Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program Alumni in Pakistan have taken on a lead role in helping to facilitate a series of workshops and enrichment programs for young people in Karachi, Pakistan as part of the 2011 iEARN-Pakistan Summer Camps. 

Participating students are connecting through Skype and Blackboard (Elluminate) to share their experiences, including discussions of their community service projects, field trips and creative writing.  Mobile technology tools (EVDO Internet devices, laptops and multimedia projectors) are used to connect students. Due to electric power load shedding in Karachi, battery backup of laptop computers and USB port Internet devices and speakers are used in case of unavailability of electric power. The students found it very interesting to communicate live with the students from other centers using web 2.0 tools.

This is the first phase of using technology in the Access Karachi program, and in the coming days the students will be using these tools to connect with students from around the world and participate in live discussions with native and non-native speakers of English. Media centers will also be set up in Access Centers where students will create their media (posters, photos, video and audio recordings etc.) and will share it with their peers from around the world through iEARN online collaborative project forums. 

See photos of activities in Karachi on the iEARN-Pakistan Facebook Page.  Summer Camps are also underway at iEARN-Pakistan's Islamabad Office - see photos of activities in Islamabad on the YES Alumni Pakistan Facebook Page.

Connect with the camp participants on the iEARN Collaboration Centre, including in the Global Art: Images of Caring Project, the Folk Tales Project, and the CIVICS Project.