...other public and private sector organizations in a pilot program that will bring 21st century communications to schools located in the most violent-prone regions of Colombia. NewCom, a Miami-based global communications provider, is providing satellite-based Internet services for the phase one pilot program, which targets 26 schools located in the remote and volatile region of Nudo de Paramillo Region in Northern Colombia.

The Nudo de Paramillo Satellite Internet Access and Solar Energy for Rural Communities Initiative is being led by the Colombia-based nonprofit organization Fundesmag in conjunction with USAID. The joint initiative is a regional development pilot designed to bring stability to areas of Colombia that are currently struggling due to their remote location and disconnect from local and national governmental entities. Through the initiative, solar-generated electricity, computers and satellite-based Internet connectivity will be provided to the schools—enabling 4,267 students to benefit from the global educational resources and interactive learning the Internet provides.

The team of public-private sector organizations participating in the initiative also include Corantioquia, a public agency established by the Colombian government to drive social and environmental advancements in these volatile regions, and Hybrytec S.A.S., a Colombian company that specializes in turnkey solar energy solutions for off-grid regions throughout Colombia. The pilot program has already generated significant excitement and praise from the Colombian government and is a model that Dora Mejia, who is spearheading the initiative for NewCom International, hopes to help replicate throughout Colombia and the rest of the developing world.