Community Networks

A community network is a communication infrastructure deployed and operated by a geographical community to meet their communication needs, and enhance activities contributing to its growth and development.

Angaza Community Network – Lighting up Mathare Valley.

KICTANet is running a Community Network dubbed “Angaza”, a Swahili word meaning light up. The network covers three wards in Mathare Valley which is densely populated with a population of 350,000 people crammed in a 5km radius. The network currently has several components in place, including four points of presence (POP), and 271 WIFI antennas. The WIFI access points operate in the 2.4GHz frequency band.

 

 

VSAT in Nigeria
VSAT in Nigeria
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Angaza Community Network

KICTANet is running a Community Network dubbed “Angaza”, a Swahili word meaning light up. The network covers three wards in Mathare Valley which is densely populated with a population of 350,000 people crammed in a 5km radius. The network currently has several components in place, including four points of presence (POP), and 271 WIFI antennas. The WIFI access points operate in the 2.4GHz frequency band.

Movement Building and Peer Review

Activities under this work package support movement and awareness building through peer learning exchanges within the three global south regions.

The Africa regional coordinator facilitates cross-network learning exchanges between the peer networks in Africa (community networks supported by the LocNet project), and helps in creating visibility to the movement.

Capacity Building

Capacity building is essential both in creating awareness necessary in seeding new community networks, equipping them with technical and community based skills necessary to implement and run their own networks, and in helping established community networks provide digital inclusion while remaining autonomous and sustainable.

Africa Policy Coordinator

In 2022, KICTAnet hosted the LOCNEt Africa policy coordinator. The role included sensitising regulators and policymakers to the critical opportunity to establish an enabling environment for community networks that recognises their importance, lowers the barriers to their establishment and enables their growth. Develop and implement plans for capacity- building with selected regulators, local organisations and existing community-based connectivity initiatives. Contributing to the policy mentorship programme for increasing women’s participation in policy and regulatory spaces relevant to community networks’ advocacy. This role was performed by Josephine Miliza.

Africa Regional Coordinator

Between 2018 and 2023, KICTANet hosted the LOCNet Africa regional coordinator. The role involved Coordinating Peer exchange and institutional strengthening for community networks and small-scale operator development through peer learning and capacity building.

Other activities involved creating opportunities for awareness raising and Movement building. This role was performed by Josephine Miliza from 2018 to 2021, and  Catherine Kyalo from 2022 to 2023.

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Past Causes

The project aims to achieve its objectives through peer learning and exchange, awareness-raising and capacity building, scalable innovative and sustainable networks and contributing to the development of an enabling policy and regulatory environment. Integrate gender analysis into all aspects of project implementation and support women’s participation in community-based connectivity initiatives .

LOCNet project aims to achieve its objectives through peer learning and exchange, awareness-raising and capacity building, scalable innovative and sustainable networks and contributing to the development of an enabling policy and regulatory environment. Integrate gender analysis into all aspects of project implementation and support women’s participation in community-based connectivity initiatives

A KICTANet Comic Disabling Stereotypes on the Internet

Objective 1

Strengthen the community networks movement through grant support, peer learning and capacity building.

 

12 CNs supported

A KICTANet Comic Disabling Stereotypes on the Internet

Objective 2

Enable the establishment of new community networks through awareness-raising and movement building

 

5 CNs initiated

A KICTANet Comic Disabling Stereotypes on the Internet

Objective 3

Support innovative technology use and approaches that enable the scaling and sustainability of community networks.

 

15 CNs supported

A KICTANet Comic Disabling Stereotypes on the Internet

Objective 4

Contribute to enabling policy and regulatory environment for local access at national, regional, and global levels.

 

6 Policy Interventions

Community Network News & Updates

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