What if?

The internet - what did we ever do without it? With it we have access to information at the click of a button. What if rural villages around the world also had access to this information? They could get answers to health questions, discover the best way to fertilize their crops, learn a new skill, do their homework, or chat with relatives far away. It would open up new opportunities and provide access to resources that could assist them in creating a better life for themselves.

CHOICE staff and villagers of El Estanco, Mexico.

The challenge. How do you get internet to rural villages which do not have phone lines and are too remote to get broadband from cell phone towers? We found the answer with a company called Concero Connect. Concero has a unique set of technologies that allow broadband to be delivered cheaply to these areas via satellite. Cool, huh? CHOICE Humanitarian and Concero have partnered together to create a pilot project in the tiny village of El Estanco, Mexico. A few weeks ago a team visited this village to install the necessary equipment and a few computers.

The result? The computers are being used daily, and as more people are learning how to use the internet (with the help of training classes), usage is growing.

Students in El Estanco using the internet for thier school work.

Here is a short video created on that trip which shows the impact this project will have on El Estanco:

The plan is to establish nine more internet cafes in Mexico and to partner with the local municipal governments to make this program successful and ready to expand. Each community internet café will be owned locally and offer services to the community such as internet browsing, telephone services, and videoconferencing. In the months to come, Concero Connect and CHOICE Humanitarian will also be adding new services to address the needs of these communities in healthcare, education and access to government services via the internet.

We are so excited about this partnership and the opportunities it will provide these communities. If you would like to support this project, please contact us anytime.

CHOICE Humanitarian

801-474-1937