperous society. This has actually spurred me to give back to my community by joining hands with some other Palestinian youth in the frame of different projects and working for some local NGOs.

MYTecC, for me, has come at the right moment with a fertile platform to start a completely new colorful and more meaningful life. Combining new technologies with the human development and preparing the ground for a flourishing future for the coming generations as global citizens, MYTecC, I see, is a dream that has come true. I will definitely give my all to make it even a greater boon for the ambitious youth in our region and the world.