One of the World Links pilot programs in Africa, two secondary schools in Senegal were connected to the Internet and partnered with partners schools in Quebec, Canada, in June 1997, the first time in the history of Sub-Saharan Africa students from Senegal were able to communicate live on the Internet.
Following on the success of this pilot activity, World Links expanded to an additional eight schools, which went online in February 1998. The World Bank-financed Education and Human Resources Development Project contributed in making financial resources available for the rehabilitation and networking of computer labs, as well as providing initial computer literacy training to our participants.
World Links expanded to 40 schools throughout the country, and later added an additional eleven schools in the next year. 320 teachers have received formal World Links training, and 500 additional teachers have been trained locally, with over 20,000 students becoming involved in World Links activities. The great success of World Links in Senegal led to the creation of four regional training centres, and Senegal became the regional focal point for expanded World Links activities in West Africa.
The World Links program in Senegal would like to thank the following organizations for their support: Agetip, Agence de Francophonie, Buhan & Teisseire, Cabinet Abdoul Aziz Jeye, Government of France, IDRC - Acacia Initiative, Interactive, Ministry of Education in Senegal (UCP), Youssou Ndoure, Primature.
