African asylum-seekers receive IT certs from Mayor of Galway City
Originally uploaded by Speedie1.

Mayor presents Awards to
Our African Asylum Seekers'
Course Participants!

(Photo shows Lord Mayor of Galway City presenting certificate to Emma Chuwa (South Africa). Jim Swanick of the 'Galway Centre for Independent Living' is in the background)

Just prior to Christmas, certificates were presented to African asylum-seekers by Lord Mayor of Galway City, Councillor Brian Walsh, for completing DERI's course on 'Online Social Networking'.
8 students from the Eglinton hostel for asylum seekers in Salthill formed the first group to participate in the course which was held in the excellent computer suite of the 'Galway Centre for Independent Living'.
The reception for the adult students took place in Galway University and was well attended by local politicians, community groups and university personnel. We also had a representative (the self-styled 'romeo' Denisson Gomes!) present from the Brazilian community in Gort where we are also organising evening classes in the local school.
An excellent article and photograph appeared in the Irish Times, Ireland's most reputable daily newspaper, on our Institute's Internet-based educational activities with social disadvantaged groups and communities.
My colleague, Ina O'Murchu, thrilled the Africans present when she informed them of the next stage of the course- 'online telephoning' (via SKYPE)
I acted as course organiser in my capacity as DERI Community/Education Officer