[imc-tech-solidarity] Update & Considering Alternatives - March 1 2003

[evan]

Hey this is a quick update.

Oakland:
	Had to trade 30 boxes for two more weeks. Micah is looking for 
alternate
	warehouse space. Need to get stuff out of there quickly or to tell 
ACCRC
	a concrete date when they will be cleared out.

Shipping:
	Josh is talking with mercycorps regarding them providing the shipping 
for
	free or at a reduced cost. Some paperwork requirements, they need the
	name of any receiving organizations ASAP. We asked for the same cost
	reasons want to do full containers, not partial shipments to multiple 
countries.

Brazil:
	Because of slow paperwork progress, as indicated in the last update,
	Eddy asked me to start talking to the Sao Paulo collective to see if
	they can finish their paperwork and receive the computers. They are
	delayed by carnival but may be able to be ready to receive by March 10
	to 15th timeframe. Another reason to look at Brazil is they have a line
	on free shipping within Brazil.

Uruguay:
	They are elaborating the project and presenting it to various
	social organizations and forming a coordinating body to receive the
	computers. They are in a dialog with officials at customs and
	have been told that Uruguay is in fact an easier place to import
	computers than other cono sur countries, and they have been trying
	to figure out the difficult process of how send computers on to other
	countries. There are not sure they will be able to finish the
	paperwork to receive the computers within the next two weeks.
	They will be sending a major update at the end of the week after
	carnival.

Argentina:
	I have received no communication from people in argentina working on
	this project.

Money:
	I sent a letter to Panta Rhea who funded part of the first shipment. I 
haven't
	heard anything. I think Blicero setup pay-pal but didn't write or 
publish
	any features asking for money. Josh is working with MercyCorps to 
reduce
	or eliminate the shipping part of the costs. We still do not have any 
money
	for this project.

Ecuador:
	Paid all the customs fees on friday and hopefully we will be getting 
the
	container when carnival ends, i.e. Wednesday or Thursday.  Have 
applicants
	from 75 groups and the coalition is reading through the applications.
	More outreach is being done to community radio stations as they were
	not contacted previously about the computers. A series of workshops
	on everything from using a mouse and email to  linux administration
	is being organized. More information about the workshops will be
	sent in future emails.

in solidarity,
evan