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Good practice Imported

Digital Connect Centers Network

Belize · Belize City · See the Belize profile · See the Belize City profile

Evidence: Descriptive / self-reported Top 85% 48/100 · Ask Evidence Copilot about this practice

BELTRAIDE and UNDP Belize built a network of six 'Digital Connect Centers' offering free computers, internet and MSME support in underserved towns, backed by USD 360,000 in UNDP funding since March 2023.

6 centers
Digital Connect Centers opened (March–August 2023)
360,000 USD
Total UNDP project funding (since March 2023)
15,000 USD
Typical per-site UNDP investment (per center)
Digital Connect Centers Network

Details

Maturity
Scaling
Promoter
BELTRAIDE / UNDP Belize
Period
2023-ongoing
Keywords
digital inclusion, community access, MSME support, e-government, rural connectivity

Context

Belize faces significant rural and peri-urban connectivity and digital-skills gaps. The Digital Connect Centers Network pairs public computer/internet access with e-governance modernisation and small-business-support goals, led by BELTRAIDE together with the Ministry of Investment/E-Governance and Digitalization Unit, and funded primarily through UNDP Belize's 'Building Resilient MSMEs – Accelerating Digitization' project.

Objectives

The network aims to provide free computer and internet access, digital-literacy support and small-business services to underserved Belizean communities, targeting youths, women, the unemployed and underemployed, migrants and the elderly.

Activities

The first centre opened in San Estevan Village, Orange Walk, in March 2023; by August 2023 the network had grown to six centres, including Corozal Town (at the Corozal Public Library), Bella Vista in Toledo, Belmopan, Belize City (at the Small Business Development Center offices) and Bullet Tree Falls Village in Cayo (co-funded by the Embassy of the Republic of China/Taiwan ICDF). Each centre is equipped with four desktop computers, a printer and a stable internet connection, with access to BELTRAIDE's Virtual Knowledge Center platform, job portal and MSME directory.

Results

Total project funding is reported at USD 360,000 from UNDP, with individual centre launches each backed by roughly USD 15,000 in UNDP investment plus BELTRAIDE contributions.

Conclusions

The network scaled quickly — at least seven sites documented across UNDP and government sources within about two months of the first opening — by combining modest per-site equipment costs with existing public buildings and more than one donor, but no aggregate figures for people trained or served have been published.

Implementation
Indicative cost
Medium (€50k–€500k) — USD 360,000 total UNDP funding, with individual centre launches backed by roughly USD 15,000 in UNDP investment plus BELTRAIDE contributions.
Time to results
Medium (1–3 years) — First centre opened March 2023; six centres operating by August 2023 (five-month scale-up), network still expanding.
Staffing & skills
BELTRAIDE and Ministry of Investment/E-Governance and Digitalization Unit coordination, UNDP Belize project team

Conditions for success

  • Reuse of existing public buildings (community libraries, council offices, Small Business Development Center) to host centres, lowering setup costs
  • More than one donor (UNDP plus the Embassy of the Republic of China/Taiwan ICDF) co-funding expansion
  • Standardised per-site equipment package (four desktops, printer, stable internet) enabling rapid replication

Common failure modes

  • No aggregate figures for people trained or served have been published, so demonstrated usage/outcome remains unverified despite rapid physical rollout

Where it fits

Governance type
national government agency (BELTRAIDE) with UNDP and bilateral donor co-financing
Scale
national, multi-site rural/peri-urban network
Income level
upper-middle income country

Commonly funded by

Philanthropic / foundation funding

Indicative funding routes for practices of this type — always check each programme's current calls and eligibility rules.

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Data sources

Where this practice's information was retrieved from, and when.

Attachments

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