Family Care's main IT center is in Lagos, with another in Enugu.

Henry and Eman, previously students in Enugu. Eman is now IT instructor.

Physically handicapped IT student, gaining an oportunity for employment..

Eman (pictured above right), a graduate in software engineering from a computer science scholarship at APTECH International, is now employed as a lecturer at the Family Care IT/Computer and Leadership Training Center in Lagos State where he has the opportunity to impart his knowledge and skills to disadvantaged students and youth. Family Care staff first met Emmanuel in 2001 at a home for disabled youth and enrolled him in their in-house IT/Computer training center. Emmanuel displayed a passion for excellence from the very beginning. At the time, the only hardware available to learn on was an electric typewriter, but from there Eman quickly rose to become one of the two top students in our IT/Computer training program, completing two six-month courses: Intense Computer Appreciation and IT/Computer Science. In 2007, through sponsorship and contributions, we secured a scholarship for Eman worth N1,050,000 at APTECH International, in collaboration with the University of Portsmouth in the UK.

Family Care recognizes that young people and their communities can and should take active roles in shaping their world. To ensure future sustainability and economic empowerment, knowledge networks are a crucial part in training young people and communities in network research and communications and micro credit schemes.

Among the Family Care initiatives is the knowledge network approach; a foundational method to engage young people and selected communities in sustainable development research and communications.

The objectives of the IT/Computer training center initiatives are to create:

• Self-sustaining and scalable demand models
• Business models that are replicable nationwide
• Sustainable IT and communications infrastructure
• Self-sustaining new job/income opportunities
• Leadership and capacity within the community

To this end, a pilot project in Enugu State was established, followed by another in Lagos State. The IT/Computer training facility provides free Internet access and IT/Computer training courses to less privileged and handicapped youths. The center also offers the same courses and an Internet café to the general public at a subsidized rate; this supports and generates income for the IT/Computer training center. Besides improving the outlook for sustainable business practices and increasing individuals’ capacity and knowledge, it increases self-assuredness and confidence in the participants.

Through public-private partnerships, Family Care Association aims to turn targeted communities and underdeveloped urban areas into thriving, self-sustaining economies. Access to technology and education permanently improves the livelihoods of the population by raising literacy rates, creating income, and providing access to government services, information technology and education.