In Cuba, the Internet is mostly banned. And for the small handful who do have access, they have to pay a high price, can only have it at government sponsored Internet cafes, and it is heavily censored. Some young people are doing something about this.
Young Cubans build network that stretches throughout Havana, Cuba’s capital and largest city. With this hidden network, they can chat with friends, play games and keep up with the latest movies and music. They were able to do this by their engineering skills and putting?together?a pool of over 9,000 computers and hooking them up to hidden Wi-Fi and Ethernet cables found all over that city. But their access and connection are still limited, and sources say they’re getting no help from any outside government or any other outside entity. Cuba is one of the least wired nations in the world, and Cuban residents like 22-year-old Rafael Moreno want to change that. He used his electronic engineering skills to help put this network together. He talks about why Cuba needs this underground Internet system. “We really need Internet because there’s so much information online, but at least this satisfies you a little bit because you feel like, `I’m connected with a bunch of people, talking to them, sharing files.”
I’m proud of this group. Leave it up to young adults who are tired of being censored and shut out to find a way to connect to the outside world. And with President Barak Obama working to improve US and Cuban relations, I hope for a day where the Cuban people don’t have to jump over hoops just to use Internet access we Americans virtually take for granted. So Cuba, you want to improve your nation and it’s reputation around the world? Give online access availability to every person in Cuba. Wouldn’t that be a great start?