ODOU Youth Committee Brussels 5 Oct. 2010 Connecting blank rural areas through satellite broadband...

ODOU Youth Committee

Brussels 5 Oct. 2010

Connecting blank rural areas through satellite broadband

Satellite Broadband Internet in Odou Village, Cyprus

Alexis Nicolaou



ODOU Village



ODOU Village

The view of Odou village from the road above the village can not be described in words or even encompassed in a photo. The houses are built amphitheatrically on the surrounding hills. Houses with tiled rooftops, picturesque balconies, courtyards with shady vine trees climbing everywhere are characteristics of the village. All these are surrounded by the lavish green vegetation of the Valley.



• Odou village is located in the mountainous district of Larnaca at an altitude of about 800m

• The population of Odou is 200, with most people

working in agriculture• Odou is famous in Cyprus for its citrus fruits & vegetables, especially tomatoes

The picturesque village of Odou with its traditional architecture, its The picturesque village of Odou with its traditional architecture, its cobbled streets & footpaths, is an example of a genuine traditional cobbled streets & footpaths, is an example of a genuine traditional

community that should be preserved.community that should be preserved.

ODOU Village



Youth Committee of Odou

• The Youth Committee of our village has 65 members:– Pupils of the primary school of the village– Pupils of elementary and high school– Students from our village that study in colleges and universities in

Nicosia or abroad– Other young people that live in the village

• Odou only had 1 small primary school with only two teachers that supervise & teach all 6 classes of the school, but last year the students transferred to a new bigger school in a nearby village.

• The Youth centre is equipped with satellite TV, various electronic & table games, a pool table & a canteen



Youth Committee of Odou

We organise various events in the village & all the members of

the YC are involved in various activities.

In the frame of the YC there is a theatre club & a traditional

dance club.



Broadband Internet availability

• Odou is not covered by a terrestrial infrastructure able to provide broadband internet to the inhabitants of the village

• The students that were going to the high school & who had

interaction with students from other areas that were able to have fast internet, really felt this difference

• Those students had:– Access to a lot of information to prepare their assignments– Were able to communicate with their friends via internet– Could play games on the internet

• Their interaction with the internet helped them to enhance their computer skills, as well, much better



Broadband Internet availability

• Some parents used to take their children to a relative’s house in other areas that have internet access to get information to prepare their assignments

• Students in the colleges & universities were forced to stay until late in the universities in order to have access to internet & do their assignments find information etc.

• A lot of university & college students that study in Nicosia are

forced to go & live in Nicosia



Satellite broadband internet to Odou

• The Ministry of Communications & Works of the Cyprus Republic announced in March 2009 that all villages in Cyprus without broadband internet access will be covered by satellite internet access in combination with Wi-Fi

• This service will be open and free to the people of these villages

• Nine satellite terminals & Wi-Fi access points were installed in Odou village, more than a year ago, that covers the whole village with Wi-Fi access to satellite internet

• The habitants are very excited by this development



Satellite broadband internet to Odou

The First Reactions:

• Mr Nikos Anastasiou (the president of the village) said the connection to wireless technology was of particular importance to the picturesque village’s 50 youngsters

““We have 50 young people at We have 50 young people at primary, gymnasium & tertiary primary, gymnasium & tertiary level,” level,” he saidhe said. “This will please our . “This will please our young because they will now be on young because they will now be on par with youth in urban areas & par with youth in urban areas & they won’t feel inferior… It will they won’t feel inferior… It will open their horizons.”open their horizons.”



Celebrations (2009)

Kids dressed in traditional uniforms using the internet, next to the preparation of the Cyprus traditional food - Souvla.

Young kids dressed in traditional Cyprus uniforms are welcoming the

Minister of Communications & Works to Odou.



Satellite broadband internet in Odou



Satellite broadband internet in Odou

The use of the internet in the village started from the 1st day of its availability with enthusiasm.

One year later it can be said that a “technology culture” has been created in the village, mostly for the young people of the village.

The members of the Youth Committee are informed by emails for activities to take place

A facebook page is created for the YouthClub, to announce the activities and addpictures from there.





Nearly all the young people of the village have created their pages in Facebook and communicate with friends and socialize

After one year of the satellite internet in the village it can be said that:•“technology culture” and “internet culture” is created among the young people of the village

•There is an increase need for higher speeds (the use of internet is increasing)

•The change is obvious among the young community (discussions for news, information and other that the young people find in internet)

•Information for their interests is now available easier and faster

•The emigrants(in foreign countries) are very happy because they can see pictures from the activities and some times small videos.





Thank you!

Special thanks to European Satellite Operators Association (ESOA) for inviting me to be here today.

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