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What's this?

This project aims to deploy a community network in the rural region of Gandiol, located in northern Senegal 🇸🇳.

The infrastructure is integrated within the vibrant social, working, and creative framework established by Hahatay.

Hahatay is a Senegalese association dedicated to fostering the creation of small businesses that focus on economic autonomy with a community and social perspective.

  • They emphasize youth entrepreneurship and creativity, the exchange of experiences, and the use of culture and communication as tools to redefine narratives and support social change.

  • Hahatay advocates for the fundamental right to migrate and works closely with women entrepreneurs to enhance their initiatives, promote their visibility, and uphold their rights in the community.

🎯 The Goal #

The main goal of this community network is to provide Gandiol with affordable, stable internet connectivity. This includes:

  • Linking various spaces within the Hahatay community
    • Offering self-hosted services to support the association’s daily activities.

The network is built using cost-effective methods and open-source software, featuring mesh networks for WiFi coverage and point-to-point radio links for long distances.

Additionally, we have implemented services like shared storage, VPN for remote access, and a monitoring and alerting system to ensure smooth operation and quick resolution of any issues.

A key aspect of our strategy is to document and share the entire development process. By being transparent about the hardware and software used, we aim to inspire others in the community networks sector to undertake similar projects and address connectivity needs in rural areas worldwide.

💰 Funding #

This initiative is powered by the volunteer efforts of students from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) and members of the AUCOOP association.

The project also receives support from Labdoo, a global network that donates second-hand laptops.

  • Labdoo has already provided over 30 laptops, which are actively used within Hahatay.

  • The current status needed / used of the laptops at Hahatay can be checked at the Edoovillage page.

The project has received funds from:

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