Cuba is one of the least connected countries in the western hemisphere when it comes to the internet. That's why technology experts and programmers are meeting in South Florida for the first ever "Hackathon for Cuba."

While most of Central and South America are making strides towards internet connectivity -- indeed, Latin America often is considered one of the staging grounds for the next big boom of cyber commerce -- Cuba has noticeably dragged behind.

While the Cuban government does have internet access, and some Cubans can access the web through public portals, a long history of isolation and government distrust of communication with the western world has kept the internet from reaching the vast majority of Cuban citizens.

Inspired by Cuban dissident, activist, and blogger, Yoani Sanchez, the Hackathon for Cuba is geared to take the collective intelligence of roughly 40 computer experts gathered in Miami this weekend to tackle some of the biggest issues facing the island nation and its people. Some of the challenges they hope to address include problems with connectivity, government censorship, limited access, and some of the lowest wireless and internet penetration rates in this hemisphere, according to the Miami Herald.

"This is not your typical hackathon," said Raul Moas, executive director of the nonprofit Roots of Hope -- a network of college students and young professionals who want to empower Cuban youth through technology. Rather than making new services, products, or optimizing existing networks, the Hackathon for Cuba participants hope to figure out how creative ways to extend the reach of technology and communication in Cuba, given those severely limited conditions. "You have to challenge yourself to think outside the box," said Moas. "We're taking a step back in time to move forward."

"The primary purpose is to design solutions that help Cubans break down or circumvent barriers they face in communication with each other or with the outside world," said Natalia Martinez, chief innovation and technology officer at Roots of Hope, according to Phys.org. "The secondary purpose is to create an inclusive and action-oriented conversation around the impact of technology in Cuba, one that involves Cubans from different waves of immigration, different industries."

Among the technology experts taking part in the hackathon are many Latino entrepreneurs with ties to Cuba, including Jose Pimienta. At only 25 years old, and only five years in the U.S. after leaving Cuba, Pimienta has already had success with Vinylfy, a social network for record collectors, which won a $22,000 award at SuperConf, a gathering for web developers and designers in Miami. "We'll be helping our friends and family in the island to have more access to information," Pimienta said to Phys.org.

The Cuban government has increased internet access to the country in recent years, opening 118 public internet cafes in 2013 and partnering with Venezuela for a faster fiber optic internet connection for the country. But the internet cafes charge Cubans almost $5 an hour for access, which would be seen as outrageous in the U.S. if an ISP charged as much, and is obviously prohibitively expensive for average citizens who earn about $20 a month.

Roots of Hope wants to hold Hackathon for Cuba events in San Francisco and New York later in the year, but Cuban dissident blogger Yoani Sanchez has lofty another goal in mind: the next Hackathon for Cuba, in Cuba.