The Daniel Duro Information Technology Center

The Daniel Duro Information Technology Center (DD-ITC) foundation was founded in 2022 in the name of our beloved son Daniel Duro, who passed away on January 1, 2022. Daniel, being the youngest child in the family, has everybody’s attention and affection. The imprint that he left on our hearts and his friends will never, ever fade. Daniel, all through his schooling, has achieved the highest honor at all graduations: Diploma, BA, and MSc. To this end, he has received a trophy twice from the university, engraved with the word “Academic Excellency” when he received his BA in 2016 and his MSc in 2021. Further, he has received three medals from Upsilon Pi Epsilon in Computer Science.

Danny was a true professional who always gave his all to his work as a software engineer, whether it was at his job at BLEN, Inc. or in the various volunteer positions he held at the university. He was known for his meticulous attention to detail and his unwavering commitment to delivering top-quality work. In addition to his day job, he took on several volunteer roles related to IT at the college and university, always eager to help others and make a difference. He had an accepted agreement letter from Marymount University to begin working as an adjunct professor at the age of 29 in January 2022, which was a testament to his hard work and dedication to his field. Unfortunately, he passed away the week before he was supposed to start this new chapter in his career. Marymount University was deeply impressed by his achievements and has established the Daniel Duro Memorial Endowed Scholarship in his name to commemorate his legacy and inspire future generations of students. This scholarship will provide financial assistance to students who share Danny's passion for software engineering and desire to make a positive impact in the world.

Daniel was a driven and ambitious individual who was deeply committed to excelling in the field of computer software engineering. He worked tirelessly with his colleagues to bring several successful apps to market, including MOXIT Software, which was acquired by Wonderschool for use in childcare centers. In addition to his professional pursuits, Daniel also had a strong desire to see his friends and loved ones succeed. He was a passionate advocate for education and worked tirelessly to encourage and support others in their pursuit of higher education. His admirable ambition and unwavering dedication to his work have served as an inspiration to many and continue to inspire us today.

To honor his memory and create a lasting legacy that reflects his desire and hard work, we have established this foundation. We are dedicated to providing information technology and computer training to people in Burji Woreda/District and other regions. This foundation is a way to recognize Daniel's contributions to the field of computer science and to support the next generation of software engineers. We are proud to carry on his legacy and to work toward making his dreams and aspirations a reality for others.

Why Burji Woreda?

Danny’s family came from Burji Woreda.

In Burji Woreda/District there are 23,026 students. All students (19,123) in 29 elementary and junior secondary schools have no chance to see or know what computers look like. Of these, there are 3,247 students in grades 7 and 8 who must learn ICT.

The Center

The goal of this project is to increase access to computers and improve the infrastructure in schools, so that every student has the opportunity to learn computer skills. We will also monitor and evaluate usage, and provide updated training to ensure proper use.

The objectives of this project are to:

To achieve these objectives, the project will include the following activities:

Building and equipping a computer lab with necessary items

Providing teachers with current information on emerging IT education trends and best practices.

Budget

We are launching the 2023 DD-ITC fundraising campaign to provide students in Burji Woreda/District schools with the necessary resources and infrastructure to excel in information technology. Our goal is to raise $140,000 to provide computers and facilities for students and teachers. With your support, we can bridge the gap and give students in Burji Woreda/District the IT education they need to succeed in today's technology-driven world and global economy. We have already received an initial donation of $20,000 from BLEN Inc, which will help to kickstart the project, but we need your help to reach our goal.

Year 1 (2023)

Goal

Site Acquisition $15,000

Building & Construction Materials $31,325

Computer Lab Equipments $85,998

Center Running Cost $8,558

Total $140,911

Year 2 (2024)

Goal

Center Running Cost $20,843

Year 3 (2025)

Goal

Center Running Cost $18,246