We believe access to knowledge leads to better opportunities. We want to install a free wifi connection on the main street of our town of Santo Antonio, Brazil, that would allow 700 people to connect close to three schools, one public square and a local market. Only 10% of people in Santo Antonio have a connection at home. In a moment when we are relying on the internet for remote work and education, providing public access can help us improve the working and education conditions in our town!
Today, only 10% of the people in Santo Antonio have an internet connection at home. Because of the geography and infrastructure of the valley, cell reception is poor, and electricity on the hillsides - where most of the population lives - goes out constantly. With the today's reliance on information technology for work and education, Santo Antonio struggled during the pandemic to adapt.
Sinal do Vale and Conecta Total, a local internet provider, are joining forces to install repeaters with free wifi access throughout the main street, providing a connection that could support 700 people daily near three schools, a market and the town square. Since the flow of people is heavier and maintenance of equipment is easily available, we can open an opportunity for our neighbors to meet needs like banking, communication and school and work tasks, which were otherwise impossible.
The infrastructure would allow 700 people to connect daily, with the repeaters covering three school facilities, a market and a public square. We hope this will be the pilot to later expand wifi access to other public areas in the town. We believe on the long term, connectivity can provide access to knowledge, and improve education, collaboration and business opportunities, helping to democratize information technologies!
This project has provided additional documentation in a XLSX file (projdoc.xlsx).
