Recode

Recode is a nonprofit organization focused on digital inclusion, technology education, and community development. It was founded in Brazil in 1995 by Rodrigo Baggio under the Portuguese name Comitê para Democratização da Informática, commonly abbreviated as CDI. The organization emerged from an effort to address the digital divide by making computers, software, training, and information and communication technologies available to people and communities with limited resources. Its operating model centers on partnerships with grassroots organizations. Rather than building every facility independently, CDI worked with local groups that supplied community infrastructure while CDI contributed computers, software, educational methods, instructor training, and monitoring. These facilities, known as CDI Community Centers, served low-income and rural communities as well as indigenous communities, hospitals, psychiatric clinics, detention facilities, and institutions supporting people with physical or mental disabilities. The centers were intended to be locally managed and financially sustainable while remaining connected to CDI's broader network and methodology. The organization treated technology access as a means to wider social and economic participation rather than as an end in itself. Students were encouraged to identify a concrete challenge affecting their community, develop an action plan, and use the technical and communication skills acquired through the program to organize campaigns, advocate for change, and address issues such as violence, pollution, sexual abuse, crime, drug use, inadequate health care, and the absence of schools. This approach combined computer literacy with social entrepreneurship and community action. After an initial pilot in two Brazilian favelas, CDI received early support from Ashoka: Innovators for the Public, which funded the program for three years beginning in 1996. Later support came from organizations including the AVINA Foundation, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, the Skoll Foundation, the Tech Museum, UNICEF, and UNESCO. Rodrigo Baggio's work also received international recognition, including recognition connected with the World Economic Forum, Time, CNN, Fortune, the Clinton Global Initiative, and the United Nations' Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies and Development. CDI expanded beyond Brazil through a network of regional offices and community centers. Development offices were opened in New York in 2007 and London in 2008, with the latter operating as CDI Europe or Centre for Digital Inclusion. The organization also described plans to expand into the Middle East and North Africa, followed by India and other parts of Africa. In 2015, CDI changed its name to Recode and adopted the domain recode.org.br, reflecting a rebranding of its digital-inclusion mission. The organization's international work also generated related education initiatives. The United Kingdom operation later became CDI Apps for Good, an education movement in which young people learned to design applications intended to address problems in their communities. Its first reported pilot in 2010 involved unemployed people aged 16 to 25 in South London. Recode's core identity therefore combines nonprofit service delivery, technology education, community organizing, and entrepreneurship support, with digital inclusion understood to require not only connectivity but also suitable devices, digital-literacy training, technical support, and useful online content.

Recode originated in Brazil in 1995 as the Comitê para Democratização da Informática, an organization founded by Rodrigo Baggio to confront unequal access to computers and information technology. Its early concept was based on social entrepreneurship: technology could help people living in poverty gain skills, create opportunities, and participate more effectively in civic and economic life. The organization first tested its approach in two Brazilian favelas. Following that pilot, Ashoka: Innovators for the Public provided initial funding for three years beginning in 1996. CDI then developed a network of community centers operated in partnership with existing grassroots organizations. Local partners supplied facilities and community relationships, while CDI supplied computers, software, training, instructional methods, and oversight. The centers served a broad range of communities, including low-income and rural areas, indigenous communities, hospitals, psychiatric clinics, detention facilities, and institutions for people with disabilities. CDI's educational methodology went beyond basic computer instruction. Students were asked to identify a challenge in their own community and work collectively on an action plan. The subject matter could include violence, crime, pollution, sexual abuse, drug use, limited health care, or inadequate schools. Learners could then apply their new technical and communication skills to advocacy, public-awareness activities, and local organizing. The model sought to make community centers self-managed and self-sustaining while connecting them to CDI's broader network. Over time, CDI attracted support from philanthropic, multilateral, educational, and international institutions. Among the organizations identified as supporters were the AVINA Foundation, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, the Skoll Foundation, the Tech Museum, UNICEF, and UNESCO. Rodrigo Baggio received several forms of international recognition and in 2009 was invited to join the Strategy Council of the United Nations' Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies and Development. CDI expanded internationally during the 2000s. It opened a development office in New York in 2007 with United States 501(c)(3) status and an office in London in 2008. The British operation used the English-language identity Centre for Digital Inclusion, also associated with CDI Europe. With support from James Wolfensohn and the Wolfensohn Institute, the organization considered further expansion into the Middle East and North Africa, followed by India and other African markets. The London branch later developed into CDI Apps for Good, an education initiative based on the organization's community-centered approach. Its first reported pilot, conducted between April and June 2010 at High Trees Development Trust in South London, involved unemployed people aged 16 to 25 learning to create applications with potential social value. The initiative subsequently expanded into schools and focused on helping young people design technology projects aimed at changing their communities. In 2015, CDI changed its name to Recode and adopted recode.org.br. The rebrand represented the organization's continuing focus on digital inclusion and technology-enabled social development. Available reference material does not establish the organization's present legal structure, leadership, geographic footprint, or operating status, so those details remain unconfirmed here.

