Digital Cooperation Network: Connecting Communities to Development

Poverty is a challenge faced by most countries of the contemporary world.
In Brazil, this disparity assumes giant proportions; 56.9 million people are
poor and 24.7 million are just above the extreme poverty line resulting in a huge disparity of inequality of income distribution within the country.

Digital Cooperation Network: Connecting Communities to Development, is a national program that is under development. Administered by the Fundacao Pensamento Digital in Porto Alegre, the program has been launched in pilot locations in Sao Paulo, Porte Alegre and Brazilia with funding and oversight by the McMahan Center for facilitating program development.

Dell Brazil, a key partner, is playing an important role in the development of this pioneering initiative. Dell has also created a link, through its website, to build customer awareness for donations of their used computer and related technology to the program. The National Cristina Foundation, another key partner, is providing assistance as a knowledge partner for the implementation of the National Cristina Foundation’s models for computer reuse, which have been implemented across the United States and internationally.

Involving numerous partners, including Rotary clubs across Brazil, the Federal University of RS State in Brazil, ASSESPRO (the Association of Software Companies), Planac for logistic and refurbishment support, and a rapidly growing list of Brazilian organizations, the program, in its support to community organizations, is helping to create open learning communities where learning is seen as a part of a continual lifelong process. Knowledge creation and sharing within and between communities will enable expertise and ideas to be exchanged across Brazil for promoting and supporting local community development.