Connecting Dreams with Hughesnet in Ecuador

Francisco Licuy lives in the lush dense forest of the Puerto Salazar community, deep in the Napo Province of the Ecuadorian Amazon – an area so remote, there is no terrestrial broadband and little public infrastructure. The elementary school where he teaches down the road is painted a sunny yellow, with old tires plunged into the dirt that rise up on their sides and beckon the kids as climbing equipment.

The Ecuadorian Amazon is believed by many to be home to the most diverse set of species on the Earth. There, you'll find 800 species of fish, including three sorts of piranhas; 350 species of reptiles, such as anacondas and iguanas; more than 300 species of mammals, including monkeys and jaguars; and 70,000 species of insects. And, in this part of the world, which Francisco describes as a “very forgotten area,” you’ll also find Hughesnet satellite internet service.

When Francisco learned from a friend that Hughesnet service was available, he asked for an installer to come to Puerto Salazar. First, he had Hughesnet installed at his home, which allowed Francisco to continue his college studies at Universidad Nacional de Educación (UNAE).

“I was able to turn in all of my assignments and am now enrolled in the final semester of my studies,” he said proudly. Finishing his education has been a long-time dream.

Francisco then had Hughesnet installed at the school, so that his many students could also benefit from having internet access and pursuing their own education dreams.

“The children don’t have to go into the city any more to get connected. They can do all of their research and studying here,” he explained. Now, Francisco is working on extending Hughesnet even further so that more people in Puerto Salazar can connect to opportunities and information and explore life beyond this remote part of the Amazon.

Watch Francisco’s interview here.