• 2015

  CDI rebranded as Recode

  [1]Recode (non-profit organization)en.wikipedia.org

  The organization changed its name to Recode and began using recode.org.br.

• 2010

  Apps for Good pilot conducted

  [1]Recode (non-profit organization)en.wikipedia.org

  The United Kingdom operation ran an initial Apps for Good course for unemployed young people aged 16 to 25 in South London.

• 2009

  Founder joined UN technology-development strategy council

  [1]Recode (non-profit organization)en.wikipedia.org

  Rodrigo Baggio was invited to join the Strategy Council of the United Nations' Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies and Development.

• 2008

  London office opened

  [1]Recode (non-profit organization)en.wikipedia.org

  CDI established a London office associated with CDI Europe and the Centre for Digital Inclusion.

• 2007

  New York development office opened

  [1]Recode (non-profit organization)en.wikipedia.org

  CDI opened a development office in New York and operated there with United States 501(c)(3) status.

• 1996

  Early philanthropic support

  [1]Recode (non-profit organization)en.wikipedia.org

  Ashoka: Innovators for the Public began providing initial funding after CDI's pilot work in two Brazilian favelas.

• 1995

  Organization founded in Brazil

  [1]Recode (non-profit organization)en.wikipedia.org

  Rodrigo Baggio founded the Comitê para Democratização da Informática, later known as CDI and then Recode, to address the digital divide through technology access and education.

A nonprofit social-innovation organization using affordable access to information and communication technologies, practical digital education, and community-led projects to reduce poverty and strengthen disadvantaged communities.

• Community technology centers · 1995

  CDI Community Centers

  Partnership-based facilities that provide computers, software, ICT access, and learning opportunities to disadvantaged communities. Host organizations contribute local infrastructure and relationships, while CDI supplies equipment, educational methods, instructor preparation, and monitoring. Centers operated in settings ranging from low-income neighborhoods and rural or indigenous communities to hospitals, psychiatric clinics, detention facilities, and disability-support institutions.

• Digital-literacy and social-entrepreneurship education

  Community action methodology

  An educational approach in which participants learn technology skills and then identify a concrete problem affecting their community. They develop an action plan and use digital tools, advocacy, and public-awareness activities to address issues such as violence, pollution, health-care access, crime, or inadequate schooling.

• Technology and application education · 2010

  Apps for Good

  An education movement that grew from CDI's United Kingdom operation. It teaches young people and other learners to create applications intended to address social or community problems, extending CDI's digital-inclusion and community-action methodology into project-based technology education.

• 2010Apps for Good pilot

  United Kingdom

  CDI Apps for Good ran an initial course at High Trees Development Trust in South London for unemployed young people aged 16 to 25. Participants learned to develop applications with the potential to address real-world problems.

  Outcome. The initiative subsequently expanded into a broader school-based education movement, although the available reference does not establish its current scale or status.

  Source

• 2015

  Rebrand from CDI to RecodeStrategy

  Background

  The organization had operated for two decades under the Comitê para Democratização da Informática and CDI identities while expanding its digital-inclusion work internationally.

  Action taken

  It changed its name to Recode and adopted recode.org.br.

  Aftermath

  The rebrand linked the organization more directly to its continuing technology, digital-inclusion, and social-development mission. The available source does not provide further details about its legal or operational consequences.

  Source

1. 1Recode (non-profit organization)en.wikipedia.org