Dell, Intel and FAS project takes technology to almost 2,000 people in the Amazon

This is a machine translation of a press release by Intel Brasil and Dell Brazil

Brazil, June 6, 2023- Project created in partnership by Dell Technologies (NYSE: DELL) with Intel and the Sustainable Amazon Foundation (FAS) provides access to services for around 1,600 people in the region of the Sustainable Development Reserve of Amapá River, near the municipality of Manicoré, in the interior of the Amazon. Entitled Solar Community Hub, the unit is located in the Boa Esperança community, which is 350 km from the capital Manaus, and provides telehealth care, socio-environmental monitoring, educational proposals for children, youth and adults with a focus on employability, connectivity and environmental education.

The Solar Community Hub is powered entirely by solar energy, providing internet access, technology and services that have directly benefited approximately 420 people over the past year. The project benefited not only the community of Boa Esperança (AM), but also ten other riverside communities, including an indigenous community formed by the Mura, Tiverim and Apurinã peoples. The Solar Community Hub offers:

· Access to connectivity, digital education and complementary training courses aimed at professionalization for local riverside and indigenous communities;

· Environmental awareness activities aimed at children, based on educational materials on biodiversity conservation.

· Health care through telemedicine and training of community health agents

· Rainwater collection and filtration system to provide access to potable water for the community.

“We believe that real progress starts when we use the power of technology to empower people. With the Dell Technologies Solar Community Hub, we've brought the community of Boa Esperança access to essential resources and infrastructure to address their most pressing challenges in vital areas such as education, health and environmental protection. We are proud to be part of this journey, as we witness firsthand the transformative power of technology, connecting part of the Amazon”, highlighted Diego Puerta, President of Dell Technologies in Brazil.

In addition to education, training and health, the Solar Community Hub also carries out socio-environmental monitoring activities. For this, FAS combines geotechnology, training of young leaders and community engagement, through socio-participatory workshops and training, with a focus on community youth. The activities of the environmental monitors consist of evaluating and monitoring satellite images (hot spots and deforestation), swiddens, agricultural and extractive production and the use of wood in the Amapá River Reserve. The data generated is used to guide the management and handling of natural resources.

Throughout 2022, seven young environmental monitors were trained, who monitored 13.5 hectares of native forest and 211 hectares of capoeira, through interviews and visits to communities in the region. From the collection, analysis and verification of data and active listening in the territories, community associations can forward formal requests to the responsible inspection bodies.

For Intel, the project is also in line with the company's 2030 goals, which among the challenges is to engage industries, governments and communities to: revolutionize health and safety with technology; make technology fully inclusive and expand digital readiness.

"We want to change the world for the better with technology. And that's exactly what we're doing here at Solar Community Hub", says Claudia Muchaluat, Director General of Intel Brazil. "Creating a more responsible, inclusive and sustainable world through technology is what we strive for as a company. I am very proud of the teamwork involved in the development of the Solar Community Hub and all the positive impact on the local community. This work is proof live that we are overcoming barriers, including geographic ones, to bring technology and innovation to children and young people", continues the executive.

"Not to mention the incredible collaboration with Dell, our partner for years in everything related to improving people's lives through technology, which was instrumental in this joint project with FAS. I believe that what we see here today is proof of the importance of working with the entire ecosystem in favor of a single cause", he concludes.

For FAS, the activities offered by Solar Community Hub to the beneficiaries are in accordance with the systemic approach of the territory carried out by the foundation, which aims to improve the quality of life of the Amazonian populations. Over the course of the project, for example, 778 hours of training have already been given to young people and adults in the area of education for employability. In terms of telehealth care, between July 2021 and December 2022, more than 260 consultations were carried out and 126 doses of vaccine against Covid-19 were administered.

“The implementation of the Solar Community Hub within a community has been a fantastic experience, offering a place for education, health care and, in addition, creating a connection with other places in Brazil and the world”, highlights Valcléia Solidade, Superintendent of Sustainable Development of FAS Communities. “This project has benefited everyone from children to adults and we look forward to expanding to other locations given its remarkable success. Its relevance for community life is immense, providing access to knowledge, facilitating the connection between communities and guaranteeing access to information, which is especially significant when it comes to remote areas of the Amazon”.

The project also counts on Computer Aid International, Microsoft, as an educational supporter, and support from the Government of the State of Amazonas, through the Secretary of State for the Environment (Sema), and the City Hall of Manicoré.

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About Solar Hubs

Dell Technologies Solar Hubs builds on the success of Dell's Global Solar Learning Labs in partnership with Computer Aid International. These units seek to address digital inclusion at scale for underrepresented and underrepresented groups around the world, in line with Dell's goal to use its technology and scale to advance health initiatives, education and economic opportunities to deliver lasting results for 1 billion of people by 2030.

Each Dell Technologies Solar Community Hub unit is created in partnership with Computer Aid International and local non-profit partners to develop and deliver programs most needed by the community, such as digital literacy, job skills and training, health and even environmental conservation.

Solar Community Hubs make use of two connected shipping containers that can be transformed into spaces for education, health practices or workshops. In the case of education, each classroom has a combination of solar power, energy-efficient Dell Wyse technology and air-cooled servers, providing access to technology and internet connectivity in remote areas where there is limited (if any) access to electricity.

Dell Technologies has partnered with Computer Aid International since 2013. There are currently 27 Solar Community Hubs in countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa. Soon, Hubs will be launched in Australia and Egypt. In addition to the fixed models, six mobile SCHs were introduced in India and 12 portable connectivity centers in the region between Poland, Romania and Ukraine in 2022. Altogether, the SCH has already impacted more than 921,000 people worldwide, excluding the connectivity centers portable.