Geeks Without Frontiers

GEEKS' VISION AND MISSION IS TO BRING THE BENEFITS OF INTERNET CONNECTIVITY TO THE ESTIMATED 3.5 BILLION PEOPLE WHO REMAIN UNCONNECTED TO HELP CLOSE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AND ACHIEVE THE UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS, INCLUDING IMPROVED STANDARDS OF HEALTH, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC WELL-BEING.

IN 2021 GEEKS LAUNCHED THE N50 PROJECT. THE N50 PROJECT ACCELERATES DIGITAL ADOPTION AND COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT THROUGH INNOVATIVE APPLICATIONS, NETWORK DESIGN, AND BUSINESS MODELS TO ENABLE THE NEXT 3 BILLION PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DIGITAL WORLD. BROADBAND ADOPTION WILL BE ACCELERATED AND SUSTAINED, GLOBALLY, THROUGH COMMERCIAL, NON-PROFIT, GOVERNMENT, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. THE N50 FOCUSES ON TECH-NEUTRAL CONNECTIVITY, LITERACY, LANGUAGE, AND CONVENING PARTNERS TO DELIVER HUMAN-ENRICHING APPLICATIONS AROUND EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, AGRICULTURE, AND LOCAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP.THE GEEKS WITHOUT FRONTIERS TEAM WORKS AS THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE FOR THE N50, WHERE WE PROVIDE PROJECT CURATION, DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT; MANAGEMENT AND EXECUTION OF THE STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION; FORMULATE PARTNERSHIPS; AND MORE. WITH OUR PARTNERS FROM PUBLIC, PRIVATE, NON-PROFIT, AND ACADEMIA, WE ARE DEVELOPING IMPLEMENTABLE BLUEPRINTS THAT FOCUS ON CONNECTIVITY OPTIONS, APPLICATIONS, AND SUSTAINABILITY. HERE ARE THE THREE LARGEST N50 PROJECTS: 1) PORTABLE CONNECTIVITY CENTERS FOR UKRAINIAN REFUGEES - THE N50 PROJECT TEAM IS COLLABORATING WITH A COALITION OF PARTNERS TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT PORTABLE CONNECTIVITY CENTERS (PCC). THESE PCCS ARE DESIGNED TO HELP PROVIDE ESSENTIAL POWER AND CONNECTIVITY FOR REFUGEES FLEEING THE UKRAINE TO NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES. WE WORKED ON THE DEPLOYMENT OF 11 PCCS, STARTING IN AREAS WHERE THERE ARE LARGE CONCENTRATIONS OF REFUGEES ALONGSIDE THE ROMANIAN BORDER, TRANSIT ROUTES AND TO OTHER COMMUNITIES CENTERS SERVING REFUGEE GROUPS. 2) RURAL COMMUNITY CONNECTIVITY IN LUUMBO, ZAMBIA - THE N50 PROJECT TEAM IS COLLABORATING WITH PARTNERS IN ZAMBIA TO TEST THE CONCEPT IN AN UNDER-SERVED, VERY POOR RURAL ENVIRONMENT. THE VILLAGE SELECTED FOR THE PROJECT IS LUUMBO, IN THE REMOTE GWEMBE DISTRICT OF SOUTHERN ZAMBIA. INITIAL SURVEYS HAVE CONFIRMED THAT THE AVAILABILITY OF DEVICES CAPABLE OF INTERNET CONNECTIVITY ARE VERY LIMITED IN LUUMBO, AND VERY FEW PEOPLE THERE ARE INTERNET USERS.THE N50 PROJECT TEAM IS WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS TO PRE-PLAN THE ROLL-OUT OF THE TECHNOLOGY, PROVIDE A PROOF OF CONCEPT (POC) FOR EDUCATION SERVICES AND ARE FACILITATING THE DEPLOYMENT OF OTHER SERVICES INTO LUUMBO TO HELP MEET ADULT EDUCATION, HEALTH, AGRICULTURAL AND LEISURE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. 3) THOUGHT LEADERSHIP FORUM EVENT - 2-DAY ONLINE PROGRAM ON DIGITAL INCLUSION AROUND THE GLOBE

CHANNELVIEW TECH READINESS --GWF WORKED ON THE PREPARATION FOR A TECHNOLOGY READINESS ASSESSMENT INVOLVING ENGAGEMENT WITH A SCHOOL DISTRICT TO SET THE SCOPE FOR A TECHNOLOGY READINESS ASSESSMENT THAT REVIEWED PRACTICES, STRUCTURES, AND COMPETENCIES AND MADE RECOMMENDATIONS AS APPROPRIATE FOR THE DISTRICT.

OCEANS--THE PROJECT AIMED TO MEET AN URGENT, GLOBAL NEED FOR A MECHANISM WHICH COMBINES THE IDENTIFICATION OF ILLEGAL, UNREGULATED, AND UNREPORTED (IUU) FISHING WITH THE ABILITY FOR WORKERS AT SEA TO REPORT FORCED LABOR AND SAFETY CONCERNS. THE PROJECT FOCUSED ON REGIONS KNOWN TO HAVE HIGH INCIDENCE OF FORCED LABOR AND IUU FISHING. TWO OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND INTENSIVELY FISHED REGIONS IN THE WORLD, SOUTH EAST ASIA AND THE PACIFIC ISLANDS COUNTRIES (PICS) HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS SUITABLE AREAS ON WHICH TO FOCUS THE PROJECT; SPECIFICALLY, THAILAND AND FIJI. THE PROJECT CONCLUDED WITH A REPORT AND WHITE PAPER ON DIGITAL SUSTAINABILITY AT SEA AND THE HOW EXPONENTIAL TECHNOLOGY CAN EMPOWER HUMAN RIGHTS AND MARINE BIODIVERSITY.

INDIGENOUS RESILIENCE NETWORK/BROADBAND FOR TRIBES-- GWF WORKED WITH TRIBAL COMMUNITIES BY PROVIDING TECHNOLOGY-NEUTRAL EXPERTISE RELATING TO THE TECHNICAL, FINANCIAL, HUMAN RESOURCE, REGULATORY AND OTHER CRITICAL FACTORS CENTRAL TO THE DESIGN OF SUSTAINABLE BROADBAND BUSINESS MODELS, AS WELL AS COLLABORATION WITH TRIBAL COMMUNITIES ON ANY / ALL STAGES OF NETWORK LIFE CYCLES. THE TEAM ALSO WORKED WITH TRIBAL COMMUNITIES TO SECURE AND PROGRAM US FEDERAL FUNDS, AND ADVISED LEADERS AND COMMUNITIES TO UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEX REGULATORY LANDSCAPE, AND HOW TO AVOID COMMON PITFALLS AND CHALLENGES. OUR PRIMARY OUTPUTS WERE TO PROVIDE BROADBAND SCOPING, SUSTAINABILITY MODELS, ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION AND STRATEGIC RESPONSE COORDINATED TO ADDRESS UNPRECEDENTED SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS. A NUMBER OF TRIBES WERE ABLE TO WIN FEDERAL AND STATE GRANT FUNDING AND WE ARE NOW SUPPORTING THE EFFORTS TO ENSURE THAT THE TRIBES ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE PLATFORMS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, DIGITAL SKILLS AND INTER-COMMUNITY BROADBAND COOPERATIVES, LED BY INDIGENOUS SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS.