Intelsat, a multinational satellite services provider, is expanding internet access to underserved areas in South Sudan and Uganda through a new partnership with actor Forest Whitaker’s nonprofit organization.
The company is equipping 10 community learning centers operated by the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI) with high-speed internet. Seven of the centers are in South Sudan and three are in Uganda.
The initiative was announced Wednesday at an event in New York attended by Intelsat CEO David Wajsgras and Forest Whitaker.
“We’re upgrading the communications profile that exists today and improving speed, the quality of the communications, and equally as important, the reliability,” Wajsgras said. “It’s much more real-time information — think of video processing and communicating in different ways.”
The project includes the installation of equipment, managed connectivity, and ongoing technical support. Wajsgras said the improvements will boost the centers’ communication capacity by four to 10 times.
Whitaker, who founded WPDI in 2012, spoke about the personal experiences that shaped his decision to create the organization.
“Growing up in South Central Los Angeles, conflict between gangs impacted my community in a deep, dark way,” he said. He also recalled the effect of a cousin who served in Vietnam. “You can’t work in peace and development without having partnerships. People rely on each other and give each other the tools to share.”
WPDI’s centers serve communities with little or no digital infrastructure. According to the group’s executive director, Caroline Descombris, the lack of internet access has long hindered education and training programs.
“We were relying on traditional ways to connect. But because it’s very remote, it was not reliable or functional,” Descombris said. “It’s bringing an amazing change for the community.”
The upgraded internet access allows trainees to complete advanced technology courses that were previously inaccessible due to connectivity issues.
“Intelsat has been a game-changer,” she said. “We have IT labs within the centers where community members have access to online training that we designed with MIT and Ericsson. With strong connectivity they are able to finish the entire cycle of training, which was not the case in the past.”
One of the new programs enabled by the satellite link is a virtual exchange between a center in South Sudan and a classroom in Los Angeles.
Wajsgras said work at the 10 centers is nearing completion. Once finished, the level of connectivity will be comparable to what’s found in large enterprises, such as banks.
Since its founding, WPDI says it has trained more than 1,000 peacemakers and supports over 1,000 youth- and women-led businesses across its regions of operation.
“The education and programs and tools that we give to the community are elements that continue to move forward,” Whitaker said. “We’re now working with 1,000 businesses — those businesses go into the community and build the other businesses as they continue to grow in a ripple effect outward.”
He added, “Working with people to bypass trauma, people are able to bring that back into their communities, back into their ordinary lives. It’s really important.”
