Approval Application for Venezuela Team (ubuntu-ve)

The Venezuela LoCo team Ubuntu-ve is a group of Ubuntu Users comming together from different GNU/Linux User Groups under the Ubuntu flag. always respectful and always there to support newcomers. ready to share Ubuntu in different scenarios. the VenezuelaTeam is ready for taking the challenge of reaching more and more people that use Ubuntu.

Spanish is the main language of VenezuelaTeam and we welcome other spanish-speaking neighbouring countries like Colombia, Cuba, El Salvador, Peru, Chile, Republica Dominica and all Latino America using our resources to shape their community and it is important to highlight that we have English-Speaking "Ambassadors" from the community that help widespread information from the global Ubuntu communtity, bridging the gap that the language barrier could cause.

Key Details

• Date - (13 Jul 2006)

• Team Contact - Rolando Blanco <rolando@ubuntu.org.ve> (Ubuntu Member since 2005-10-15) || Efrain Valles <efrain@ubuntu.org.ve>

• Team Membership Since - 2006-07-21

• Mailing List - ubuntu-ve on lists.ubuntu.com

• IRC - #ubuntu-ve on Freenode

Roadmap

• Expand - Ubuntu-ve will look into extending their member base. in a process that will involve a lot of talks in different places. and reach out to members in different states. helping promote Ubuntu in different scenarios (local stores, elementary and high schools, universities). gathering more ubunteros that can help out reach to even more future ubunteros. The primary goal is to integrate them to the Ubuntu Community at large.

• Reaching out to schools - In Ubuntu-ve, we see the importance of sharing ubuntu with the generation of the furute. individual efforts of taking edubuntu to schools have helped pave the way for futher visits to schools. With a clearer blueprint of how to approach schools and proper back up from the Global community.

• Support - Our community members will work hard to offer more support both Community and Commercial:

• Community Support: Ubuntu-ve is looking into joining forces with several latin american and spanish-speaking LoCos to make available more documentation in spanish which so far has been key in the uptaking of UBUNTU in Venezuela.

• Commercial Support: the solid backing from the local government has allowed a lot of acceptance of Ubuntu in the work place. this has opened a lot of doors to linux support companies to think of ubuntu as a tool. The task at hand is to contact even more commercial support companies to offer their services to the growing Ubuntu market in Venezuela. a comprehesive list of companies offering commercial support in Venezuela can be found here.

• Ubuntu-ve and Public Offices - Ubuntu-ve is fortunate to have a government that is backing all Free and Open Source Software as a technological platform for the future of Venezuela. through the Presidential Decree 3390. all public offices must use Free or Open Source Software. this is an opportunity Ubuntu-ve has taken and many governmental Offices now run Ubuntu.

• Events - Ubuntu-ve is gearing up for some more events. a start will be celebrating Release parties with install fests in different places . we are looking into organizing events where Ubuntu is the main. we are looking towards a yearly celebration for our LoCo team.

• Translating Ubuntu into Wayuunaiki - Translating Ubuntu into Wayuu language is a joined LoCo team effort between the ColombiaTeam and the VenezuelaTeam. The idea is to make ubuntu available to aborigenees in the northwest of the country. Many Social Wayuu communities will be involved in the process that will very well lead their culture to gain added value in terms of language (not many people read/write Wayuunaiki so the oportunity is set to boost the language as well).

* installing Ubuntu - Ubunstall Fests that will be done at regional and national events (held by the Ubuntu-ve team or with the help of local LUGS) to catch the eye of wonderers. future enthusiasts and to offer face to face support to new ubuntu users.

Experience

* Advocacy - ubuntu-ve has attended several regional and national conventions held by local Open Source and Free Software movements in Venezuela. the most recent one held at a very popular shopping center. pics can be found here. ubuntu-ve has gone to local schools, Where youngsters are leading projects that will have (edu)buntu as the OS of choice. the idea is that they will donate computers with ubuntu in it and as part of their community service they have thought of offering courses to the community they choose to donate the machines to. pics at School here.

* LoCo Community Awareness - Mentoring - ubuntu-ve has been keen on learning about how to best shape its community. always finding great assesment in the greater ubuntu community. always open to suggestions and helping shape LoCo teams in latin america. the ubuntu-ve LoCo team has helped other latin american LoCos in the organization of the basic structure. and has found valuable colaboration on behalf of more mature LoCo teams in latin america.

Comments

I have been working with the Venezuela team since Open Week 2006, when Efrain Valles approached me for advice. Since then, the Venezuela Team has been active in translating, and a major force in guiding other Latin American teams such as the Dominican Republic, Cuba and El Salvador. MelissaDraper (elkbuntu)

I've known Rolando for some time now and have had the occasion to work with several members of the Venezuelan team. They welcomed collaboration on the Wayuunaiki native language project and have great resources always available on their IRC channel - which I must say is always family-friendly in part thanks to an efficient bot. -- FabianRodriguez