Community networks learning grant initiatives

“Connecting the unconnected: Supporting community networks and other community-based connectivity initiatives” and “Supporting Community-led Approaches to Addressing the Digital Divide” are projects by APC in partnership with Rhizomatica that aim to directly support the work of community networks, with the support of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (since 2019) and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (since 2020).

The initiative intends to contribute to an enabling ecosystem for the emergence and growth of community-based connectivity initiatives in developing countries. It is part of a multi-year, multi-donor strategy envisaged to address the human capacity and sustainability challenges, along with the policy and regulatory obstacles, that limit the growth of community-based connectivity initiatives.

As part of this project, 16 community network organisations (six in Africa, four in Asia and six in Latin America) were selected and granted funding towards activities that create and foster a peer learning community. The initial selection of 12 grantees was based on a 2019 evaluation of the submissions received via a public call. The addition of four grantees in 2020 has resulted from various strategic planning and participatory consultations with actors within the additional countries. The community network organisations then nominated two “in-house” individuals who became the peer community member representatives. The 16 community network organisations selected, and the representatives appointed by them, are the following:

Africa

• BOSCO Uganda (Uganda): Represented by Immaculate Laker and Daniel Komakech (Solomon Okot Nono in 2020).

• Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) (Nigeria): Represented by Harira Abdulrahman Wakili and Suhail Sani (Mohammed Chiroma Hassan and Salma Abdulwaheed in 2020).

• Centre for Youth and Development (CYD) (Malawi): Represented by Yewo Msiska and Doreen Luhanga (James Gondwe in 2020 and Memory Jere in 2019).

• Ensemble Pour la Différence (Democratic Republic of Congo): Represented by Chako Armant and Heri Cihimba M. (Patrick Byamungu in 2019).

• Tunapanda Institute (Kenya): Represented by Risper Akinyi and Alphonce Odhiambo.

• Zenzeleni (South Africa): Represented by Sol Luca de Tena and Yumna Panday (Nontsokolo Sigcau in 2019).

Asia

• Alternative Solutions for Rural Communities (ASORCOM) (Myanmar): Represented by Mary Dim Suan Huai and Michael Suantak.

• BAIF in 2020 (Gram Marg Rural Broadband in 2019) (India): Represented by Pooja Majgankar and Nirali Shah (Ramprasad V. in 2020 and Sarbani Banerjee Belur in 2019).

• Common Room Networks Foundation (Indonesia): Represented by Ressa Ria Icha and Gustaff Harriman Iskandar.

• Servelots (India): Represented by Girish Kumar and Shalini A..

Latin America

• AlterMundi (Argentina): Represented by Jésica Selene Giudice and Santiago Piccinini.

• Colnodo (Colombia): Represented by Julián Casasbuenas and Lilian Chamorro.

• Coolab (Brazil): Represented by Luandro Vieira and Tania Silva (Hiure Queiroz and Marcela Guerra in 2019)

• Instituto Bem Estar (Brazil): Represented by Aline Lima da Silva and Daiane Araujo dos Santos (Carla Jancz and Thiago Paixão in 2019).

• Telecomunicaciones Indígenas Comunitarias, A. C. (TIC AC) (Mexico): Represented by Penélope Partida Martínez and Lucero Serrano Mojica (Marita Gonzalez in 2020).

• Projeto Saúde & Alegria (Brazil): Represented by Paulo Lima and Adriane Gama.

The members of the 2019 selection committee who assisted in the process, organised based on regional base and experience, were:

1. Kathleen Diga (APC)

2. Mike Jensen (APC)

3. Valeria Betancourt (APC)

4. Josephine Miliza (Regional coordinator – Africa, KICTANET)

5. Talant Sultanov (Regional coordinator – Asia, ISOC Kyrgstan)

6. Karla Velsaco (Regional coordinator – Latin America, REDES A.C.)

7. Christian O'Flaherty and Maria Deambrosio (ISOC-LAC)

8. Michuki Mwangi (ISOC-Africa)

9. Naveed Haq (ISOC-Asia Pacific)

10. Leandro Navarro (Pangea, APC Board member)

11. Sylvia Cadena (APNIC Foundation, APC individual member)

12. Nils Brock (Rhizomatica, Pathfinder Grant coordinator)

Read APC communiqué: Employment and funding opportunities for strengthening community networks and local access here.