Community Networks and Local Access Monthly Newsletter - Number 40

Welcome to the 40th monthly round-up of developments impacting your local access networks.

We have created a platform for community networks to share our experiences and grow together. Please join us at https://communitynetworks.group/

Events and conferences

• This year, instead of a summit, the Internet Society (ISOC) is organising a Community Networks in Latin America and the Caribbean Week in October, gathering resources to be made available for people in the region. ISOC is inviting people and organisations to share their resources using an online form, such as blog posts, videos, reports, stories, and discussions about the progress and challenges in community networks in the region. Read more.
• How to manage and monitor large networks? What are community networks and community-based telecommunications networks? These are some of the aspects that will be addressed at WALC 2021. The workshop will be held between 15 and 19 November. Find out more here (in Spanish). Read more.

Resources from past events

• The Local Networks (LocNet) initiative, led by APC in partnership with Rhizomatica, gathered representatives from the initiatives supported by its 2021 Community Network Grants Programme in Latin America in a regional lightning talk session. The notes and recordings of the event are now available and offer more information on projects making strategic contributions to the community networks movement in Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia and Mexico. Read more.
• In another session, the Africa lightning talks gathered representatives from projects being carried out with the support of these grants in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Uganda and Cameroon, to exchange knowledge and increase the connections among the different initiatives. Read more.
• For its part, the Asia lightning talks session explored innovative community network initiatives being carried out with grant support in India, Myanmar, Malaysia and Indonesia. Read more.

Community networks in news and blogs

• This piece from 48percent.org explores how Servelots is working to bridge the digital divide in India. Read more.
• FRIDA, LACNIC's Regional Fund for the Strengthening of the Internet in Latin America and the Caribbean, announced the winners of its annual call for proposals, including initiatives related to community networks. The proposals selected include projects from Telecomunicaciones Indí­genas Comunitarias, A.C. (Mexico), AlterMundi (Argentina) and Colnodo (Colombia). Read more.
• Can community networks inspire local talent to innovate and promote meaningful change while facing digital divides? Murambinda Works' trajectory is a live example that they can. While partnering to build a network infrastructure with local services and internet connection, they shape internet access and ICT solutions to strengthen fundamental rights, such as access to food, health, shelter and education. Read more.
• This piece from 48percent.org shows how a project from Fantsuam Foundation in Nigeria is strengthening connectivity in local communities. As COVID-19 continues to leave its irrevocable mark upon humanity, Fantsuam has initiated the ICT Services for Persons with Disabilities programme. Read more.

Gendering community networks

• IBEBrasil offers a women's perspective to evaluate how the COVID-19 pandemic worsened social and economic problems, highlighting the urgency of support for community network initiatives and a more inclusive approach to digital inclusion in Brazil (in Portuguese). Read more.

News on policy and regulation

• The Roberto Arias Connectivity Programme recently became a concrete example in Argentina of how participatory mechanisms can create an enabling regulatory environment for community network initiatives. This video from AlterMundi offers more information about the process in Spanish. Read more.
• APC translated this article by AlterMundi on the Roberto Arias Connectivity Programme into English to share information about this groundbreaking programme in Argentina with a wider audience. Read more.

Previous editions

• Previous editions of this newsletter are available here.

This newsletter is part of the Local Networks (LocNet) initiative, an initiative led by APC in partnership with Rhizomatica that aims to directly support the work of community networks and to contribute to an enabling ecosystem for the emergence and growth of community networks and other community-based connectivity activities in developing countries. You can read more about the initiative here, here, and here. 

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One more thing! If you have comments about the newsletter or information relevant to the topic that you would like us to include in the next edition, please share it with us at localaccess.newsletter@apc.org.