ConnectED launches in Mexico to drive digital inclusion

From the winding mountain paths of Oaxaca to the sun-soaked valleys of Chiapas, Mexico’s rural and indigenous communities are home to rich culture, resilience, and a pressing digital gap. Despite being one of Latin America’s most connected countries in urban centers, millions in remote areas remain unconnected. That’s why unconnected.org has taken its next bold step: bringing the ConnectED Project to Mexico.

ConnectED Mexico is more than just a connectivity rollout, it’s a commitment to long-term transformation through education, access, and community empowerment. By connecting schools and surrounding communities with reliable internet, the project seeks to foster digital inclusion, drive economic growth, and open up new worlds of opportunity for generations to come.

Why Mexico, why now?

Mexico stood out as the natural next destination for ConnectED for several reasons. Despite its reputation as one of the more digitally developed nations in the region, vast digital inequities persist, especially in last-mile communities. Many schools still operate without basic internet access, cutting off students and teachers from 21st-century learning tools, while indigenous communities remain excluded from digital services that could enhance their livelihoods.

“There’s strong demand on the ground, from schools, community leaders, and local organizations,” shared the ConnectED team. “We saw local momentum building, Starlink expanding its coverage, and the right partnerships forming. It was the perfect time to launch.”

Lessons learned, built in

This isn’t unconnected.org’s first mission. The ConnectED project has already made a difference in other underserved regions, and those experiences are shaping the strategy in Mexico.

One critical lesson? Connectivity alone isn’t enough.

True impact comes from how connectivity is managed and used. That’s why ConnectED Mexico is taking a holistic approach from the very beginning. The project invests not only in infrastructure, but in community ownership, local training, and education about the value of the internet.

“In our past projects, we saw sustainable results only when we handed the reins to the community,” the team explained. “So this time, we’re training schools, NGOs, and local ISPs to not only deploy connectivity, but to sustain and scale it.”

A vision for generational impact

The ConnectED project sees its work in Mexico as a foundation for something much bigger than internet access. With a single connection, the project aims to turn schools into digital hubs, places where students can access e-learning, where parents can explore economic tools, and where entire communities can reach essential government services.

“Access to knowledge, digital skills, and online markets becomes possible when you make the internet reliable and affordable,” said one project lead. “It’s about unlocking doors.”

This isn’t just about connecting a school. It’s about redefining opportunity for an entire region.

Built to last

Sustainability is a core principle for ConnectED.

From the outset, the project incorporates a shared-cost model with local internet service providers, ensuring communities are not dependent on external funding to keep networks running. Paired with training in local network management and income-generating tools, the project is designed so that each connected site can thrive independently in the long run.

“Our goal is simple,” the team says. “Every community we connect should be able to stand on its own, technically and financially, long after we’ve gone.”

The road ahead

As ConnectED Mexico gets underway, the energy is palpable. With trusted partners on the ground, a sustainable model in place, and community-led training at the heart of the effort, unconnected.org is planting the seeds for long-term, systemic change.

Because in a world where digital access defines opportunity, connecting the unconnected isn’t just an act of inclusion, it’s an act of justice.