Resumen en español al final del artÃculo
For OLPC 2012 is certainly starting off on a high note with a number of new projects being announced and started these days. Aside of the previously discussed efforts in Miami and Costa Rica last week a new project with 5,000 XOs was launched in the Mexican state of Sonora. What strikes me as interesting about this project is that it's embedded within a larger effort of closing the digital divide:
Launch ceremony
Adoption of the OLPC program is part of the State's larger plan to extend Internet connectivity to all its citizens. In accordance with the UN's declaration of Internet access as a basic human right, Sonora is the first state in Mexico to establish connectivity as a human right in its Constitution.
It also seems noteworthy that the implementation will be run by a separate foundation, rather than the state of Sonora itself:
The OLPC project in Sonora will be implemented by Nueva Generación Sonora A.C. (New Sonora Generation), a nonprofit organization whose goal is to provide every child in the State access to the knowledge economy through strategic use of information and communication technologies and programs.
Last but not least the press release also mentions that there are plans to expand the project to 350,000 XOs over the next three years. It's my understanding that at this point in time this is an intent more than anything else, so it remains to be seen whether this ambitious plan will indeed become reality.
Resumen en español: La semana pasada 5,000 alumnos en el estado de Sonora en Mexico recibieron una XO como parte de un proyecto amplio para extender el acceso de Internet dentro de su populación. Un aspecto interesante de este esfuerzo es que una fundación, y no el gobierno estatal, esta encargada con la implementación de la iniciativa. El comunicado de prensa también menciona que hay planes para distribuir un total de 350,000 XO en los proximos años. Entiendo que esto es una intención en este momento y tenemos que esperar para ver si va a ser una realidad.
Recent Comments
Any updates? Have they in fact purchased any laptops beyond the original 5,000?