The initiative called “All Connected-Education without Borders” helps schools, common pots, and communities to have access to more than 2 million contents without requiring, in a mandatory way, an Internet connection.

The Peruvian Project Uayki won in the third category of PERUMIN Hub, entitled “Innovative Collaborative Models." This recognition was awarded for its initiative called “All Connected-Education without Borders,” which aims to facilitate digitalization to improve development opportunities.

How did Uayki come about?

Karim Rifai Burneo, founder of Uayki and son of immigrant parents, studied Economics in Boston, USA. It was there, that the idea of contributing to the country by improving its connectivity to have a multidimensional impact on the development of quality of life, was born.

"On the Internet, there is extraordinarily complex knowledge that has inspired me and that can make life more efficient. How much more knowledge is there on the Internet that can make life easier?" wondered Rifai when devising Uayki.

According to Rifai Burneo, approximately three billion people in the world lack Internet access, and 6 out of 10 Peruvian families do not have a reliable connection. These challenges led Rifai to seek mentors to guide him in finding solutions to provide connectivity without an Internet connection.

How does Uayki operate?

"Connectivity does not always imply Internet. While we provide connectivity, access to an internet connection is not essential for our system. It is an optional add-on," explained Rifai. Uayki is presented as a kit that is connected to a solar panel and powers up by emitting a cloud of access.

"This low-cost portable system can be installed in a school, community center, library, common pot, and so on. When it is switched on, it emits a Wi-Fi cloud that provides connectivity,” he said.

Rifai Burneo explained that they have several sections that offer varied content, such as Wikipedia, videos, PDFs, audios, images, and applications, totaling more than two million pieces of content on different topics. If the site has Internet access, it can be used to update the software and download new information that is updated weekly.

Impact in Peru and Guatemala

In the Peruvian case, Rifai pointed out that ten thousand users have been directly benefited and 30 thousand indirect beneficiaries. "We have 49 implementations in schools, libraries, training centers, medical centers, and common pots in 13 regions and departments of Peru, while in Guatemala, we are present in the San Marcos region," he remarked.

He also noted that since the arrival of Uayki to one community, "in six months, the growth ranges in digital literacy, platform management, digital skills, research skills, reading skills, STEM skills, entrepreneurship skills, employability, and critical thinking, went from 10% to 30%".

Lastly, Rifai expressed his gratitude for the award granted by PERUMIN Hub, since it allowed him to get in contact with mining companies and decision-makers, who can contribute to more people’s development and better growth opportunities.