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 3.9 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. WITH OUR PARTNERS FROM PUBLIC, PRIVATE, NON-PROFIT, AND ACADEMIA, WE ARE DEVELOPING IMPLEMENTABLE BLUEPRINTS THAT FOCUS ON CONNECTIVITY OPTIONS, APPLICATIONS, AND SUSTAINABILITY. THE N50 ARE CURRENTLY TESTING THE MODEL IN A PILOT AT A RURAL VILLAGE IN ZAMBIA AND A RURAL LOCATION IN THE US.

THE PROJECT AIMS 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 FOCUSES ON REGIONS KNOWN TO HAVE HIGH INCIDENCE OF FORCED LABOR AND IUU FISHING. AS 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.

GEEKS 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. WE ALSO WORKED WITH TRIBAL COMMUNITIES TO SECURE AND PROGRAM US FEDERAL FUNDS, AND WE ALSO ADVISED TO HELP COMMUNITIES UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEX REGULATORY LANDSCAPE, AND HOW TO AVOID COMMON PITFALLS AND CHALLENGES WITHIN THIS ENVIRONMENT. OUR PRIMARY OUTPUTS WERE TO PROVIDE BROADBAND SCOPING, SUSTAINABILITY MODELS, ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION AND STRATEGIC RESPONSE COORDINATED TO ADDRESS UNPRECEDENTED SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS.