We are excited to announce that we have brought on two new program interns that will be helping with tasks from research to project planning and everything in between. John Acevedo and Nadia Torkman are already hard at work here at OMPT. Both well-versed in international relations, they bring a lot to the table and will serve important roles here.

We invite you to join this powerful and motivated community for good and become part of an amazing experience which is manifesting in the non-profit company, One Mobile Projector per Trainer (OMPT). Join us in our vision to go to the poorest countries in the world and provide a catalyst and means for change.

Technology has always been at the forefront of human development. It took human civilization from hunter-gatherer to agricultural, developed modern society through the Renaissance and lead the Industrial Revolution.

Today, December 5th, is International Volunteer Day, a day when non-profits across the globe celebrate the incredible work volunteers do on behalf of our missions. OMPT relies on its amazing network of volunteers for so much, from small but important things like preparing our equipment kits for a workshop to editing videos and even, in the case of our Videomakers Without Borders, helping us host entire workshops--your continued support means the world to us.

In September 2018, OMPT traveled to Burkina Faso to implement a workshop with UNICEF partners. Matt and I were on the ground in the capital city, Ouagadougou (pronounced Wagoo) to facilitate the workshop. Burkina Faso is an entirely French speaking country, but luckily our Local Video Trainers were fluent in both French and English.

While we wait for our coworkers to get back and tell us all about their time in Burkina Faso and with UNICEF, we thought it might be a good time to share some photos from our most recent workshop. If you weren’t aware, OMPT traveled to Burkina Faso in West Africa to host a Video Education Workshop with UNICEF where we trained several different NGOs on video production.

Immediately following our trip to Burkina Faso, we head off to Malawi for our first opportunity to work with CARE. Like we did with Burkina Faso last week, we want to explore the unique culture of Malawi. Nicknamed the “Warm Heart of Africa,” Malawi is known for its welcoming, friendly people and colorful, vibrant culture.

This Saturday, September 8th, marks the 51st annual International Literacy Day. Established in 1966 by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), the holiday was first celebrated the following year in 1967. Observed by all UN states, International Literacy Day is meant to raise awareness and highlight the importance of literacy for individuals, communities and entire nations.

Our second stop in our September trip will be in Malawi, this time working with CARE. Our workshop in Malawi will be our first time both working in Malawi and with CARE. Unlike most of the countries we travel to, Malawi’s official language is English, allowing our English-speaking staff to more directly engage the workshop’s participants.