Corporate social responsibility and social entrepreneurship have spread throughout the world like virus. It has spawned every important sector of a community to respond to the compelling needs of poverty, environment, health, education, peace, governance, etc. It has supplemented (or somehow replaced) what the (society thought) government is responsible for. It has refilled efforts of non-government organizations. What is most striking with corporate social responsibility is it has created intelligent international joint ventures to solve the compelling needs.

And Texas Instrument or Intel is one in it.

Intel developed digital villages, like in Parintins, Brazil, with a broad partnership with the non-government organizations, government, universities and business sectors. Intel installed cost-effective connectivity, education and healthcare in just six weeks.

They installed a state-of-the-art WiMAX network to connect primary healthcare center, two public schools, and a community center. The international joint ventures agreement is seamless that it clearly defined works of participating partners. It involved CPqD (for PC labs and network installation), Embratel (for satellite link services and the 3.5GHz WiMAX network operation), Proxim (for WiMAX CPEs and base stations), and Cisco (for Wi-Fi access points). Intel provided three computer labs with wireless connections and started Intel Teach training in two schools and Intel Learn curriculum in one community center. It has certified 15 community coordinators to teach the two educational efforts.

Intel and Intel Regional Training Agency Bradesco Foundation also made a joint venture to implement one of their Digital Inclusion Centers. It aimed to expand training capabilities to increase the project’s social impact. Intel also made a joint venture network with State University of Amazonas (SUA), Federal University of Amazons (FUA) and University of Sao Paulo (USP) to provide healthcare. Together, they installed a Telemedicine Clinic in Manaus, which will be a first point resource for Parintins doctors. USP particularly provided software tools, computer graphics representation of the human body or the “virtual man”, continuing education and refresher courses. Parintins doctors now have video conferencing capability to provide them faster and accessible medical data to cure diseases. Intel is pushing more education and healthcare efforts with its innovative solutions and joint ventures in remote Amazon villages. The company hopes to expand its corporate social responsibility in the whole country of Brazil.