Rhizomatica – Mexico
Short description social enterprise
Rhizomatica’s mission is to support communities to build and maintain self-governed and owned communication and energy infrastructure. Their approach combines regulatory activism and reform, technology, and direct community participation. They have creates open-source technology that helps people and communities to build their own communication networks and alternative energy sources.
Short description solution/tool
Rhizomatica has developed a free and open-source software to facilitate ease of use for communities of autonomous GSM networks and digital HF networks. They have packages and documented everything in order to be usable and suitable for non-technical users.
They have developed a proven model how to make community-owned communication networks a sustainable endeavor for the community itself. This means they have the capital to pay for equipment and sufficient income to cover operating expenses. They work directly with the community members to ensure they know how to operate, maintain and troubleshoot equipment, as well as how to use the technology for community benefit.
Other tools include:
- these tools can be found here: : https://www.rhizomatica.org/resources/
- Have a look at this video, how this worked out in the Amazon here: https://vimeo.com/831515038
- how to install a solar powered HF radio system (English & Portugese, with video tutorials)
- a guide to collective creation and development of training programs for technical community promoters (English & Portugese )
- a community mobile telephone manual (English & Portugese )
Where to find more
● https://www.ashoka.org/en-us/fellow/peter-bloom#accordion
● https://www.rhizomatica.org/
Who’s best to contact