Programs


CDI Community Centers

Each CDI Community Center is a partnership with an existing leading grassroots organization.  The community based organizations provide the infrastructure and CDI provides free computers and software, implements educational methods, trains instructors and monitors the schools.

Today our CDI Community Centers are better equipped than ever to continue the fight against exclusion. Our programs are delivering education to individuals, as well as providing an expanded portfolio of technology services to communities, that lead to real skills for work in the modern labor market, increase community development and provoke active citizenship, community mobilization, autonomy, ownership and entrepreneurial behaviors.

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In addition to our traditional course offerings such as competency in basic office programs, computer maintenance and networking, we have formalized and introduced 11 new courses (including video and audio editing, blogging, website development), and business plans for 30 services such as internet access (with or without assistance), resume building, e-gov, graphic design & services, scholarly research, e-health, e-learning, and job hunting.  Through the implementation of these services, CDI Community Centers are on a clear path to becoming completely self-sustaining micro-enterprises.

CDI LAN: Expanding our reach through the private sector

There are more than 100,000 internet café small businesses in Brazil that serve as the main point of access to technology for low-income communities.  Almost half of all Brazilians that access the Internet do so through these “LAN Houses.”  That´s 40 million people.  A large portion of these businesses however, are illegal, have a short life-span and are unhealthy environments for young people because of uncontrolled access to pornography and violent video games. CDI LAN is a new division of CDI that affiliates legal LAN House that sign a code of ethical conduct thereby agreeing to be triple bottom-line businesses at the Base of the Pyramid (BOP).

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Conexão

Projeto Conexão is a social joint venture between CDI and Rede Cidadã, another highly acclaimed citizen sector organization based in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Conexão believes that employment is a means by which young people and low-income entrepreneurs can develop into active citizens, engaged in transforming their own realities. By providing professional training and mentorship, as well as guidance in navigating the labor market, young people are equipped to become agents of change in their own lives. Similarly, through Conexão, private sector businesses offer pro-bono consulting services to micorentrepreneurs to strengthen their enterprises, and by extension, their surrounding communities.  Conexão’s success in the three Regional Offices in which it works—Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Belo Horizonte—have led to the systematization of strategies that encourage civic empowerment through income generation.

The project is currently underway in the following communities: Cidade de Deús, Moneró, Tribobó, Costa Barros, Vila Kennedy, Pavuna, Vila Pauline, Santa Rita, Campinho, Morro dos Macacos, Bangu, Maré, Babilônia, Rocinha and Realengo.

Employability:

Training in basic employment skills

Mapping productive capacity

  • Specialization
  • Mock interviews
  • Talent bank
  • Circulating job openings and contracts
  • Ongoing training

Entrepreneurship

  • Selection of entrepreneurs
  • Matching with volunteer consultants
  • Business management consulting

CDI Consulting: Sharing our expertise and best practices

CDI Consulting is a new division of CDI that finds its roots in CDI’s experience and expertise in Digital Inclusion and in working with the Base of the Pyramid (BOP). With 14 years of success, innovation and continually setting industry standards, CDI is now well positioned to offer expert advice, strategic consultancy as well as operational services to an ever expanding number of clients. CDI Consulting works with clients including multinational and medium businesses, state and federal governments as well as NGOs and social enterprises, to find the best way to reach their potential while maximizing impact and adding value. CDI Consulting does this by -

  • Studying and understanding our clients’ industry, model, mission, requirements and potential
  • Strategically aligning our clients needs and the CDI know-how into an innovative tailor-made action plan
  • Implementing the action plan either on a turn-key basis, as a partnership or by indicating the best way to implement the project