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-Rural-de-Arte-e-Tecnologia.htm 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