We, the Basic Internet Foundation, have established an efficient organisation to partner
with communities, governments, and companies all around the globe. We create the
solution to connect the 3.5 Billion people who are not connected to the Internet. Being
left-out from the Digital Society removes the capabilities for reaching higher levels of the
Maslow pyramid, e.g. meaningful work.
The implementation of free access to information enables people in the bottom of the
pyramid to get part of the digital society, and can gain digital skills. Through access and
skills for everyone Internet Lite opens for knowledge uptake needed for decent work,
gender equality, better health and education.
Being present in 8 countries, out of which 5 are in Africa, the Foundation empowers local
initiatives to establish information spots and contribute to digital inclusion. The
established infrastructure is cost effective, with an info spot costing not more than a
mid-size mobile phone (~400 USD), and it provides free access to information.
By creating InfoSpots with digital health information, we influence both knowledge
uptake, increase digital literacy through digital health, and, thus , contribute to a timely
response to an outbreak reaching every single person in the society. We believe that
InfoSpots with an OPEX of less than 20 USD/month are solving the challenge of access
to information for everyone.
We have now focused on policies for digital empowerment, and suggest an integrated
approach for “access, skills, regulations and inclusion” being the “free access to the
National Knowledge Portal”. Given the global focus on last-mile connectivity, we are
looking for you joining our efforts.
We are happy to announce that, after having connected more than 10
villages/schools/primary health facilities in Tanzania, we now discuss with UCSAF a pilot
for "sustainable connectivity of schools". We have agreed on connecting 10 schools. We
are currently working on a document for UNICEF answering the need for sustainable
access to digital public goods. In this "work in progress" document we added in the
appendix the dialogue with UCSAF.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wm5YE_XLQfJsi_aJUpPoIsRwc7k5GVl4vv_…
fw/edit?usp=sharing
For further reading on the activities of our Foundation, we would suggest to start with
Our web site https://basicinternet.org
Our Wiki https://its-wiki.no/wiki/DigI:Home
Technical Solution https://its-wiki.no/wiki/BasicInternet:Solutions
Publications https://its-wiki.no/wiki/DigI:Publications
And the overview we presented to UNDP:
https://its-wiki.no/wiki/BasicInternet:UNDP-
BasicInternet_information_exchange_Jan2020#Basic_Internet_Focus