Project: Implement community-led, sustainable technology solutions in Sukabumi, Indonesia.
Funded by: Internet Society Foundation (ISF) Resiliency Grant Program
Objective achieved: Develop a replicable model of community-led, sustainable Internet connectivity that enhances resiliency in communities facing natural disaster-related issues.
Atma Connect’s resilience work with ISF builds on Atma’s years of work empowering mutual support for disaster resilience, “neighbors helping neighbors” (warga bantu warga in Bahasa), with our award-winning AtmaGo mobile app and community.
As Alfan Kasdar, Atma’s Field Director in Indonesia, says, “Awareness of the importance of robust communication infrastructure is the foundation of this program, along with the involvement of local government, community volunteers, and other local organizations.”
Below are highlights of the principles driving our work. As with each of our projects, we always involve local communities from Day One.
At AtmaConnect we
- Place sustainability at the heart of every initiative. How will vital work continue to grow and thrive? We think about this in everything, from the community, to the technology, and even the financing — the goal is to build sustainable models that will serve communities for many years well beyond the end of the project, or even the disaster.
- Focus on human-centered design. Our team conducted dozens of interviews with residents, village enterprises, Red Cross volunteers, and experts to understand the challenges, including intermittent, unreliable cellular service.
- Empower local leadership and response capability. We worked with local residents and Red Cross volunteers on how to use the internet for critical response in a disaster. And we signed memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with local leadership and communities — local leadership is key, especially to build a durable long-lasting model.
- Build on proven models. (As the saying goes, “Don’t reinvent the wheel!”) We adapted the community-based principles from the Rural ICT Camp 2023 supported by UKAID, to underpin the construction of internet infrastructure. These principles include opting for low-tech solutions with locally available technology, and prioritizing resilient energy solutions (solar power), especially as the regions have had unreliable power access.
- Make smart technology bets. Our tech team purchased several Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSATs), small-sized ground stations to transmit and receive data, voice, and video signals over a satellite network. By deploying VSATs, we can closely monitor their performance, identify any potential technical issues, and evaluate their effectiveness in real-world scenarios. It’s essential to gain firsthand insights and feedback from end-users, ensuring that the solution meets their needs and expectations.
For enduring success, it’s vital for communities to build technical and organizational capabilities in parallel. We also, as always:
- Encourage awareness. So far there have been dozens of news stories of the activities training volunteers (here’s one of the stories about Kompas TV’s coverage, “AtmaConnect and Indonesian Red Cross Hold Disaster Evacuation Training”)
- Amplify local brilliance and knowledge sharing. We have gathered critical disaster response information on the award-winning low-bandwidth AtmaGo mobile platform. You can see this disaster information hub here: AtmaConnect.org/internet-resilience
“This project is an exciting step forward in creating more disaster resilient communities, and we look forward to seeing this model inspire the creation of more community-led solutions.,” says Meena Palaniappan, Atma CEO.
The people Atma works with are very appreciative as well. Here’s Daeng Sutisna, Manager at Local Disaster Agency, BPBD, Sukabumi Regency: “The Internet Resiliency Program initiated by Atma Connect is the first of its kind in Sukabumi Regency, combining internet infrastructure in disaster-prone areas with intensive disaster mitigation assistance and training. Traditionally, private sector programs have only focused on infrastructure development or sporadic short-term aid. This initiative is excellent and should serve as a model.”