April 14, 2011
Newsletter Nº 10
Summary Summary .......................................................................................................................................................... 1 News ...................................................................................................................................................................... 2 News ...................................................................................................................................................................... 2 First internet connections in the Paraguayan Rural communities ........................................................... 2 Programme Developments ........................................................................................................................... 3 News from the beneficiary countries ...................................................................................................... 4 Bolivia ............................................................................................................................................................ 4 Euro-Solar kits are transferred to the municipal districts ......................................................................... 4 Ecuador ......................................................................................................................................................... 4 Schools in Ecuador are equipped with new furniture and fittings ........................................................... 4 El Salvador ................................................................................................................................................... 5 European Union Delegates visit a rural community in El Salvador ......................................................... 5 Guatemala .................................................................................................................................................... 6 Communities define the Business Plan in order to ensure sustainability of the Programme ............... 6 Honduras....................................................................................................................................................... 6 Progress continues with Provisional Reception of kits ............................................................................. 6 Nicaragua ..................................................................................................................................................... 7 Presentation of documents for use of the kits in 22 Communities .......................................................... 7 Perú ................................................................................................................................................................ 7 Representatives from the Ministry of Energy and Mining, Education and Health visit communities... 8 Events ................................................................................................................................................................... 8 The 1st Workshop for exchanging experiences is held in Nicaragua ...................................................... 8
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News
First internet connections in Rural Communities in Paraguay In Paraguay during the month of January, work began on the installation of wireless internet connections in the rural communities. The first connection test was successfully completed on 8 February in the community of San Carlos 200 km southeast of Asuncion in the Caazapá Department. The test took the form of a videoconference via SKYPE (R) in which the beneficiary community hooked up with the Ministry of Public Works and Communications where the CNC is based.
attended courses in order to gain IT skills such as how to use the computer tools provided, and learning about their multiple applications, and the benefits and possibilities that internet offers. In Paraguay, over the next two months 22 communities will be connected to internet using wireless technology. The remaining 23 communities due to benefit from the programme will be provided with a satellite connection service. With the arrival of internet, community members, along with their neighbouring communities will be able to connect to the rest of the world, with their family members and friends etc at a reduced cost, and they will no longer need to travel to the city especially for this purpose. The residents of San Carlos and other communities included in the programme now have at their disposal a clean source of energy which will encourage local and sustainable development, improving quality of life and providing access to new technologies.
Ms Lucila Rojas representing the School, took part in the videoconference along with members of the Community and the Programme Supervisor in Paraguay, the engineer Andrés González and the Head of International Technical Assistance in Paraguay, Mr Fabio Lucantonio. This first video connection, something which would have been unthinkable only a few months ago was made possible thanks to the media provided by the EUROSOLAR Programme. Ms Lucila Rojas informed the conference that during December, January and February, taking advantage of the school recess, 140 people
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Programme developments During the last quarter, the main activities of the programme have focused on finalising the installation of the kits and their provisional reception. In respect of social aspects and sustainability of the Programme, campaigns to create awareness in the beneficiary communities have been stepped up, particularly with regard to intensifying training in the use of the new equipment installed and the development of applications for productive use. Progress also continues with connectivity. During the last few months the campaign to check the apparatus on site has gained considerable ground, and it has now begun in Honduras and is being continued in Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Peru; and it has finalised in El Salvador, Guatemala and Paraguay, and therefore at present all the EURO-SOLAR countries are either in the process of checking, or completing their checks. The following graph shows the current state of progress of provisional reception at the beginning of February 2011:
Salvador, where all the satellite dishes have been installed. During the next quarter it is hoped to finalise the provisional reception procedure for the kits and to complete the installation and set up of the equipment and satellite connection service in all the countries. Accompanying activities and training of the community members has continued, with campaigns developed to increase skills and create awareness and in some countries complementary training has begun which will be intensified when the kit has been fully installed and connected to internet. Furthermore “Use and Custody of the kits” documents have been signed in the communities which have obtained a certificate of Technical Attestation of Operation in order to encourage and develop responsibility for the kit. In Paraguay, where internet connection has begun in those communities which have been provided with wireless installations, a test connection between the community of San Carlos and the CNC offices has successfully taken place. st
On 5 and 6 of February in Nicaragua the 1 Workshop was held for an Exchange of Experiences between some rural communities in order to provide incentives to community members to participate in the programme, promoting interest and encouragement and creating awareness of the usefulness and potential of the equipment.
