What We DO
Young people have experience, passion, and insight rooted in the needs and challenges of their communities. DOT programs support youth to deepen their understanding of those needs and challenges, and provide them with the tools, knowledge, networks, and support to launch sustainable social initiatives that create positive change.
Youth develop entrepreneurial mindsets and communication, teamwork, decision-making, and digital skills. Their initiatives create a ripple effect of opportunities for themselves and others, leading to jobs, businesses, sustainable social and economic change, and transformed, resilient communities.
DOT Tanzania is mobilizing the potential of young people and the power of technology in Tanzania.
We’re doing this in three ways: by supporting young women and men to become young leaders and providing seed funding, networks, and mentors for their promising enterprises and innovations; by working with partners to strengthen the social innovation ecosystem throughout Tanzania; and by supporting technology integration into the education system.
YOUTH LEADERSHIP AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
We work with digitally-savvy community organizers and entrepreneurs who are passionate about creating real change in their own communities.
DOT Tanzania’s Community Leaders are embedded in a community work placement, where they deliver skills training to local entrepreneurs, teachers, youth, and marginalized groups – connecting hundreds of people to the digital, entrepreneurial, and communications skills they need to build sustainable livelihoods, businesses, and careers.
During their work placement, Community Leaders explore the needs and challenges in the community around them, and are guided through a process of designing a solution to a community problem.
At the end of their community work placement, Community Leaders are supported to launch their solution as a sustainable social enterprise or business.
YOUTH-LED SOCIAL INNOVATION
We support entrepreneurial and socially-minded Social Innovators, passionate about starting a business or initiative that creates a livelihood for themselves while also having a positive impact in their community.
As individuals or in teams, DOT’s Social Innovators use a human-centered design approach to develop, prototype, and launch a social innovation that solves a community challenge – creating economies of social good and transforming their communities.
We support young Social Innovators who are designing tech hubs in their communities. These hubs will contribute to Tanzania’s social innovation ecosystem and support Social Innovators as they create and apply digital solutions that have positive social impact in their communities.
#EDTECH
We work with educational institutions, including community centers and schools, to integrate technology into education systems and transform the way teachers and students interact.
Young people in DOT Tanzania’s #EdTech programs spread digital literacy among educators, create locally relevant tools and solutions, and make technology accessible in the classroom. DOT Tanzania partners in the #EdTech ecosystem provide locally relevant content and devices for use in the classroom.
Through these programs, teachers develop skills in information and communication technology (ICT), media literacy, digital citizenship, and much more. They become confident in creating technology-rich environments to maximize student learning.
Our programs provide young people with the opportunity to develop skills, deep knowledge, networks, and investment in their ideas. Key to the success of all of DOT’s young leaders is:
Experience-based learning DOT provides training to young people while they build their skills and abilities in and alongside local communities, business, institutions, and organizations.
Community impact Young people put their knowledge to work, and gain a deep understanding of the needs, challenges, and what they can contribute to their local community.
Networks Our young leaders are connected with peers, global networks, mentors, and network of partners who all play a role in growing their ideas.
Investment We believe in investing in young people as changemakers and innovators. DOT supports youth through stipends and linking them to job placements and seed funding.
Are you our next Community Leader, Digital Champion, or Social Innovator? Learn more about how to join #DOTYouth
Join #DOTYouth