Conecta por Argentina: Bridging the Digital Divide

In the town of Dolavon, in the province of Chubut in southern Argentina, the Technical Education School No. 781 “Don Eladio Zamarreño” plays a central role in the community. The school has a strong tradition in technical education in Food Technology, preparing students to contribute to the region’s productive development.

Until recently, however, the school faced a significant limitation: lack of internet access.

Through the Conectá por Argentina program, led by Enseñá por Argentina, a satellite internet antenna was installed, allowing students and teachers to access a stable internet connection in the classroom for the first time.

To date, the program has installed antennas in 33 schools across 10 provinces, benefiting more than 6,000 students in communities with limited or no internet access.

For the school leadership team, this change represents much more than connectivity.

“For us, the antenna means opening the school to the world. Before, connectivity was a major limitation. Now we feel more integrated—we can share what we do and learn from others as well.”

With internet access, teachers can now incorporate new digital tools and resources into their classes—from videos of industrial processes to updated regulations and examples from other technical schools across the country.

One teacher explains how this is transforming teaching:

“Many of the things we wanted to teach used to remain on the board or in textbooks. Now we can show real processes, use simulators, and bring knowledge to students that was previously out of reach.”

The impact is also visible among students, who can now research, explore, and work more independently.

“Now we can search for information in real time, research topics, and work online with our classmates. We feel more connected to what is happening beyond Dolavon.”

For many of them, this is the first time they have had stable internet access in their educational environment.

Teachers believe this opportunity will be key to their students’ futures.

“This access will give them a broader perspective of the world. They will be better prepared to continue their studies or enter the local food industry, where technology and connectivity are essential today.”

The school is now working to ensure that connectivity becomes not just a tool, but a true opportunity for educational transformation. This includes training teachers in digital resources, developing interdisciplinary projects, and promoting responsible and creative internet use among students.

Through Conectá por Argentina, schools like this one are not only gaining internet access—they are gaining new opportunities to learn, connect with the world, and expand their horizons.

Thanks to the support of donors who contribute to this project through GlobalGiving, each antenna installed represents a new opportunity for students and teachers to access tools, knowledge, and experiences that were previously out of reach. Your support makes it possible for schools in rural and remote communities to connect with the world, strengthen their educational projects, and expand learning opportunities for hundreds of young people. We will continue working so that more schools across Argentina—especially in rural regions—can gain access to connectivity and unlock their full educational potential.

In Mencué, a small town surrounded by the Patagonian plateau in Río Negro, distance has always been part of daily life. The school — Escuela N°16 — is the heart of the community: 62 students, a handful of teachers, and a principal who often says that “here, the school is much more than a place to learn — it’s where everything happens.”

Until 2023, there was no internet connection in the area. Teachers downloaded materials from another town every two weeks, and students had never experienced an online class. That changed when Conectá por Argentina installed a satellite antenna and trained the teaching team to use new digital tools.

“The day the antenna was installed, the kids stayed after class just to watch the little light turn on. They couldn’t believe they could connect to the world from here,” recalls Silvia, the principal.

Since then, digital learning has become part of everyday life. The school began a robotics workshop with kits shared through Enseñá por Argentina’s education network, and students in 6th and 7th grade learned to program small robots that move, light up, and even tell stories. “They were amazed to see that they could code — and that coding could come from a place like Mencué,” says Lorena, one of the teachers.

Beyond the classroom, the connection brought new opportunities for everyone. Families now use the school’s Wi-Fi to do online procedures, access health information, and even take virtual training courses. The school became a community hub — a bridge between isolation and inclusion.

The teachers also joined online training sessions with educators from other provinces. “It was the first time we could participate live, not through printed summaries or videos someone brought on a USB drive. It makes us feel part of something bigger,” Lorena adds.

Conectá por Argentina has now connected 33 schools in 10 provinces, bringing digital access and training to more than 6,000 students and hundreds of teachers. But the story of Mencué shows what those numbers really mean: connection as belonging, learning, and future.

Today, students use the Internet to research local history projects, connect with other rural schools, and present their work through video calls. One of them, Abril, says:
“I want to be a teacher. Now I can study and see that there are many ways to learn, even from far away.”

For Enseñá por Argentina, stories like this one remind us why we keep expanding the program: because when a school connects, a community connects — and when a community connects, new futures become possible.