Written by Dear GIGers,
We’re excited to invite you to our next community call on Open Source Weather Stations, featuring the inspiring work of GIG members Gustaff H. Iskandar (Common Room, Indonesia) and Nils Brock (Rhizomatica, Mexico), who are exploring how open-source technology can support rural development, innovation, and community-level climate resilience.
Following their recent experience at re:publica 2025, where they saw numerous use cases from GIG members deploying internet and digital technologies to drive innovation, Gustaff and Nils are seeking to explore potential collaborations around open-source technology. Their collaboration through the LocNet project demonstrates how communities can develop and pilot DIY weather stations that collect microclimate data to improve climate resilience at the local level.
The call will offer a space to exchange and discuss approaches for:
- Community-first connectivity model – Internet infrastructure owned and operated by local communities rather than commercial providers
- Open-source weather station deployments and uses – Low-cost, DIY monitoring systems that communities can build and maintain themselves to track local climate conditions
- Cross-sector collaborations for climate resilience and rural development – Partnerships between tech innovators, local communities, and development organisations to create sustainable solutions
Date & Time:
Wednesday, August 13th, 2025 at 14:00 CEST
Join us for this important and exciting discussion. Please reach out to Fadia for questions or meeting details!
Background on the LocNet project:
In 2019, Common Room, in partnership with the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) and Rhizomatica, launched the LocNet project—an initiative supported by the UK’s FCDO Digital Access Programme—to develop community-centered connectivity in rural Indonesia. Building on this, they established the School of Community Networks (SCN) in 2021, training communities across 11 locations in 10 provinces. Today, local internet infrastructures are operational in several communities—providing vital access for education, health, administration, economic activities, and more. The initiative also includes the annual Rural ICT Camp, launched in 2020, and pilot projects like DIY weather stations for microclimate data gathering, aimed at enhancing local climate resilience.
See you then 🙂
