The Microsoft Tulay project has put up computer training centers in several countries including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and Saudi Arabia since the project began three years ago.

Currently there are two computer centers funded in Italy located in Rome and Milan. These training centers benefit about 200,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) there. The training centers will train OFWs to communicate through the use of email or instant messaging with video to their families in the Philippines. 

According to Mae Rivera-Moreno, Microsoft's PR and community affairs manager in the Philippines, “We found out that most of our OFWs in Italy return home usually after at least eight years. A lot of families get broken as a result of the great distance and time apart,” she said.

These training centers are part of Microsoft's Tulay project implemented with the help of the Overseas Workers Welfare Organization (OWWA). Microsoft invested about USD 25,000 in each center in Italy and the maintenance costs was shouldered by OWWA.

According to OWWA, Tulay centers abroad, which also serve as computer training centers, have served more than 7,000 OFWs. There are also training centers put up in countries that caters to families of OFWs.