Impact By The Numbers
With more than 2,5 million people impacted in only a decade, The Trust is committed to continue changing the lives of millions more in the years to come. Our vision of a peaceful and just region is built by the communities we reach and whose members are thriving thanks to the skills developed in the programs we develop.
Innovation goes beyond creating technology it is how technology can improve or solve some of the urban challenges that youth and vulnerable communities face in Kingston Jamaica. Here you will meet 3 innovations created at the DIA Urban Lab for Youth Innovation located in Kingston. DIA is a regional network of Innovation Labs that focuses on solving the needs of at risk communities in Latina America and the Caribbean.
This project is possible thanks to the support of CitiFoundation and is a component of “A New Path Program” supported by USAID
Currently the DIA Lab network has presence in: Mexico, Jamaica and Colombia.
Our Stories
Odell Marsh
“My name is Odell Marsh. I am 25 years old and the eldest of six children for my mother. I grew up in a single parent home in the rough at-risk community of Jones Town also known as ‘Jungle’. This is not an easy community to survive in especially as a male, where the negative influences are everywhere and one is able to fall victim to them very easily.”
Odell is DIA participant at the Urban Innovation Lab and takes courses on business models and innovation. “My project focuses on capturing the true essence of the Jamaican culture and through the Patois Language App. The language app allows the user to translate English language to Patois. With the help of DIA, I have been able to create and test the app, as well as creating a vision board for how it should looks and how it should function. DIA gives me hope and I know innovation is the next big thing.”
Renata Mendez
“I come from a rural area in the State of Pará, where there were no hospitals or schools… How could I imagine having access to a computer or the Internet? The first time I turned on a computers was a the POETA Center and now I have a job where I use digital tools and apply the skills I developed”
Renata Mendez, 17, attends the POETA Center in Brasilia. Thanks to the courses, she secured an internship at the IT Department at the State Highways Secretariat.
