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Mar 23
2011

Making a Positive Impact on Youth Development in Latin America

Posted by cspence in youthvirtualizationUserfulstudent PCsschool computersmultiseatmulti terminallinux desktopsLinuxLatin AmericaIDBIADBeducational softwareeducationdigital inclusionclassroom computersBrazil school computersBrazil

Userful representatives are currently attending the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Youth Development Conference today as part of their overall attendance at the prestigious IDB event in Calgary this week. Today's youth conference emphasizes the strategic importance of investing in young people in Latin America and the Caribbean to support poverty reduction and social inclusion efforts, as well as looking at the contribution young people can make in the development process as agents of change.

Social and digital inclusion is very important to the Userful Team. We are firm believers that every person deserves access to a computer. Children having access to a computer gives them access to a broader community and to a brighter future. Userful is proud to be part of many multiseat initiatives around the world that seek to improve the quality and access to education for young people through providing low-cost, high quality Linux-based multiseat computer stations.

Userful has sold over 500,000 seats of its software in Latin America, and countries such as Brazil, who have already successfully deployed over 350,000 Userful computer stations to schools in every municipality, are finding that it is feasible to provide every student with an education using computers through the combined cost savings of using Userful MultiSeat, Linux and open source software. With no licensing fees or restrictions on open source software, students can also continue to learn, explore and utilize software programs at home. This allows families to be more involved in their children's education.

To date, the project the Userful is part of in Brazil is the largest digital inclusion project in the world, bringing access to computer technology to children and their families across the country.

 

Mar 20
2011

The Userful MultiSeat Linux Solution in Latin America

Posted by cspence in youthvirtualizationvirtual linux desktopsUserfulschool computersmultiseatmulti terminalLinuxLatin AmericaIDBICTIADBgreen computingenvironmenteducationEarth Hourdigital inclusionclassroom computersBrazil school computers

  In honour of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors this week in Calgary, Alberta (March 25-28), as well as IDB's Youth for Development Conference, Earth Hour and World Water Day happening this week, the Userful team has decided to do a week of blogs that focus on our work in Latin America - and the positive impact our Linux multiseat solution is making on digital inclusion and education, cost savings and environmental sustainability in the region.

The IDB Annual Meeting is one of the most prestigious international gatherings in the Western Hemisphere. Our team will have representatives at the IDB functions this week and we'll be sharing some of that experience with you this week. More than 3000 delegates representing largely Latin American federal, state and municipal government finance agencies will be in attendance and discussing issues such as youth development, education, environment and solutions for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Userful believes that every young person deserves access to an education, and that multiseat solutions that utilize open source programs and software can contribute to making that a reality. Userful is proud to be part of the largest digital inclusion initiative in Latin America with their 356,000 seat deployment in Brazil. The initiative by the Brazilian government will see over 35 million young people have access to an education utilizing computers.

Read more about Canada hosting the IDB event: http://www.idb2011bid.com