In 1999, iEARN-USA launched CIVICS with funding from the Office of Citizen Exchanges in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) at the US Department of State. In 2000, the Youth Programs Division selected iEARN-USA to conduct the U.S.-Belarus Clean Communities and the US-China Youth Exchange programs. In 2001, ECA collaborated with iEARN on the AIDSWEB education project with Africa, as well as continuing the CIVICS, Belarus and China programs. iEARN-USA administered the BRIDGE (Building Respect through Internet Dialogue and Global Education) and GCE Program, which focused on building links between students and teachers worldwide. The program works to supplement educational reform in each of its participating countries, which included: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, UAE, Bahrain, Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Sierra Leone, Thailand, China, Israel, Syria, Turkey, Kenya, Yemen, and the United States. In addition, iEARN-USA is a partner in the YES (Youth Exchange & Study) program for secondary school students to spend up to one academic year in the US. Students live with host families and attend high school, engaging in community life. iEARN is currently responsible for the recruitment of students from Pakistan, Arab-Israel, Bangladesh, Mali, Senegal, and Suriname, with Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Cameroon joining in the 2010-11 academic year. iEARN-USA is also a partner in implementing the Fulbright Teacher Exchange and National Security Language Initiative (NSLI-Y).