Editing Geekcorps

{{Short description|Non-profit organization}}
{{update|date=August 2024|reason=All sources are from before 2010, organisation seems to be inactive or merged into [[IESC]]}}
[[File:Geekcorps Mali.jpg|thumb|A Geekcorps [[volunteer]] setting up a [[Wi-Fi]] antenna in [[Mali]]]]
[[Image:Aliu Amadu Jallo working on the first article for ff wp-1.jpg|thumb|right|A Malian man writes [[:ff:Ndimaagu|an article]] ("Wisdom") for the [[:ff:Hello jaɓɓorgo|Fula language Wikipedia]] in the Geekcorps Mali headquarters.]]

'''Geekcorps''' is a [[non-profit organization]] that sends people with technical skills to developing countries to assist in [[computer]] [[infrastructure]] development.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2002/Mar/26/tc/tc02a.html|title=Geekcorps spread computer skills worldwide|last=Yaukey|first=John|date=March 26, 2002|website=The Honolulu Advertiser|language=en|access-date=2017-07-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/t/story?id=98890&page=1|title=Non-Profit Sends Tech Skills to Africa|date=January 7, 2006|website=ABC News|access-date=2017-07-06}}</ref>

The non-profit was created in 2000 by [[Ethan Zuckerman]] and Elisa Korentayer in [[North Adams, Massachusetts]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/featured_articles/001019thursday.html|title=A Techie Volunteer Corps|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=2017-06-05}}</ref>  In 2001 Geekcorps became a division of the [[International Executive Service Corps]] located in [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pfdCaZshLZMC&dq=Geekcorps&pg=PA179|title=The Role of Information and Communication Technologies in Global Development: Analyses and Policy Recommendations|last=Haqqani|first=Abdul Basit|date=2005|publisher=United Nations Publications|isbn=9789211045321|language=en}}</ref>

== Creation ==
After a visit to a Ghana library by Zuckerman in 1993, the lack of up-to-date resources available prompted him to create Geekcorps years later. Humanitarian and banker Elisa Korentayer became co-founder of Geekcorps due to the organization's need of financial wisdom.<ref name=":0" /> In effort to increase access to current information and bridge the [[digital divide]] in developing nations Zuckerman, and associates from his now bought out internet company [[Tripod.com|tripod]], funded most of the $350,000 budget for Geekcorps' first year.

== Major projects ==

=== Ghana ===
Starting September 2000, with 6 volunteers selected from over 200 applicants, Geekcorps first mission was in [[Accra|Accra, Ghana]]. Co-founder Zuckerman was already familiar with the infrastructure of Ghana. Zuckerman stated, "The government has relatively liberal telecommunications and investment policies, making it possible for IT businesses to be built there."<ref name=":3" /> Geekcorps initial focus in Ghana was assisting companies in the capital city [[Accra]] with its [[Information technology|IT]] expertise. Geekcorps had an understanding with local businesses, after receiving help, the businesses involved were to help the locals with their newfound resources. Initial challenges for Geekcorps were communication and teaching skills needed by volunteers, and reliance on outdated programming languages for local businesses.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CjkEAAAAMBAJ&dq=iesc&pg=PA43|title=InfoWorld|date=2001-07-23|publisher=InfoWorld Media Group, Inc.|language=en}}</ref> Geekcorps involvement led to innovations such as a new java based payment system for local businesses in Ghana.<ref name=":1" /> Geekcorps was also instrumental in the creation of [[Ghana Internet Exchange|Ghana's internet exchange]] point in 2005.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/geekcorps-a-peace-corps-for-techies/|title=Geekcorps: A Peace Corps for techies|work=CNET|access-date=2017-04-21|language=en}}</ref>

=== Mali ===
Initial assistance in [[Mali]] came from the CMRT (Community Mobilization through Radio Technology) program sponsored by [[United States Agency for International Development|USAID]]. Under CMRT, Geekcorps installed 5 radio stations to enable local communication through the area. Later under another program Radio for Peace Building, Geekcorps installed another 11 stations, and renovations were done to older existing stations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.iesc.org/geekcorps|title=ICT & Applied Technologies|website=IESC|access-date=2017-07-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111213171030/http://www.iesc.org/geekcorps|archive-date=2011-12-13|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Geekcorps set up [[Information and communications technology|ICT]] stations in less populated areas of Mali in 2006. These stations were updated by a memory stick delivered from a computer center with internet access in [[Ouelessebougou]]. Although this allowed many rural locations access to specific web resources, such as web pages and digital media, due to lack of interest the program was modified after a year. Yearly updates to more desired information such as Moulin, a French version of Wikipedia, became the focus.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.sciencealert.com/opinions/20092402-18834.html|title=Rural Internet Goes by Road|last=Nightingale|first=Katherine|work=ScienceAlert|access-date=2017-06-19|language=en-gb}}</ref>

==Intel partnership and OLPC astroturf controversy==
In 2007 Geekcorps Director Wayan Vota was accused of disparaging the OLPC project through a "OLPC News" website without disclosing Geekcorps' promotion of Intel's rival laptop, the [[Classmate PC]] and Microsoft's [[Windows XP]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.0xdeadbeef.com:80/weblog/?p=252|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070222204738/http://www.0xdeadbeef.com/weblog/?p=252|url-status=dead|archive-date=2007-02-22|title=conspiracy theories about olpcnews?|last=Blizzard|first=Christopher|work=Invisible Sandwich|access-date=2018-09-28|language=en-us}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[World Computer Exchange#eCorps|eCorps]]
* [[Geeks Without Bounds]]
* [[ICVolunteers]]
* [[Inveneo]]
*[[One Laptop per Child]]
*[[NetCorps]]
* [[NetDay]]
* [[Random Hacks of Kindness]] 
*[[Kofi Annan#United Nations Information Technology Service .28UNITeS.29|United Nations Information Technology Service]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050113085310/http://www.geekcorps.org/ Geekcorps' Website] (French version available)


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[[Category:Organizations established in 2000]]
[[Category:Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:Information and communication technologies for development]]
[[Category:International volunteer organizations]]
[[Category:Digital divide]]
[[Category:Information technology organizations based in North America|Charities]]
[[Category:Information technology education|Charities]]
[[Category:2000 establishments in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:501(c)(3) organizations]]