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Sierra Atlantic In the Community

The American India Foundation Digital Equalizer (AIF/DE) Program

Sierra Atlantic's focus is towards extending family values to the community, the spotlight being on strengthening the present and building the future for children, by providing educational facilities for underprivileged children.

As a part of this initiative, Sierra Atlantic has been involved with the AIF/DE program which aims to bridge the educational & digital divide in the Indian society, establishes computer & internet learning centers in under privileged schools and includes teacher training, active access to online resources etc.

Sierra Atlantic has extended financial support as well as involvement in the school activities through the employees by sponsoring internet connections, power for computer labs and lab facilitators, enabling interaction between schools in Hyderabad and a school in Fremont/ Newark area, establishing the Mentorship program and developing administrative software etc.

The Sierra Atlantic Help Group, a voluntary group consisting of more than 40 individuals has been fundamental in the success of this program.

Puente 2000 - 2001   Pune, India

Puente is a unique global community service initiative joined by over thirty students at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Puente (Spanish for bridge) is a non-profit student organization that seeks to "bridge" the technology gap in low-income areas throughout the world by enabling all persons to gain access to computers and the Internet. Since its inception in 1999, Puente has established technology centers in such places as West Philadelphia, Quito, Ecuador and Pune, India.

Sponsors:
Raju Reddy, Chairman and Founder of Sierra Atlantic is one of the key sponsors for Puente.

Other Sponsors include:

• Anil Bora - Managing Director, Litaka Pharmaceuticals
• Dennis Mehta - Managing Partner, Voyager Venture Partners
• Bill Swift - 3COM
• Vijay Thadani - CEO of NIIT
• Rajat Gupta - Managing Director, McKinsey and Company
• Dinesh Patel - Chairman, Ashni Naturaceuticals

In June 2000, Puente student members and faculty advisors traveled to Pune, India to install Pune city's first Community Technology Center (CTC). This CTC was aimed at providing technology access and instruction to those who could not afford the tuition at traditional computer institutes. Through a partnership with the Sukhroop Foundation of Pune, the Pune-Penn Bandhan was formed; it consisted of a 30+ machine lab complete with educational software and a high-speed connection to the Internet. Attending students have been able to train for better jobs and non-profit groups have been able to improve their services and organization. The lab has a built-in revenue component which balances the lab's expenses and ensures a long-term self-sustaining infrastructure. Additionally, with a Board of Trustees and strong integration with the University of Pennsylvania's summer study abroad program, Penn-In-India, Puente has created a flourishing program that will continue to positively impact Pune for many years to come.