Somos Telecentros: ¡Internet a servicio de la gente! (Internet for the people!)

Chasquinet, an NGO dedicated to using technology as a tool for community development, wanted to be able to address the problems of impoverished rural and urban communities, but without the hierarchy and bureaucracy associated with many social programs. At the same time, it saw the lack of information technology in these communities. As such, it created “Somos Telecentros.”

A “Telecentro” is a center for communication and computing, based in the community. In the best case scenario, it has long distance telephones, computers, and internet access -- but these are not always present.

In poor communities, the Telecentros have become community centers, where teenagers meet to write emails or where mothers go to get the news of the world. In the last two years, 10% of the Ecuadorian population has fled to Europe or the US, so the telecentros also serve as the point of contact for absent family members.

The network originally came about to solve problems specific to the Telecentros: how to improve internet connections, referrals to good internet sites, etc. But after a couple of months, more significant questions began to circulate: “We have a major problem with incest here in our village. Does anyone have an idea how to combat it?” Unexpectedly, other communities responded to that question; since, others have followed.

The network has become a medium to solve community problems, but in a horizontal way. In some cases, it has come to realize the utopian dreams of the internet pioneers.


Somos Telecentros: ¡Internet a servicio de la gente!

www.tele-centros.org

Proyecto coordinado por Chasquinet
Curuña 1609 y Manuel Iturrey
Quito, Ecuador

593 2 245 3664

(Nueva dirección): Hernando Sarmiento N39-65 entre Portete y Hugo Moncayo
Quito, Ecuador

Contacto: Marcelo Galarza: marcelo@chasquinet.org

www.chasquinet.org