Two years ago, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation started a grant program designed to meet the information needs of Native Americans living in New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah. Its three goals were: (1) To provide Internet access; (2) To increase the use of technology for preserving local culture and language; and (3) To increase the opportunity for digital skills learning.

Since some of the communities do not have sufficient access to electricity, OnSat needed to equip those sites with solar energy to power the equipment. These solar systems are funded with grants from the Solar Electric Light Fund.

— Greg Mazurkiewicz

Publication date: 06/10/2002