Manos Cyber Cafe

Launching our Computer Literacy Program

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(Manos Cyber Cafe Students & Staff))

Background & Introduction

Saying “Yes” to God and mission work often means clicking “I accept” on terms and conditions that only reveal themselves upon closer inspection… and after 25 years of serving Hondurans in need, we have become familiar with what the hidden details entail.

25 years ago, the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas answered the call and said “Yes” to the Bishop of Honduras,The Right Reverend Leo Frade when he called upon his fellow Christians to partner with them. Little did anyone know that a church and scholarship program would come from that, but we sure were glad we signed on. As time has passed, God has revealed to us more and more details about our purpose in Honduras and what has become clear is that in order to write a story for the future, we must begin by equipping the youth with the ability to write their own. Thus, the Manos de Dios scholarship program was born. Yet, it is not enough to sit children in chairs at school, we must also teach them the value of hard work and how to develop the skills that will put them ahead of the curve.

In addition to paying for school and uniforms, Manos de Dios has developed quite a breadth of programs that focus on educating and enriching our students, the latest of which has been focused on computer literacy and skills. We are proud to announce that our latest effort in enriching the lives of our students is “Manos Cyber Cafe”, a program dedicated to teaching students how to master computer programs and use those skills to maximize their learning!

As we have said yes and committed ourselves to becoming a holistic ministry for the people of Honduras, we hope to share with our students the value of saying “yes” to a lifetime commitment of learning all kinds of skills.

(Different angles of our “Manos Cyber Cafe” Saturday Class)

Launching Manos Cyber Cafe 

Manos Cyber Cafe was born out of an idea to create a space for our students to access computers and programs in order to increase their knowledge and skills in the competitive environment that is the university. Our desire to create a computer lab was matched by God’s providence through our Manos scholarship college students and professionals who have already graduated  who are experts in the field of Computer Science. We decided to take God’s gifts and select “yes” on a chance for this vision.

Thankfully, with the help of committed members of the Manos de Dios ministry and a grant provided by the World Mission Board of the Diocese of Texas we were able to bring this vision to life. After months of planning and coordinating with our in-country team members, we created a leadership team for Manos Cyber Cafe that was ready to commit time and energy every Saturday from the mid-May through mid-August for a summer full of engaging & exciting computer classes. Our instructors used a hybrid methodology where our lead teacher connected virtually and assistant instructors assisted the students in person. Our team consisted of Alejandro Carcamo as the lead teacher and curriculum coordinator as well as Julio Lara and Nixia Gonzalez along with other college students as support personnel. Daniel Jaime and Cecia Zelaya worked together to coordinate the staff with Patricia Perea offering support and spirit.

Our inaugural class for Manos Cyber Cafe consisted of high school seniors intent on attending college after graduation. With their participation in this program, they would obtain the skills required to help them in the classroom as well as give them a competitive edge among their peers. Additionally, the benefits would cascade to the following classes through encouraging these students to share the knowledge and pass on the skills that they acquired.

(Alejandro and Cyber Cafe Class Moments)

Lessons Learned

Through comprehensive pre and post tests designed by our lead teacher, Alejandro, we were able to have a clear picture of the impact and benefit of this program. Students who did not have an adequate understanding of computers and programs prior to committing to this class are now equipped with exceptional knowledge that will aid them in their pursuit of a college education and a better life. In summary, the students who scored below 65% on their pre-test were able to score  close to 80% or above on their post-test evaluation with two students scoring in the 90s. These evaluations covered knowledge on computer peripherals, programs, and fluency.

However, as our lead teacher pointed out on the last day, it was important that they not only said “yes” to this class, but that they showed up every Saturday. This life lesson of committing to that initial “yes” and making the sacrifice to spend a Saturday learning about computers is what made the difference and we hope that this class inspires future students to also say “yes” and commit to extra curricular workshops that will enrich their learning and give them an edge in this competitive academic and career world. 

The future is in our hands, so long as we have the courage to start typing out our story, but it is in the dedication and commitment to progressing that story where we can experience growth. We are extremely thankful for everyone who came together to make this possible, but above all we are grateful for the students who wanted to learn and showed up. They get to reap the rewards of their hard work and take home knowledge and skills unique to computer literacy as well as a lesson learned in commitment to learning.