“The knowledge acquired through hit the Netwas significant and today I feel more prepared for the job market.” This was how Daniela Assunção, 18, student of the second group of the Igrapiúna Family home (CFR-I), thanked those responsible for the tribute she received on the Novo horizonte Farm at Presidente Tancredo Neves (PTN). She was the first student to achieve a score of 100% on the final test for the Microsoft Digital Literacy course.

“This award symbolizes an incentive for you to continue improving, understanding that technology is part of everyone’s daily life,” said Emílio Munaro, Education Director at Microsoft Brasil, to the graduates of the Hit the Net Program during the certificate delivery ceremony.

Held on January 25, the event gathered youth from the CFR-I and PTN Rural Family home, Águas de Ituberá Family home and Nilo Peçanha Agroforest Family home, the military institution Tiro de Guerra and the “Build Better” Project, which offers vocational training in the civil construction area to youth from the municipalities of Igrapiúna and Valença.

Hit the Net was created in 2004 through a partnership between Odebrecht S.A., Odebrecht Foundation, Microsoft, Dell and Oi with aims of bring digital inclusion to the educational projects associated with the Bahia Southern Lowlands EPA Mosaic Integrated and Sustainable Development Program (PDIS).

Until December 2010, 83% of the evaluated youth were approved, for a total of 242 graduates. Frede Bonfim, Coordinator of Hit the Net, stated that the project was able to surpass its goal. “We understood that we would learn more from the youth than they do from us,” he said.

For Denise Santos Batista, 26, from Group I of the “Build Better” Project, IT promotes benefits for her work. “I like to design floor plans for homes and the digital tools facilitate this,” said Batista.

Present at the ceremony were José Alves, President of the PTN Municipal Board for the Rights of Children and Adolescents; Mauricio Medeiros, Executive President, Waldeck Ornélas, Vice President – SocialEducational Area and Clovis Faleiro, Institutional Relations at the Odebrecht Foundation; leaders of the institutions associated with PDIS and government representatives.

“Hit the Net allows for the consolidation of different partnerships in the area of technology. Telebrás, for example, will bring broadband to the Southern Lowlands and Semp Toshiba will support the assembly of laboratories in the PTN rural schools,” said Clóvis Faleiro. “This opens a window of opportunities for the youth.”