5 March 2024 David Johnson The purpose of this trip was to install the new iNethi server (local server providing local content and services in Kilifi, Kenya), connect up the mix of fiber and Starlink to the firewall, install the new TP-link Wireless routers flashed with OpenMesh, test the newly build internet voucher system with local […]
October 2023 Holly JudgeA community engagement workshop took place in Ocean View on 7 October, 2023. Ocean View is a low-income community in the Western Cape. The venue was Ocean View Secondary School. The total number of participants was 11. Participants were recruited via a digital poster that was circulated via WhatsApp and Facebook. Discussions […]
August 2023 Senka HadzicOn 17 August, 2023 we presented the Demo paper, Community Networks powered by Community Currencies, at ACM Compass in Cape Town. The demo showed how a mutual credit-based community voucher or currency integrated with a community-owned network could be used to purchase digital services such as internet access on the iNethi platform. […]
April 2023 Senka HadzicIn April, 2023 we released the “Community Networks Meet Community Currencies” manual with the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), to provide guidelines to those who would like to launch a combination of a community network and a local community currency. APC’s Local Networks (LocNet) initiative in partnership with Rhizomatica is a collective […]
September 2022 David JohnsonFor many years, the current CEO of the Community-based Wireless Network in Ocean View, and a long time resident of the area, has spoken about the need for a community currency. In an interview in 2017, he spoke about the challenge of 90% of the economy leaving Ocean View and not getting […]
8 June 2022 Senka HadzicWe held two workshops in 2022 to introduce the Ocean View community to community currencies. Ganief Manuel, who now runs the local wireless community network in Ocean View had a vision of building a community currency, to help grow the local economy in Ocean View, as far back as 2017. Workshop 1 […]
8 June 2022 David JohnsonThe purpose of this trip was to build the Kilifi wireless network, setup the iNethi platform in Kilifi, discuss integration of Community Inclusion Currencies with the iNethi (to purchase internet vouchers and digital services on the iNethi platform), and chew through some disaggregation and decentralization philosophy on Stand-Up Paddleboards, over fresh […]
Two months after the project kicked off, we started planning our first in person meeting and decided it should take the form of a hackathon. At the end of September Keegan and Senka flew to Kenya and spent 12 days with the Grassroots Economics team in the beautiful town of Kilifi. Survey analysis Similar to […]
Incentivized network and localized services growth with blockchain-based community inclusion tokens In this ISOC funded project, we ask if decentralized blockchain-based economic systems combined with mesh and localized cloud services can incentivize vulnerable communities to create and grow their own networking infrastructure, services, and content and hence become more resilient.Our hypothesis is that lack of […]
The Rasta community on the hillside of Ocean View now has access to low-cost Internet at R20/GB and access to free locally hosted content thanks to the OVCOMM Dynamic community network and iNethi technology. The Libremesh-based mesh router, that is used to connect the community, is powered by wind and solar power as the city […]