A new education initiative is seeking to change how Internet users across the Caribbean take advantage of technology. TechLink, an initiative of the BrightPath Foundation, in partnership with Columbus Communications, kicked off in Grenada with the goal of inspiring more innovative use of technology in the region.

Participants at the inaugural TechLink event in Grenada came away energised with new ideas about how technology can be used in their local communities and businesses.

From students wanting to apply new tech tips and tricks, to building their own gadgets using a low-cost, credit card-sized computer called the Raspberry Pi, youngsters at the youth-focused segment of the programme left calling for more. Several young participants expressed an interest in learning more about making digital music and creating ebooks and mobile applications.

Small business operators also benefited from the initiative. At a special half-day SmallBiz TechLink session, presenters shared practical insights into how technology can be applied to increasing personal productivity, business efficiency and improving customer service using social media.

“Increasing the Caribbean’s digital footprint depends on how well the region builds the technical capacity to create digital content,” said Bevil Wooding, architect of the TechLink initiative and executive director of BrightPath Foundation.

“But it also depends on how well we understand what is at stake. In an age where the Internet is playing such an important role in social and economic development, we have to make the shift from merely being consumers of someone else’s technology to being producers of technology and digital content that is relevant to our needs and our aspirations as Caribbean people.”

Rhea Yaw Ching, corporate vice president of sales and marketing at Columbus, said affordable, high-speed Internet access is becoming a reality across the region, and Columbus is leading the way.

She noted that the partnership with BrightPath is new to the region and slated to accomplish great things for the technology-assisted advancement of Caribbean peoples and also part of Columbus’ wider commitment to investing in the communities it serves.

In Jamaica, Columbus has invested an average of $30 million annually to deliver free broadband services to public primary and secondary schools. Today just over 170 schools have been able to use this facility to integrate technology into the teaching and learning process.