hi
I've lurking for a couple of weeks - and regretting terribly for having
missed the IGF - and I'd like to introduce myself.
I run Nuvem, a space for art and technology located in the countryside of
Brazil. Last year we started a community project in the village of Fumaça,
which consisted of a mesh network and a cell phone station (
http://nuvem.tk/wiki/index.php/Fumaça_Data_Springs). It was funded
initially by a commotion grant, and afterwards by a Web We Want grant. Here
is a nice 15 minute video documentation:
http://www.ibe.tv/es/canal/laaventuradeaprender/849/Nuvem-Esta%C3%A7%C3%A3o…
We had the support of Libremesh, Guifinet, Rhizomatica and a bunch of
fantastic volunteers such as Henrique Mohr :)
In the beginning of the next year, we shall publish a call for a
commotion-like grant for community network projects in Brazil, using funds
from a donation from the Ford Foundation. It is a much smaller scale than
commotion's - just for 4 projects and a lot less money for each - but it
will be a way to map the demands and foster new local initiatives.
Also, I'm involved in an on-going project in the Maré favela in Rio de
Janeiro, which began after the Fumaça network and will have a new phase in
the beginning of the next year.
Let me know if you need more info or simply is interested to learn more
about the projects. Oh, and my day job is to teach in an art and technology
free school for low-income teens in Rio de Janeiro.
Best regards,
Bruno