ITU Research Roots
Digital Villages grew from the ITU Connect2Recover study on rebuilding digital inclusion for rural counties of Kenya.
About Us
Our Story
Established in Kenya in 2022 to address the digital divide by creating Digital Villages through Digital Hubs and last-mile networks across rural Kenya — with plans to expand throughout Eastern Africa.
Who We Are
Creating Digital Villages across rural Kenya
The Wireless Planet (WP) is an entity established in Kenya in 2022 with the aim of addressing the digital divide by creating “Digital Villages” through the deployment of Digital Hubs and last-mile networks across rural Kenya, with plans to expand throughout Eastern Africa.
The initiative of “Digital Villages” was birthed from an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) study under one of the Connect2Recover projects called “Rebuilding Digital Inclusion for Rural Counties of Kenya.” The project’s aim was to evaluate the state of connectivity and the connectivity challenges faced by rural academic and healthcare institutions prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, during and the immediate follow-up after restrictions had been lifted.
Why We Exist
Intentional from the start
The launch of the WP was therefore intentional to continually assess the levels of meaningful Internet access for rural groups and institutions, examine the existing gaps and opportunities based on access technologies, radio frequency (RF) spectrum usage and alternatives that can deliver affordable access. The launch also sought to have an entity that can continually evaluate the existing policies and regulations while recommending and contributing to practical models that can lead to better approach of delivering access to the unserved and underserved.
Bottom line, WP came into existence to inject a reinvigorated appreciation of how connectivity (with suitable and contextual models) can give all citizens access to multiple opportunities such as access to academic content, adequate healthcare and healthcare information, e-government services and online shopping with a more practical approach.
How We Build
From findings to Digital Hubs
Identified Local Gaps
A key finding showed rural students lacked digital spaces to study in, and rural entrepreneurs had limited digital workspaces.
Digital Hubs Launch
WP embarked on setting up digital hubs so students, entrepreneurs, and marginalised groups could easily operate from shared digital spaces.
Emerging Tech Pilots
The hubs strategically serve as pilot environments for IoT, Artificial Intelligence, and new wired and wireless connectivity models.
Where We Started
Our first Digital Hubs
As part of one of the main findings of the project which showed that rural students lacked digital spaces to study in and that rural entrepreneurs had limited digital workspaces, WP immediately embarked on setting up digital hubs that would allow students, entrepreneurs and as many groups as possible (particularly marginalised) who can benefit from digital hubs, to have a place they could easily operate from.
Moreover, the digital hubs were then to strategically serve as pilot environments for new and emerging technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) alongside new connectivity (wired and wireless networks).
Yala
Siaya County — first Digital Hub
Nyeri Town
Nyeri County — second Digital Hub
Kinangop
Nyandarua County — mega hub planned