How an International NGO Plans to Fight the Digital Divide with a Satellite Company – Non Profit News

The Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative (WPDI) partnered with Intelsat, a global satellite provider, to bring reliable internet access to South Sudan and Uganda, increasing young people’s access to digital education. The collaboration, which the organizations formally announced on June 25 at an event in New York City, comes amid an expanding digital divide worldwide.

A nongovernmental organization, the WPDI works with local communities to empower youth peacemakers and sustainable development in areas impacted by conflict and armed violence. At the event, WPDI’s founder and CEO Forest Whitaker and Executive Director Caroline Descombris sat down with Intelsat’s CEO David Wajsgras to discuss the new nonprofit-corporate partnership and WPDI’s core values.

The Partnership

Wajsgras explained that Intelsat—which has one of the world’s largest satellite networks and emphasizes international connectivity—will make digital communication four to 10 times faster at three locations in South Sudan and seven locations in Uganda, at the WPDI’s preexisting Community Learning Centers (CLCs). Wajsgras said that the work is “nearing completion” to install equipment and ensure reliable satellite connectivity for the next three years.

At the CLCs, the WPDI hosts cultural community events and provides free courses in topics such as conflict resolution, information technology, and business skills to bolster education in areas lacking digital infrastructure, explained Descombris at the New York event. She also said that these CLCs include playgrounds and athletic facilities with the goal of fostering peace, reconciliation, and gender equality.

Intelsat…will make digital communication four to 10 times faster at three locations in South Sudan and seven locations in Uganda.

Descombris described the collaboration with Intelsat as a “game changer,” since the CLCs already have technology labs that give community members access to online educational resources. However, as of now, people are not able to make complete use of them.

“We were relying on a very traditional way to try to connect the place, but because it’s very remote, it was really not reliable and not functional,” Descombris said. “So now, it’s really bringing an amazing change for the communities.”

The WPDI plans to equip the 10 locations in East Africa with digital resources, such as remote classes and virtual exchange programs, to complement its curriculum in conflict resolution and entrepreneurship. The organization will also educate students in digital literacy and ethics for using the internet and social media.

The Digital Divide in Conflict-Affected Regions 

In Uganda, where northern communities are struggling to foster prosperity in the years following several decades of civil war, 28 percent of people have access to the internet. Areas that are still being directly impacted by conflict—such as South Sudan, where political violence rages on despite several attempted peace deals since 2015—see even smaller percentages. About 15.7 percent of South Sudan’s population have access to the internet.

Although more people use the internet every year, disparities in digital access between low- and middle-income countries and wealthy ones is widening. Only nations with strong economies tout the conditions to support rapid technological advancements, and investments in technology are narrowly diverted to these countries. Meanwhile, most people in low-income nations lack the cash injection and infrastructure needed to support online connections. Fewer women, elderly people, and rural populations have access to the internet compared to their counterparts.

Weakened infrastructure, mass displacement, and declining education systems in regions facing armed conflict or recovering from civil unrest exacerbate that digital divide. Additionally, amid large-scale humanitarian crises and fragmented governing structures, increasing people’s internet access may not feel like a priority.

Most people in low-income nations lack the cash injection and infrastructure needed to support online connections.

The WPDI and Intelsat’s new joint initiative to increase South Sudan and Uganda’s digital connectivity could help ultimately boost their peace and prosperity. Strong internet access could encourage global collaboration between regions, create jobs for residents, and disseminate information about security and health. As NPQ has previously reported, the internet serves as an important tool on several social and climate justice fronts—including delivering early warnings of disaster and creating equal opportunities to minimize racial inequity.

However, it is important to keep in mind how information technology can also pose additional risks for people in conflict zones. It has the potential to amplify misinformation and hate speech, expose people to digital theft like identity fraud, and restrict the right to privacy. As humanitarian groups aim to expand connectivity in such regions, they must concurrently work to strengthen necessary frameworks for safe internet usage and educate populations on digital literacy.

How the WPDI Inspires Change

At the event, Whitaker and Descombris discussed WPDI’s three key elements to inspire meaningful change for communities: trust, community ownership, and a long-term approach.

As humanitarian groups aim to expand connectivity in such regions, they must concurrently work to strengthen necessary frameworks for safe internet usage and educate populations on digital literacy.

They emphasized the importance of gradually building trust in communities through WPDI’s worldwide network of Youth Peacemakers, who undergo a one-year training in topics like mediation and trauma awareness before reentering their communities. Whitaker and Descombris explained that the Youth Peacemakers program aims to create a ripple effect, as individuals bring their peace education both to schools and their everyday lives, help establish small businesses, support aspiring entrepreneurs, and more.

To measure the WPDI’s impact, the team has been working with Columbia University to create an evaluation framework and collect quantitative data such as the number of people served, but also qualitative data from local actors and stakeholders about how effectively their initiatives are responding to needs on the ground.

“It’s not only about tools, but it’s also about allowing people to take charge—to also take the lead and build their own resilience from within,” Descombris said. “When you combine that with a strong local staff, with a strong evaluation and community ownership, this is where you start seeing change.”