In terms of connectivity, installation of internet connection equipment has either started or actually been completed in several countries. This is the case in El
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News from beneficiary countries
Bolivia Euro-Solar kits are transferred to the Municipal districts By the end of February the transfer of 47 of the 59 EURO-SOLAR kits had been completed in 29 districts in Bolivia in the Departments of Chuquisaca, Cochabama, Oruro, Potosí and Santa Cruz.It is hoped to complete transfer of the kits by the beginning of April, currently on hold until conditions improve in the access roads to the municipalities still awaiting installation. Following transfer, the municipal districts will be responsible for setting up the kit equipment as well as administering resources for maintaining the kit and managing the centres. In addition, following their formal delivery, the communities have begun to use the kits applying the regulations and standards for their use as approved by the Local Management Committees, as well as setting tariffs for the services that the equipment will provide, in particular photocopies of documentation required for official purposes by various Ministries in the processing of community affairs, and also for personal formalities, as well as showing videos and recharging all kinds of batteries. Among the official documents included in this transfer process, is an Agreement between the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Energy and the Local Councils, the Regulation on Use which was jointly approved with all the Municipal Districts, the Ministerial Resolution on transfer, and finally the delivery Certificate containing the list of all the equipment and components, all of which contribute to the legal validity of the EURO-SOLAR centres and confirm their sustainability.
Ecuador New furniture and fittings in the Schools of Ecuador In February the National Coordination Office (CNC) through the Ministry of Electricity began to equip communities with new furnishings with a view to assisting the education process and protecting their equipment. The 91 rural communities in Ecuador will receive the new accessories which consist of a metal filing cabinet to protect the computer equipment when it is not in use, along with five chairs. One of the first rural communities to receive the new equipment was the community of Cerrito de los Morreños , in the Province of Página 4 de 9
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Guayas, Canton Guyayaquil, who have received the equipment with enormous enthusiasm and expectation and installed it for immediate use. It is hoped that in the coming months, delivery of the furniture and fittings will be completed in all the rural communities in Ecuador.
communities which will assist in increasing their knowledge of how to operate the installed kits.
Additionally, a poster displaying technical information is being presented to the
El Salvador European Union Delegates visit a rural community in El Salvador On 24 February two European Union delegates made an official visit to a rural community in El Salvador in order to see how the Euro-solar Programme was progressing. Accompanying them on this visit were the Assistant for Geographic Cooperation, Coordinator and Supervisor for Latin America, Ms Ana Pumares, and the Business Representative of the European Union Delegation in El Salvador, Stefano Gatto. Also present were Dr Mauricio Rivera, National Director of Education in Science, Technology and Innovation of the Ministry of Education (MINED); Dr William Mejia, and the engineer Reynaldo Hernández, Manager and Head of Educational Technologies in the same State department.
Programme has provided to the community through the provision of electrical energy and access to new technologies. During the event, which was attended by teachers, pupils and parents who shared their experiences, the authorities were thanked for carrying out the project, and it was emphasised how valuable the project has proved to be, as the new technology will bring tremendous improvements to the children’s learning processes. Dr Mejia, representing the MINED authorities, reiterated the Government’s commitment to the Euro-Solar programme and informed those present that advisory bodies are being set up to involve the communities in matters such as care of the equipment and their security in order to ensure the Programme’s sustainability. Finally, Professor Javier Flores offered to give a demonstration of how the Euro-Solar kit’s electrical energy photovoltaic system operates, and the progress that students have made with using the computers. The activity concluded with some drinks and snacks prepared by the
The officials visited the Cantón El Matazano School in the department of La Libertad, where the Headmistress of the school Blanco Noemy Renderos de Rodriguez, welcomed the visitors and spoke of the benefits that the Euro-Solar
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Guatemala Communities define the “Business Plan” in order to ensure sustainability of the Programme In order to encourage the development of educational and productive activities and to ensure sustainability of the Programme, local community organisations have defined a Business Plan, which will plan various activities and manage income from the kit. The Plan is timed to be set up with the arrival of equipment and the internet connection service. Furthermore, the 117 communities which are benefiting from the Euro-Solar Programme will be provided with local instruction in order to ensure proper use of the equipment and create responsibility and awareness of the possibilities it affords. One such example is the community of Uaxactun in the municipal district of Flores, Petén where the Euro-Solar Technology Centre has already been authorised as an IT skills educational centre by the Ministry of Education. According to the Chairman of the Euro-Solar Commission in this Community, Ervin Macz, this technology benefits students as they are able to gain computer skills without having to travel to the main town of Flores, a distance of 90 km, as they previously had to do, which is a bonus for all their families as this means considerable savings on transport.
