On April 18, United Kingdom Prime Minister Gordon Brown awarded two USC (University of Southern California) students as winners of their Click for Change: Educate Africa contest, which challenged students to communicate the importance of supporting education in Africa using new media. 72 million children in Africa are not enrolled in school.

Katrina Chan’s website … www.oneclickforchange.org … won first prize and will be featured on the British Government’s website for the USA … www.britainusa.com, and also on the website for the British Department of International Development. One Click for Change provides a simple online way to send pre-written letters (you can customize) to your Senators and Congressmen to encourage them to increase funding and resources allocated to education of children in Africa. You enter your name and zip code and the site can do the rest.

Katrina hopes to expand the website to include other humanitarian issues in Africa.

Tal Flanchraych won 2nd prize for her website ‘Why Should We Care’ (http://whyshouldwecare.ning.com). The website is a social networking community focusing on promoting education and gender equality in Africa. Activists discuss their projects and favorite causes and can work together on African education issues.

Representatives from the British Embassy in the United States, the Kenyan Consulate in Los Angeles, and the USC Center on Public Diplomacy reviewed each entry and selected the winner.

Congratulations Katrina and Tal.