The Community Networks in Haiti project, led by ISOC Haiti, has been selected as one of the winners of the World Summit on the Information Society Prizes 2025 (WSIS Prizes) by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). This prestigious award will be celebrated at the WSIS+20 Forum High-Level Event, to be held from July 7 to 12, 2025, in Geneva, Switzerland.

The award was received on behalf of ISOC Haiti by Sally Wentworth, President and CEO of the Internet Society and the Internet Society Foundation, during a ceremony that brought together world leaders, representatives of international organizations, the private sector, civil society, and academia.

For this 2025 edition, the WSIS Prizes competition received 973 submissions from stakeholders across five continents, representing governments, the private sector, civil society, academia, and international organizations. Following a rigorous technical evaluation process, followed by an online public vote, 90 projects were selected as Champions, representing 9% of the world's most promising initiatives.

Among these Champions, the Community Networks in Haiti project stood out for its impact, relevance, replicability, and strategic alignment with the WSIS action lines and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The Community Networks in Haiti

The Community Networks in Haiti project :

The project aims to bridge the digital divide in rural and disadvantaged areas of Haiti by establishing community internet access networks powered by hybrid technical solutions: low-orbit satellite receivers, mesh Wi-Fi access points, voucher management platforms, and local governance. The project focuses on inclusion, citizen participation, local training, and equitable access to connectivity as a lever for social and economic transformation.

This approach helps:

- Improve access to education, information, and economic opportunities;

- Strengthen the digital resilience of communities;

- Encourage the co-construction of sustainable local digital governance models.

A recognition that honors Haitian ingenuity

This distinction honors not only the work of ISOC Haiti, but also that of its technical, financial, and community partners, who are committed to a shared vision: making the internet a tool for human development, local democracy, and inclusion.

"This global recognition proves that locally-born solutions can inspire the world. It strengthens our resolve to continue connecting the unconnected and building a more just, inclusive, and sovereign digital society," said Max Larson Henry, President of ISOC Haiti.

HL/ HaitiLibre