Latinos In Social Media (LATISM) Launches Its Overseas Sustainable Development Project

July 18, 2011 - PRLog -- Latinos in Social Media (LATISM), the first and largest organization of Latinos engaged in Social Media, today announced the launch of a pilot sustainable development project in the Montecristi province, located in the border of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The project, already underway, will run for three weeks from July 10th to July 29th, 2011, in a rural area that was deeply affected by last year’s earthquake. Its main objective is to enhance opportunities in the area by building the infrastructure for free, ongoing educational support and basic computer training to mothers and children.

An essential element to the project is the participation of volunteers and members from the LATISM online community, many of whom are contributing monetary donations, computers and electronic equipment as well as their professional skills via online workshops. Several community members also traveled to the Dominican Republic with their family as volunteers to the project, and will be providing on-location support to help achieve the project’s key goals:

- The set up of a Cyber-lab, which will provide the village’s residents with much-needed computers, equipment and Internet access for the first time

- The implementation of a free summer camp that will provide free educational, fun activities to disadvantaged children in the area, AND

- The implementation of a capacity-building program called “Mamá por Mamá (Mother to mother), which will provide mothers in the area the computer and e-commerce skills they need to create small online enterprises and improve their finances.

Ana Roca-Castro, Founder and Chair of LATISM, who is leading the project, said “unless you are able to see it for yourself, it is extremely hard to imagine the living conditions in this area, where the main challenge is the lack of resources and opportunities. Through this project, we aim to setup a functional, practical resource for the village that can live on long after this summer, and can give the village hope for a new beginning.”

The LATISM Sustainable Development in Montecristi is the pilot for a series of such sustainable projects that the organization is planning to implement in areas of need around the world. The initiative is consistent with LATISM's mission to educate and provide learning opportunities for its members and the community at large.

For more information about the LATISM Sustainable Development Project, please visit http://projects.latism.org. Donations to the project are still being accepted at http://latismprojects.eventbrite.com/

For information about the Latinos in Social Media organization as well as other LATISM initiatives, please visit LATISM's web site at http://latism.org

MEDIA CONTACT:
Elianne Ramos
Vice-Chair, Communications and PR
Latinos in Social Media (LATISM)
646-932-7752
elianne@latism.org

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ABOUT LATISM
Latinos in Social Media (LATISM), the largest organization for Latino and Latina professionals engaged in social media, is a 501(c) 4 nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to advancing the social, civic and economic status of the Latino community. LATISM is also dedicated to raising awareness among corporate brands, NGOs and government entities about using social media to reach the latino community. A pioneering social media organization, LATISM has been hailed as the most influential online movement in the new multicultural Web. For more information, go to http://latism.org/