Honduras Progress continues with Provisional Reception of the kits
At the present time, having begun the on-site checking process in December 2010 , the process of provisional reception of the kits is now 55% complete, and it is hoped that in the coming months the process will be completed in the 68 installations in Honduras. In those communities in which the on- site checking has been completed and the certificate of Technical Attestation of Operation has been obtained, they have begun to enjoy and benefit from the advantages of having the kit. In some communities activities are being undertaken to generate income so that the Euro-Solar programme will become sustainable.
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Nicaragua Presentation of the Certificates of Use of the Kits in 22 Communities On 18 March Certificates of Use of the Equipment were presented to the (22) beneficiary communities in the Municipal district of Waspám . This event was presided over by the Deputy Mayoress of Waspám, Ms Martha Zamora and attended by the Director of Electricity and Renewable Resources of the Ministry of Energy and Mining, Ivan Cortés, accompanied by members of the Euro-Solar Programme work team, and the area social coordinators Steven Mendez and Petronio Mairena.
to look after keep safe and take care of this equipment and to encourage its best use for the benefit of the population in every community. Three representatives from the communities invited to the event were the Euro-solar Committee coordinator, the Centre director and the Judge of the community, in order to include the most significant figures in the decision making process for organisation of the Euro-Solar Programme Community Service Centres.
Similarly, training was given by Francisco Chavarria from the Ministry of Education in how to draw up an Organisation Chart and Management Plan for the Community Services centre, the main purpose of which is to provide guidance and a system for facilitating the process of creating a Management Plan for the Community Services Centre for each Euro-Solar Committee.
The purpose of this activity is to ensure that the Euro-Solar Committees in each Community assume the public undertaking
Peru Representatives from the Ministry of Energy and Mining, Education and Health, visit rural communities In March, a team comprising representatives from the ministries of Energy and Mining, Education and Health visited the 130 rural communities in Peru. Página 7 de 9
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Their purpose was to supervise progress of the Programme in each of the rural communities and to sound out community members in terms of their hopes and aspirations for the project . The beneficiary communities in Peru are located in 10 regions which encompass coastal, mountain and central forest areas, all of which are characterised by their remoteness which prevents them from gaining access to a source of electricity. Installation of the kits will contribute to their emerging from this isolation by providing access to an electrical energy source generated on the basis of clean energy. Furthermore, the Ministry of Education through its General Department of Educational Technologies has undertaken to provide skills to the teachers in the 130 schools which will benefit from the EUROSOLAR Programme in Peru.
Events Nicaragua holds the 1st Workshop for exchanging experiences
On the 5 and 6 of February this year there was a visit to the communities of Prinzapolka Wountha where the first workshop was held in order to exchange experiences between the communities of Puerto Cabezas and Prinzpolka
share experiences and expectations in respect of the programme and to create incentives for joining in the activity. During the Workshop, additional activities were held to create awareness of the need to care for the equipment following its installation and the possibility of creating a
Layasiksa and Kuamwatla. Visitors included the Director of Electricity and Renewable Resources of the Ministry of Energy and Mining, Ivan Cortes and members of the Euro-Solar Programme work team.
savings fund for ensuring sustainability of the kits.
The main purpose of the visit was to provide an opportunity for community members to
The event also provided an opportunity to inform local authorities of how the Programme was progressing and the next stages to come, such as completion of the equipment installation and satellite connection in those communities.
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