Community networks newsletter: Building technological alternatives for community-centred connectivity initiatives

Some of the news and narratives you will find in this newsletter are driven by communities and organisations whose stories can be found in our Routing for Communities podcast series. The news on the ICT Camp in Indonesia you will find in this newsletter, was hosted by the Ciptagelar community network, described in our Episode #6, here. The fiber fellowship in Kenya is a great achievement of the Tanda community network, derived from the Tunapanda Kibera community-based organisation we have shared in #2 episode here.

Similarly, Altermundi in Argentina is also addressing new technological challenges, as described in Episode #5 here. We invite you to hear these episodes again. Enjoy listening to such inspirational stories of self-help by communities in pursuit of digital inclusion.

The Routing for Communities podcast is available on this page, and also on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The first season features 12 episodes, describing experiences of communities from around the world. 
 

• The fibre optics training fellowship programme for community networks in Kenya, coordinated by the Tanda Community Network, took its first step with an intensive workshop developed in the African Advanced Level Telecommunications Institute (AFRALTI) in Nairobi. Fellows shared theory classes, hands-on sessions and a final evaluation certified by the Fiber Optic Association. Read more.

• Altermundi from Argentina began deploying Fibra Óptica de Quintana y San Isidro (FOQSI), a fibre optic network that promises stable and affordable connectivity and will serve as a platform for learning and inclusion. They also call for an open and free workshop on WiFi and fibre optic networks, and encourage the participation of young people and women. Read more. [Available in Spanish.]

• The Central American Program for Training for Indigenous and Rural Communities conducted a camp in Punta Gorda, Belize, with the support of Redes AC and Sulá Batsú, among other organisations, to strengthen the communication capacities of communities with a focus on broadcasting, solar energy, community project management and sustainability. Read more.

• In Nairobi, a first in-person meeting was held for the participatory design of a regional training strategy to strengthen community networks in Africa. It was coordinated by APC, Rhizomatica and AFRALTI, with the support and advice of Redes AC. Participant Harira Wakili shares her journey. Read more.

• With support from World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) Global and APC, the Media Awareness and Justice Initiative (MAJI) is training over 100 young people on various digital skills, and expand their community network to bridge existing digital gaps in the Niger Delta. MAJI shared highlights from this initiative here.

• The Encontro de Conectividad Comunitaria (Community-Centered Connectivity Gathering), held from 15 to 17 October 2024 in São Paulo, Brazil, brought together representatives of community networks from across the country and held a participatory debate to hear the priorities and needs of networks in different regions. Projecto Saude y Alegria share their impressions. Read more. [Available in Portuguese.]

• Also form Brazil, the podcasts series Connected Amazons, Internet and Sustainability interviewed Bruna Zanolli, from LocNet and Rhizomatica, exploring the possibility of community networks for underserved communities in the region, the changes that the digital world brings about in previously unconnected populations, and the relevance of sustainability for the design of connectivity solutions. Listen here. [Available in Portuguese.]

• Kenyan entrepreneur and computer scientist Dorcas Muthoni is the founder of AfChix, a mentorship and capacity-building initiative for women in computing across Africa. Since 2004, AfChix has organised many community-oriented activities such as the annual Computing Career Conferences and career workshops for women in technology. In this interview, Dorcas spoke about working in the world of research and education. Read more.

• After participating in the Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF) in Accra, Ghana, Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) reiterate their commitment to Connect the Unconnected, addressing the urban-rural digital divide, especially focusing on the Strengthening Women’s Access to Enhanced Rural Broadband Connectivity in Uganda project, and framing recommendations and possible solutions to challenge the status quo in the whole of Africa. Read more.

• Despite positive outcomes, the Global Digital Compact – as a new multilateral framework for global digital cooperation towards “an inclusive, open, sustainable, fair, safe and secure digital future for all” – presents some omissions with framing what civil society feels as fundamental to a just digital future. “It is useful to look back at what we wanted out of the process a year ago, and where the gaps emerged,” say Alan Finaly and Valeria Betancourt in this review to help push the agenda closer towards the goals previously envisaged. Read more.

• “Nothing about us without us!” resonated at the recent World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) Forum when presenting an outline of the agenda, objectives and the context – including the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS+20) and the Global Digital Compact. The forum, held from 22 to 25 October in Nepal, hosted partners from around the world, addressing a crucial question – how can we guarantee communication rights in an increasingly unequal digital landscape? Read more.

• The sudden exposure to the digital world that remote Indigenous communities experienced through the arrival of Starlink connectivity is a stark pointer that while the internet can be a gateway to knowledge, it can also be a source of disruption. Their experiences underscore the crucial need for digital and information literacy in a meaningful way for the communities to ensure that the internet remains a tool for empowerment. Follow this thread of thought in this article by Laura Hosman. Read more.

• Residents of a low-income neighborhood in the North End of Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada, claim that inadequate and unaffordable internet connectivity limits their access to critical communication tools. This research project of North End Connect studied these complaints by working with the residents to learn about their connectivity needs to build a solution that works for the community, and removing explicit and implicit barriers to access. Read more.

• Will Starlink help magnify global inequality? asks Steve Song in the second part of this article, in which he analyses Starlink’s deployment of low earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations around the world, asking how viable, sustainable and desirable they are. In addition to the original version in English and a French translation, this article is now also available in Spanish.

• The Building a Free Internet of the Future monthly series interviewed beneficiaries of NGI Zero (NGI0) grants. In this month edition, Eric Velleman, co-founder of the Accessibility Foundation and professor at the HAN University of Applied Sciences, gives valuable information on how to be at the forefront of digital accessibility as a human right. Read more.

• By observing the implementation of School of Community Networks in 10 Indonesian villages Subekti Priyadharma from the Universitas Padjadjaran examines, from a periphery-centric approach, how marginalised communities address digital technology by generating new forms of innovation that have real impact on their community. Read more.

• KICTANet developed a study on "Best Practices for Digital Inclusion of People with Disability in Kenyan Community Networks" in collaboration with the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) to address this challenge. For improving inclusion, they recommend investing in accessibility features, involving people with disabilities in decision-making, providing training and support, and raising awareness. Read more.

• Also coming soon, the III Encuentro de Redes Comunitarias: Tejiendo experiencias para la colaboración y la incidencia is taking place on 14 and 15 of November in Bogotá, Colombia. Read more. [Available in Spanish.]

• The Workshop for Latin American and Caribbean (WALC) will take place from 11 to 15 November online, and includes a track on community networks. Registration is already open. Read more. [Available in Spanish.]

• With the theme “Building Communities for Rights to Access and Access to Rights”, this year’s Community Network Xchange (CNX) will be happening on 15 and 16 November. Read more.

• This year’s edition of the AWID International Forum is in Bangkok, Thailand, and online from 2 to 5 December. Read more.

• The Green Tech Hackathon will be held on 10 and 11 December in Amsterdam. In a hybrid format, it proposes to develop tools, policies and protocols to reduce the environmental impact of the internet infrastructure. Read more.
• The 19th global Internet Governance Forum (IGF), for which the chosen theme is "Building our Multistakeholder Digital Future", will be held from 15 to 19 December 2024. Read more.

• The 13th edition of RightsCon will be held from 24 to 27 February 2025 in Taipei and online. Registrations are now open. Read more.

• The next Asia Pacific Internet Conference on Operational Technologies (APRICOT 2025) will be held from 19 to 27 February 2025 in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. Call for presentations and fellowships is open. Read more.

• The 2025 Indigenous Women’s Fellowship, from Land is Life organisation, supports Indigenous women youth leaders who take innovative actions that contribute to gender equality and the well-being of their communities, and in recognition of their land and resource rights. If you are one of them, you can apply. Registration is open till 24 November 2024. Read more.

• From India, the fintech company Zerodha launched a fund to provide financial assistance to Free/Libre and Open Source Software (FOSS/FLOSS) projects globally. Individuals, projects, groups, communities and organisations can apply. Read more to find out about the philosophy and requirements of this fund.

• The Rapid Response Fund, promoted by the APC member Derechos Digitales, provides support to activists and civil society organisations facing emergencies that cannot be met by traditional funding cycles. The fund contributes to the realisation of activities such as participation in discussions on public policies, advocacy actions and research development, in urgent circumstances. The call for applications is permanently open. Read more.