UK Government’s Digital Access Programme (former Department for International Development-DFID)
The Prosperity Fund cross-HMG 'Digital Access Programme' is a DFID-led partnership with FCO and DCMS. It aims to catalyse more inclusive, affordable, safe and secure digital access for excluded and underserved communities in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Brazil and Indonesia. Increased digital inclusion in the programme countries will form the basis for more thriving digital ecosystems that generate high-skilled jobs, opportunities for local digital entrepreneurship focused on country-specific development challenges, as well as potential partnerships with international and UK business aimed at mutual prosperity. The Digital Access programme will also focus on learning about sustainable models and enablers for digital inclusion. The learnings will be shared with key stakeholders and other partner countries, thereby amplifying the impact of the programme.
Work supported:
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Supporting Community-Led Approaches to Addressing the Digital Divide project (2020-2023)
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APC Mentorship Programme / Digital Access Programme (2019-2020)
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Building Communication Opportunities (BCO) Alliance (2005-2007)
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Catalysing Access to ICTs in Africa (CATIA) Component 1c (2004-2006)
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ItrainOnline (2005)
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Gender and ICT Evaluation Methodology (GEM) (2002-2004)
A diverse range of people with different backgrounds are building community networks in many countries in the LAC region. They are demonstrating that community networks can be a process in which technologies, communications and access are moulded to meet local realities, dreams and needs.
Meet community-led initiatives showing how networks can be built recognising the protagonism and autonomy of the diverse people and in support of a worthwhile future. Welcome to the 55th monthly round-up of developments impacting your local access and community-based initiatives.
This first newsletter of 2023 features stories of important milestones from the community networks movement: diverse community initiatives flourishing in Asia, organisations seeding change around the world, the completion of the first-ever School of Community Networks in South Africa and more.
Communities from around the world have been demonstrating that they are not only capable of building solutions for the digital divide, they can also do it while seeding important social changes. Welcome to the 53rd monthly round-up of developments impacting your community-based initiatives.
Currently around 35.5 million people still don’t have internet access in Brazil. With a bottom-up approach, communities from around the country feel that they are not only capable of building solutions to the digital gap, they can also do it while bridging inequalities.
The experiences of multiple community networks around the world are flourishing and proving that technologies and digital communications can be mobilised by people to defend their own needs and rights. Welcome to the 52nd monthly round-up of developments impacting your local access networks.
A new report featuring 11 case studies across 10 countries brings evidence that community-led initiatives are needed to bridge the digital divide, and examines how these network models can be financed sustainably. Discover why in this piece about the report’s launch and the inspiring experiences of two community networks, B4RN (UK) and Zenzeleni (South Africa).
Our 2021 Annual Report tells a story made by many stories taking place in the most diverse scenarios but connected through purpose. Here you will find a chronicle of how the APC community lived, worked and thrived through a turbulent but fruitful year.
Welcome to the 51st monthly round-up of developments impacting your local access networks and community-based initiatives.This month, we look at people shaping connectivity and communications technologies in support of other missing fundamental rights and much more.
A growing number of community networks and other community connectivity providers are connecting those who have historically been unserved or underserved by traditional internet service providers. This report analyses the operating models and financing mechanisms that can support their success.

Association for Progressive Communications (APC) 2022
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