Unconnected.org’s projects in 2023 were diverse and impactful, focusing on four main themes:
- Education: Projects like connectSTARS aimed to integrate remote universities in developing countries into prestigious institutions like M.I.T., enhancing educational opportunities. Another initiative, connectED in Malawi, involved satellite and digital learning in schools, supported by organizations like the Internet Society Foundation, SpaceX, and 48percent.org.
- Refugees: Their connectREFUGEES theme included building digital learning labs in the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya and providing WiFi in Romanian train stations for refugees. They also focused on connecting refugee families crossing the Ukraine border, with support from Cisco and Wavecrest.
- Communities: Under the connectCOMMUNITIES theme, they topped up prepaid mobile phones after the Turkey earthquakes and supported centers in Central London to keep the homeless connected. They also installed video conferencing in elderly care homes during COVID lockdowns.
- Women: The connectWOMEN initiative supported digital training centers for women in rural Mexico and helped abused women in the UK and Sweden. Additionally, they focused on remote schooling for girls in Mumbai’s slums.