Short Description: The project's primary objective is to provide rural and underserved areas of Paraguay with reliable and affordable publicly-available access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) and training through the creation of sustainable telecommunications access centers.
Phase/Type of Activity: Field Support/Technical Assistance Status: Active
Start date: September 30, 2005 End Date: August 31, 2008
Partners:Fundacion Paraguaya
Person(s) to contact
Contact
Michael Tetelman , Director, dot-ORG
Academy for Educational Development Email: Tel: (202) 884-8856
Full Description: The project's primary objective is to extend Internet connectivity to and provide training in information and communication technologies (ICTs) and relevant content for rural and underserved areas of Paraguay.
In the first phase, the project connected 100 sites across Paraguay, including schools, local NGOs, community radio stations and health centers, to the Internet using wireless broadband technology creating public telecommunications access centers.
The second phase continues to provide training to enhance the use of the Internet and promote sustainability of these centers and also is developing a Content Management Service (CMS) platform and Mobile Banking platform. The CMS, a simple interface for web page design, will allow centers to create and post their own content on-line. The mobile banking platform will link rural microfinance clients to the lending institution via cell phones allowing customers to access and repay their loans electronically.
Development Sector(s): Enterprise Development, Information Technology, Technology Transfer
ICT Intervention(s): Public/Private Partnerships
Links and Files:
Project Brief: LMI Paraguay
This project brief was developed for the March 2006 TAG meeting. It provides an overview of the project in its initial stage of planning.
Core funding for the DOT-COM Alliance is provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture & Trade, Office of Infrastructure and Engineering (EGAT/OI&E), Office of Education (EGAT/ED), and Office of Women in Development (EGAT/WID), under the terms of Award numbers: GDG-A-00-01-00009-00, dot-GOV; GDG-A-00-01-00014-00, dot-ORG; GDG-A-00-01-00011-00, dot-EDU.