By forming a network of indigenous technicians, Redes aims to strengthen community networks in Northern Mexico.
Status: Closed
Partner: Redes
Impact goal: 70 people direct beneficiaries, 400 people as indirect beneficiaries.
This project aims to strengthen community networks in northern Mexico by forming a network of indigenous people with technical knowledge in the region. It seeks to follow up on the Diploma in Community Communication and focuses on training in electricity, solar energy and community intranets.
REDES AC conducted two workshops: one in the Kwechi community on electricity and solar energy, and another in the Mogótavo community on intranets and community digital archives. Both workshops were a continuation of the Community Communication Diploma program, which included not only the Rarámuri communities of Chihuahua but also other Indigenous peoples from northern Mexico.
The first workshop in Kwechi was facilitated by the Onergia Cooperative, an organization dedicated to supporting energy sovereignty processes in rural and Indigenous communities. The workshop provided in-depth training on electricity and solar energy, and it included identifying the location for installing solar panels to strengthen the community internet network, "Red Kwechi."
The second workshop was facilitated by REDES AC in the Mogótavo community. It is important to note that this community is engaged in ongoing legal processes stemming from accusations made by a hotel complex against the community. This situation has led to a territorial defense fort, emphasizing the historical memory of the Rarámuri people in the community.
With this context in mind, the community established a community internet network, "Awe Tibuame," several months ago. From the outset, they aimed to create their own community digital archive to document not only their struggle but also their knowledge, traditions, music, dances, and other practices that strengthen their identity and autonomy. The workshop resulted in the design, installation, and implementation of their own intranet—a portal that serves as a gateway to the global internet and is envisioned as a window of resistance and a means of mitigating risks for the Rarámuri community.
This last workshop was also attended by members of other Indigenous peoples from northern Mexico, including the Pima, Mayo, and Hñahñu communities. The goal was to learn about this type of process, from co-design to the installation of free software, services, and platform setup, so that they could bring these practices to their own communities. The knowledge gained aims to foster meaningful connectivity for Indigenous peoples.
The estimated beneficiaries of the project range from 300 to 400 people, considering the various participants from northern Mexico and the entire communities of Kwechi and Mogótavo. The project's outcomes benefit individuals not only by strengthening the infrastructure of the previously installed community networks but, more importantly, by fostering a capacity-building process. This empowers the communities to make informed decisions about the technologies they need to enhance their autonomy as Indigenous peoples.
One of the biggest challenges was bringing together the diverse individuals who participated in the Diploma program; some were unable to attend due to family matters or community responsibilities. Another challenge was the lack of electricity in the Mogótavo community, which was resolved by using a gasoline-powered generator.
Another challenge involved the pedagogical approaches needed to share technical knowledge about electricity, solar energy, and autonomous servers. For this reason, it was crucial to have the support of organizations with extensive experience in these fields. For instance, in Mogótavo, during the design of the intranet, REDES AC worked with a facilitator who is also an artist. She used drawings, paintings, and other artistic tools to make the process accessible and engaging. REDES AC recognized the potential of these tools to not only represent the community portal but also address other topics related to local infrastructure.
Working with groups that had diverse levels of digital skills also proved to be challenging. For example, in Mogótavo, we encountered children, young people, and adults, so we had to design a workshop in advance that would allow everyone to participate in the activities for building the community archive. These activities included both artistic and technical components.
One of the key steps in creating the community digital archive was installing free software, such as Ubuntu or Debian, on the server. For the community, it was a significant moment to realize that they could choose and install the software themselves. Both adults and young people participated in the step-by-step installation of the new software. The following day, some community members brought in several computers, about 5 or 6, which they said “no longer worked,” asking if they could be recovered using free software. During the workshop, while other activities related to the creation of the platform were ongoing, a team focused on installing the free software on these computers. As a result, all 5 or 6 machines were restored to working condition.
Later, when the intranet was fully installed with various contents chosen by the community, REDES AC organized a movie screening, which brought the entire community together. For many, it was their first experience with a screening of this kind. As mentioned earlier, this community lacks electricity, but this was resolved by using a gasoline-powered generator. After the screening, community members were able to access their new digital archive through the computers they had managed to recover.
REDES is a Mexican organization working on promoting support networks and accompanies indigenous and community communication processes. Their team consists of people committed to diversity, equity and sustainability.
Visit their website here to learn more about them.