Hahatay Receives $20,000 Grant from Internet Society Foundation to Strengthen Community Network in Gandiol

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We are thrilled to announce that Hahatay has been selected as one of nine grantee partners worldwide to receive funding through the Internet Society Foundation’s “Connecting the Unconnected” program for 2025. Our project has been awarded $20,000 USD to strengthen the existing community network in Gandiol, Senegal, over an 18-month implementation period from August 1, 2025, to January 31, 2027.

The Challenge in Gandiol #

Gandiol is a rural area located near the Senegal River Delta, characterized by vibrant natural landscapes and resilient communities. Despite its cultural richness and proximity to the urban center of Saint-Louis, Gandiol remains largely underserved in terms of digital connectivity. While 4G networks are available (although not 100% reliable), most young people and their families cannot afford consistent internet packages due to the high costs - averaging around 500 XOF per GB (approximately 0.80€ per GB).

This financial constraint forces community members to rationalize their data usage and purchase limited packages, making it extremely difficult to use the Internet for educational purposes or developing personal projects. The cost becomes a significant deterrent to personal initiatives and academic ambitions.

About the Grant #

The Internet Society Foundation’s Connecting the Unconnected Funding Program supports communities and local organizations working to build and expand Internet infrastructure to connect people living in rural, remote, and low-income areas. After receiving a record number of applications during the 2025 application window, only nine projects across seven countries were selected for funding.

Our Mission #

With this grant, Hahatay will strengthen our existing community network infrastructure that has been operational since 2021, serving an average of 50 daily users across five interconnected locations via radio links and approximately 40 wireless access points.

The funding will enable us to achieve three main objectives:

1. Reduction in the Average Cost of Connectivity

By reinforcing our existing network and introducing a tiered membership system, we aim to make connectivity significantly more affordable, especially for students and youth. This addresses the current barrier where individuals often cannot afford monthly packages and must rely on expensive daily or weekly passes.

2. Improvement in Internet Speed and Quality

We will optimize and reinforce the existing infrastructure to ensure faster and more reliable connectivity, enhancing the overall user experience and enabling better access to digital tools for education, communication, and local entrepreneurship.

3. Creation of Community-Led Digital Ecosystems

This comprehensive objective includes:

Deployment of a Private Cloud: Establishing secure, local storage solutions and hosting capabilities for community members
Study Room for Virtual University of Senegal (UVS) Students: Creating a dedicated space with high-speed internet for students in this rural area who currently lack access to an Open Digital Space (ENO)
Community Ownership Process: Training and mentoring motivated local youth to manage the infrastructure and services sustainably

Our project leverages existing infrastructure across three locations: JangKom and Ndar Weesul (both in Saint-Louis with stable FTTH connections) and Gandiol (30km away, connected via 4G cellular network). The current network serves approximately 50 daily users through 40 wireless access points across five interconnected locations using 802.11s mesh networks.

This project has already gained significant recognition - IEEE selected it in 2024 as one of the most promising initiatives in the ‘Proof of Concept’ category, awarding us the “Honorable Mention” prize in the IEEE CUNC Challenge. Our team is also part of the IEEE Mentorship Program.

Additionally, we previously received support from the Internet Society Foundation’s Beyond the Net Small Grant Program in 2024, which helped establish additional access points and acquire refurbished computers for our training programs.

This recognition from the Internet Society Foundation validates our community-driven approach to connectivity solutions and provides crucial resources to expand our impact in Gandiol. The grant represents not just financial support, but also acknowledgment of the importance of grassroots, community-owned network infrastructure in creating sustainable digital inclusion.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Internet Society Foundation for their continued trust in our mission and their commitment to connecting the unconnected worldwide. This partnership will enable us to take significant steps forward in our goal of ensuring that everyone in our community has access to affordable, reliable, and resilient Internet connectivity.

Learn More:

Stay tuned! Updates will come as we begin implementing these improvements to the Gandiol community network. Together, we’re building a more connected future for all.