DOT's programs are created to reach out to many areas of the world and harness the ability, creativity, and dynamism of local youth who in turn inspire local social and economic development.  DOT's approach is to recruit and train national teams of university and college graduates (young leaders) from partner countries to become ICT specialists. We teach them about leadership, project management, facilitation, communication, teamwork and technology.

These young leaders then set out into their home schools and communities, under a 1-3 year paid work experience, where they share and transfer their knowledge through practical projects that respond to local needs and opportunities. DOT provides these emerging specialists with a purpose, experience and path to become their country's technology champions. The product is both the quantitative outputs of a train-the-trainer approach, and - perhaps more importantly - the impact of deep and lasting development that takes root close to home for all involved.

Many of these young leaders face a number of challenges within their own communities:  high unemployment and underemployment rates, urban/rural migration, and out-of-country migration.  Some areas are also adapting to recent economic transformation; many have experienced conflict and the devastating effects of natural disasters.

The DOT Interns have risen to the challenges faced in their countries with a passion for making a difference.  Whether it is Interns in Lebanon who have continued to work with small enterprises in both the southern and northern parts of the country since 2003 to foster local economic development, or Interns in Kenya who have persevered, in spite of the recent violence in their country, and are working closely with us to expand the DOT Kenya program beyond Nairobi and into the western region so that we can assist thousands of unemployed young people to create better lives for themselves.

These young and dynamic Interns continue on to become contributing and productive members of their local workforce - securing employment with the private and public sectors, establishing their own businesses or following a path to work in the nonprofit and development sector.

It is this vibrant vision of hope and positive change that all of us at DOT hold high for this coming year and beyond - that of a globally mobilized team of talented young people who have seized the opportunity to give back to their communities in a meaningful way.  Each and every one of them, and the hundreds more who will join the DOT network in the years ahead, are helping to fast track the social, economic and democratic development in developing countries. They are collaborating and working in very innovative ways to truly assist these countries to enter into a new age of real progress in education, health and prosperity.

We congratulate all of you and thank you for your immense contribution to making our world a better place.