Community-led initiatives are doing more than just closing the digital divide; they are building the infrastructure for climate resilience, gender equity and local agency. By fusing digital connectivity with hyper-local environmental monitoring, community-led organizations are creating a new blueprint for climate justice moving from passive internet access to active information ownership.
The microgrants offered at country level as part of the seeding goal of the Local Networks initiative (LocNet) recently awarded five micro-grants to CCCIs in Kenya. From AI-powered flood prediction in Mavoko to women-led coastal monitoring in Kwale and Kilifi, these projects demonstrate how community-centred connectivity initiatives (CCCIs) can act as the backbone for environmental justice.
In this webinar, we will explore the Catalytic Effect model. We will discuss the pivotal role of technical mentorship from Wireless Planet and the importance of Human-Centered Design (HCD) led by Kungu Labs. Together with project representatives, we will examine how these initiatives move beyond technology to ensure that data remains a public good, amplifying indigenous knowledge and influencing national policy through bankable data.
I. Opening on The Catalytic Effect
- What is the Catalytic Effect? Why is community-centered connectivity a tool for climate justice?
- The Blueprint: Introduction to the lessons learned on data sovereignty, gender, and infrastructure as a public good.
II. Climate Justice: Spotlights on practices and experiences
Participating grantees:
- Digital Rurals (Mavoko): Scaling AI-powered flood prediction and alert platforms through integration with the Kenya Meteorological Department (Kenya MET).
- Kijiji Yeetu (Ugunja): Building Mtandao Hewani,an ecosystem of IoT sensors and Net Wardens to combat systematic environmental risks.
- Bahari CBO (Kwale/Kilifi): Deploying women-led coastal monitoring sensors to combat "time poverty" and secure economic independence through blue economy data.
- Athi Community Network (Meru): Utilizing Raspberry Pi servers to create an offline-first climate-smart agricultural information hub in the Kimeru language.
III. Human centered design and role or accompaniment
- Wireless planet-their experience and learning
- Kungu labs-Human centered design role in CCCIs engagement in climate justice and environmental resilience
- CAWI-learnings that other CCCIs can take from this experience
