[Chapter-delegates] Press release: Internet Society Grants Target IPv6 Deployment, Empowerment of Girls in Rural Africa, and Improvements in Internet Performance

[Gerard Ross]

Hi

For your information, here is a press release we will be issuing  
shortly.

Have a nice xmas & new year everyone!

Regards
- Gerard

--
Gerard Ross
Senior Communications Manager
Internet Society
Email: ross at isoc.org



-------------------------------------------
Press release - for immediate distribution
-------------------------------------------


INTERNET SOCIETY GRANTS TARGET IPV6 DEPLOYMENT, EMPOWERMENT OF GIRLS  
IN RURAL AFRICA, AND IMPROVEMENTS IN INTERNET PERFORMANCE


RESTON, VA, USA AND GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, 19 December, 2008 -  
Approximately US$70,000 is to be invested in community-based Internet  
projects around the world to tackle issues ranging from IPv6  
deployment to providing access and training to girls in an  
impoverished, isolated community. The Internet Society (ISOC), as part  
of its Project Funding Initiative, has announced the latest round of  
grants. Each project will receive up to US$10,000 for work that  
promotes ISOC's mission and goals.

Funded in the latest round are:

- Development by ISOC's Argentina Chapter of an IPv6
handbook and training materials to help IT professionals
accelerate IPv6 address deployment.

- A project by the Congolese Chapter to increase and
improve Internet training for students in universities
and academic institutions in the central Africa region.

- Work by ISOC's Sierra Leone Chapter, in collaboration
with the Sierra Leone National ICT Task Force, to help
establish the Sierra Leone Internet Exchange Point for
important performance and economic benefits to the
national Internet community.

- A pilot project by ISOC's Taiwan Chapter to deploy IPv6
dual-stack infrastructure on education campuses as a way
of also providing IPv6 training and materials to students
and teachers.

- A conference and workshop with follow-up materials,
organised by ISOC Global member, Kevin Quinn, of Waterford
Institute of Technology, aimed to stimulate the regulatory
reform and industry awareness needed to raise the standard
of Irish broadband penetration and performance.

- An innovative use of solar-power, digital imaging, and
satellite connections to bring the benefits of the Internet
to healthcare workers, educators, conservationists, and
mirco-credit participants in a remote area of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo. Organised by ISOC's DRC Chapter.

- A project by ISOC Global member Kaprie Thoronka to use
ICT and Internet training and facilities to help improve the
health, economic, and social conditions of girls and young
women in a remote area of Sierra Leone.

The next application round for Project Funding will open 2 March 2009.
For more information about these projects and details of the Project  
Funding Initiative, please visit:

http://www.isoc.org/isoc/chapters/projects/awards.php?id=8


About the Internet Society
---------------------------
The Internet Society is an international, non-profit organisation  
founded in 1992 to provide leadership in Internet related standards,  
education, and policy. With offices in Washington, DC, and Geneva,  
Switzerland, it is dedicated to ensuring the open development,  
evolution, and use of the Internet for the benefit of people  
throughout the world.

Further details
----------------
Scott Hoyt
Vice President, Strategic Communications and Business Planning
E-mail: hoyt at isoc.org
Telephone: +1-703-439-2120 x2142
1775 Wiehle Avenue
Suite 201 Reston, VA
20190-5108 USA