What happens to computers, mobile phones, or network devices we no longer use but that still work? Often, they are forgotten in a drawer or end up as electronic waste. In reality, however, they can be an opportunity: to reduce waste, save resources, and, above all, help connect people who lack easy access to digital devices, whether user devices like computers or network devices like switches, routers, or antennas.
With this idea at heart, the Catalan chapter of the Internet Society (ISOC-CAT) has completed a project funded by the Internet Society Foundation that reinforces and expands the work started in an earlier phase: building a community system to collect, inventory, repair, and redistribute digital devices in an efficient, transparent, and replicable way. This system is built on the free software tools Workbench and DeviceHub.
A project growing from real experience
The project continues an earlier initiative that already had significant results: communities in Catalonia, Madrid, Argentina (La Plata and Rosario), and Senegal (Hahatay) started using tools and processes for circular reuse of digital devices, managing hundreds of devices per community each year.
This work is part of eReuse.org, an open and collaborative initiative running since 2015 that brings together a wide range of actors: device donors, social enterprises that repair hardware, community networks, researchers, developers, and social organizations.
The goal is clear: devices that still work should not be thrown away—they should be repaired, reused, and reach the people who need them to study, work, communicate, or access essential services. This is what is called meaningful connectivity.
Reusing is not just “donating computers”: it’s building a system
One of the key lessons of the project is that digital inclusion does not depend solely on having Internet access: it also depends on having devices. That is why ISOC-CAT and its partners have worked to make reuse a complete, well-organized, and scalable process.
During the project, the free software tools supporting the entire process were improved: devicehub-django, the inventory system focused on circular reuse, and workbench-script, a program to capture hardware details.
Examples of improvements include:
- Support for more types of devices (not just computers and phones, but also routers, displays, antennas, IoT devices, and other equipment needed by community networks).
- Easier device registration through features like QR scanning and rapid data entry tools.
- Better exchange processes between donors, refurbishers, and communities.
- Progress toward a coordinated “federation” of local inventories for greater transparency and traceability.
All this might sound technical, but it responds to a very basic need: when there are many donations and many actors involved, you need a system that ensures devices are not lost, not duplicated, can be tracked, and reach their intended users.
Direct social impact and international reach
The project strengthened ISOC-CAT’s presence in the community by delivering real impact:
- Partnerships were deepened with social refurbishers like Solidança that turn donations into useful devices for vulnerable people.
- Pilot projects were carried out with donors and institutions, including the Barcelona City Council and donations from companies and organizations.
- The project had international scope, building connections with ISOC Argentina, ISOC Senegal, and even extending to Canada through ISOC Manitoba and Computers for Schools Manitoba.
- The work has been presented in ISOC coordination spaces, reinforcing ISOC-CAT’s role as an active, innovative chapter.
Sharing knowledge so others can replicate
One of the project’s strongest aspects is that it does not remain a local experiment. Instead, documentation has been produced so the model can be replicated.
This project directly contributes to the concept of meaningful connectivity for device beneficiaries, strengthening communities and improving lives and livelihoods (collection, repair, refurbishment, maintenance, recycling) by turning digital device reuse into a scalable, efficient, and replicable system. Through free tools like Workbench (hardware data capture) and DeviceHub (inventory and traceability), communities can manage more devices with better quality and lower cost, ensuring they reach more people and vulnerable groups for education, employment, and digital participation.
At the same time, digitizing the device lifecycle brings transparency and accountability among donors, refurbishers, and communities, and makes it possible to measure environmental impact—reducing electronic waste and emissions. Together, the project strengthens communities and improves lives and opportunities while aligning social inclusion, economic sustainability, and a circular economy.
Moreover, ISOC-CAT members have contributed to documenting these practices as an Internet-Draft for the Internet Research Task Force (IRTF), sharing insights and recommendations that may influence future Internet design. The Internet Draft is “Operational Practices for Digital Sovereignty and Meaningful Connectivity through Circular Management of User and Network Devices“.
In short, the project didn’t just develop software to manage devices in a community-based way—it also built a practical model that can inspire other ISOC chapters and communities around the world.
Looking ahead: more communities, more devices, more connected people
The project achieved its main goals—enhancing tools, expanding device support, strengthening community networks, and generating social and environmental impact. ISOC-CAT now plans to further expand alliances and replicate the model in new ISOC chapters, communities, and cooperatives. Because the idea is as simple as it is powerful: a device that is not thrown away can become an opportunity for someone else to connect to the Internet.
This project was made possible through funding from the Internet Society Foundation
L’entrada A second life for devices, a better-connected community: ISOC-CAT’s project combining digital inclusion and sustainability ha aparegut primer a Capítol Català de la Societat Internet.