The Ministry of Science and Technology (MICIT) has provided new computer equipment to its Intelligent Community Center or CECI by its acronym in Spanish, for the community of Miramar, Puntarenas.
The center is located in the local Library and members of the community will be able to use six new computers made available which include Windows 7, Office 2010, webcams, headphones, 4gb memories and hard drives with larger storage capacities.
Minister of Science and Technology Mr. Alejandro Cruz recognizes the participation and willingness to learn from the residents of Miramar in Puntarenas when he attended the ceremony personally this past Friday afternoon. Other Intelligent Community Centers in the country have also been provided with new computer equipment earlier this year.
More than 1200 people have been trained in this center and members of the community of Miramar have shown a remarkable interest in using these resources to learn Internet use, email and other technological tools and improve the quality of their lives.
CECI’s are a network of Intelligent Community Centers located throughout the country and created by the Government with the intention of providing mechanisms for universal access to information and tools for the expansion of a Digital Culture that will allow communities to become technologically “empowered” through access to knowledge, information, creativity and ability to take on new challenges.
Each of these community centers provides free access to state of the art computer laboratory equipment and offers different services to the community.
Communities like Miramar in Puntarenas, with more than 7000 inhabitants depend economically on fishing, ecologic tourism and the Bellavista mine. Unfortunately, it is also harshly affected by waves of poverty and crime.
Resources like the CECI centers which provide free basic training in the use of Internet applications, email, the English language, video conferences and even preparation for the development of SME´s, among others, can mean a way to improve their living conditions for the Miramar families.
Services at these centers are provided by officials, university students completing their TCU programs, volunteers and community members.
