VITA was awarded the very first Pioneer's Preference Award by the Federal Communications Commission of the United States for its efforts in bringing communications to the developing world. The organization's arsenal of communications technologies includes low-earth orbiting satellites as well as a variety of wireless systems with an emphasis on rural applications. The fuel cell stack for the demonstration is being supplied by DCH Technology, a California-based diversified hydrogen technology firm serving critical applications, including safety and power.

"What we are trying to accomplish with the fuel cell demo is to show our Board some of the technologies we are working with that have the potential for making a difference in the lives of the poor. VITA wants to be at the hub of a network of experts and information to be able to recommend innovative solutions to problems of energy and communications," said Gary Garriott, VITA's Director of Informatics. He added, "the work of DCH in portable fuel cells is also of great personal interest as I did research on such devices for developing countries as a University of Wisconsin graduate student over twenty years ago!"

For the past four decades, VITA has defined its mission as empowering the poor in developing countries to manage their own development in a sustainable way. VITA has sought to achieve this by providing developing countries with the technical information that has enabled them to feed their young, minister to community health needs, increase the productivity of their businesses, generate steadier and higher incomes, and preserve their country's natural resources -- in essence, information that has improved the quality of lives.

VITA is a not-for-profit private volunteer organization that has provided technical information to requesters in developing countries for 40 years through its volunteer-based Inquiry Service. To date, more than a quarter of a million requests for information have been answered on a wide variety of subjects to improve the income, health, productivity, education and general quality of life of the requesters. VITA also operates field microenterprise projects throughout Africa and hosts the Disaster Information Resource Center, matching donors of material and human resources with groups aiding disaster victims.