Kidlink Opens Two Khouses

This week, Kidlink opened two new KHouses in Fortaleza (Brazil) bringing the country's total number up to 31. Fortaleza has seven of them.
Kidlink is a global inter-personal virtual network striving to empower kids and youth through free educational programs. A Khouse is a community 'telecenter' offering Kidlink contents with doors open to the public.
"We want to make the Internet more democratic," says Dr. Marisa Lucena, Kidlink's Director overseeing the Brazilian KHouses. "It must not be an exclusive good for the strong and wealthy!"
Both KHouses operates in accordance with the KFamilia model. Kids work closely with senior citizens to introduce them to computers and the Internet.
At KHouse Novo Tempo, which is in a poor area of Fortaleza, many of the seniors are illiterate. The kids help them record their stories in text and pictures. At the Raízes da Vida KHouse, situated in Fortaleza's Virtual Library, emphasis is on letting seniors share life experiences with youngsters. One purpose is to increase the participants' self-esteem.
KHouse staff from all over Brazil where in town, as well as Mr. Odd de Presno (Norway), Kidlink's Executive Director and mentor.
"I watched two girls at around 14 work with an old lady at 82." he tells. "Their young fingers typed her words in big characters to the screen. The woman's eyes expressed warm appreciation for this opportunity to relate to the youngsters in a meaningful way."
Of the other Fortaleza KHouses, KHouse Semear provides literacy training to street kids. They pair those who cannot read and write with those who can focusing on the Who-Am-I? program. KHouse Kidlar serves students of the Escolinha Santa Elisa public school.
KHouse Geo Dunas serves students of public schools that do not have access to computers. One of their projects is for kids with the Down syndrome supported by students of medicine. KHouse Geo Fátima serves kids from the Escola de Ensino Fundamental Mozart Pinto public school. It also serves kids with cancer, who are in the process of becoming better. KHouse Vitória-Régia serves kids from the local area.