The internet has not yet been converted into a giant online shopping mall. There are thousands of projects big and small working online around the world that prove that the Internet can be, and is being, used as a powerful tool for development and social justice.
Herbert de Souza (Betinho): Herbert de Souza (Betinho)
The Association for Progressive Communications (APC) has been working with non governmental organisations, activists, and social movements since 1990 to facilitate their work through the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs). The APC Betinho Communications Prize was launched to mark APC’s tenth anniversary in 2000, and to recognise and document outstanding examples of how the internet can make a real difference for the world’s communities today.
APC’s objective is to recognise ICT efforts in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region, and to extract some of the lessons learned in order to make them accessible to others doing related work.
The $7,500 USD prize (shared among the winning initiatives) commemorates the inspirational life and work of Herbet de Souza (Betinho), a visionary Brazilian social activist.
Criteria
The competition is opened to civil society organisations, community-based groups, networks, and social movements anywhere in LAC. Applications were accepted in Spanish, Portuguese and English.
Nominations are judged according to three main criteria:
1. Positive economic contribution
- The project demonstrates a positive economic contribution to the community
- Has a long term vision for sustaining impact which includes training and developing local expertise
- Provides an equal opportunity for participation by the community regardless of sex, religion, political persuasion or income
- Is documented so that others can learn from the model
2. Driven and developed in Latin America and the Caribbean
- Developed and implemented by people and/or organisations based in Latin America and the Caribbean
- Must be local and community-based
3. Sustainable use of technology
- Offers or makes use of technology that is available and supported locally
- Demonstrates an understanding of the relationship between technology and the needs of the community on the ground.
Extra points are awarded for projects that predominantly use free and open source software and projects that utilise LAC’s renewable resources (e.g. solar or wind power)
Past Betinho prizes
Betinho Prize winners 2005
Betinho Prize winners 2003
Betinho Prize winners 2001
Betinho Prize winners 2000
This prize is possible thanks to the support of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada. APC would also like to thank IBASE and Abril Imagem for the photographic images of Betinho that we are using to promote the Prize. The APC Betinho Communications Prize is an initiative of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC). 1999-2007