Annual Report 2003

ITTPO is an independent, non-profit, and a federal tax exempt (501 (c) (3)) organization in the USA and an approved NGO in Sri Lanka.

Annual Report Summary 2003

· January 2003

o ITTPO completed a very successful fundraising event with donors pledging more than USD $100,000 in less than 6 weeks

o Application for federal tax exempt status was filed with the US government

· February 2003

o Jey Kumara Surier from San Jose, California, USA, an ITTPO director and CTO, moved to Kilinochchi (Vanni) to begin the implementation phase of the Vanni Institute of Technology (VanniTech)

o Jey immediately started the VanniTech building/facility acquisition work and the efforts to register ITTPO as an NGO in Sri Lanka

· March 2003

o ITTPO shipment with one container full of donated computers, networking equipments, furniture and close to thousand books left San Jose

o VanniTech building and hostel facilities were given to VanniTech and remodeling work started

· April 2003

o ITTPO was approved as a 501(c)(3) tax exempt charitable organization in USA, by the federal government

o ITTPO was granted Voluntary Social Services/Non Governmental Organization status by the Ministry of Social Services of the government of Sri Lanka on April 23, 2003 with the help of many well-wishers.

o ITTPO shipment arrived in Vanni and generators and major equipment purchases completed and delivered to Vanni

· May 2003

o VanniTech hired first few employees

o Advertisement for admission and admission process started for first batch of VanniTech students. Admission process included, admission forms, aptitude test and face to face interview with administrators and volunteers

· June 2003

o More employees were hired and remodeling of the facilities completed

o VanniTech was inaugurated on June 23, 2003 with 60 students

o Classes started for the first quarter with course materials from voluntary course developers across the globe and with local and international volunteer instructors as well as VanniTech lecturers.

· July 2003

o First quarter instruction was in full force

o VanniTech started providing hardware and software repair services to NGOs and other organizations who had problems with their high tech equipments

· August 2003

o VanniTech successfully completed first quarter instructions

o ITTPO and VanniTech participated in many communication forums to promote VanniTech project and to raise funds

· September 2003

o VanniTech staff and students planned and drove a North-East Sri Lanka wide computer introduction program during the quarter break, which was conducted by VanniTech students and attended by more than 1000 school children.

o Second quarter instruction began at VanniTech

· October 2003

o Second quarter instruction continued and students showed very good promise by working hard to acquire technical knowledge

· November 2003

o New board of directors for ITTPO has been selected

o ITTPO expressed its gratitude to the outgoing members, and volunteers for their outstanding commitments and contributions

o VanniTech completed the second quarter successfully

· December 2003

o ITTPO identified Dr. Siva Gopal from USA, as the replacement for Jey to carry out the duties of VanniTech president from Feb 2004

o Third quarter began at VanniTech

o ITTPO/VanniTech inaugurated TechShack, a technology incubation center, at VanniTech to create job opportunities for VanniTech graduates

o UNDP awarded a networking contract to VanniTech and TechShack completed the project one week early