The Communication Initiative
Development action with informed and engaged societies
The Communication Initiative
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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Published 22 years ago
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Brazil bets on Linux cybercafes

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Summary

This article details the Brazilian government's strategy of using free software to help improve poor citizens' access to information through technology. Organisers were motivated by research carried out in 2001 showing that there were about 3 million people in Sao Paulo without any access to computers. Since the initiative began, about 250,000 people are using the nearly 100 net cafes. "We want to take the telecenters to the poorer areas in the periphery, to reduce the social and economic divide," said the E-Government project co-ordinator. "Access to technology is fundamental in order to get full rights and opportunities in modern society", she added.


Each telecentre has about 20 computers. Some are used for training courses in writing and computing skills; others are free to be used for anything from preparing homework to sending emails. People are allowed to use the PCs for an hour daily for free. Many citizens, especially youth, are banking on the fact that the new computer skills they will gain through structured courses and daily practice will help them find employment. Sao Paulo City has an unemployment rate over 20%.


Since 2002, all the centres have been using the free operating system GNU/Linux. The idea here involves not only saving money on licence fees, but also using a simpler version of the computer, with one server and several thin clients (computers without hard disks). These computers, according to the coordinator, cost a quarter of the price of a machine and have reduced maintenance costs. As part of an effort to continue moving from paid to free software, the Ministry for Education is planning to buy 10,000 computers for schools that will accomodate both proprietary and open source software.


Click here for the full article on the BBC News site.