



GAIA                                                          L. Navarro
Internet-Draft                                                  ISOC.CAT
Intended status: Informational                                  M. Roura
Expires: 18 June 2026                                         eReuse.org
                                                            E. Rodriguez
                                                                TAU/RAEE
                                                              V. Ambrosi
                                                               EKOA/UNLP
                                                        15 December 2025


     Best Current Practices for Digital Sovereignty and Meaningful
  Connectivity through Circular Management of User and Network Devices
              draft-gaia-bcp-circular-device-management-00

Abstract

   This document describes Best Current Practices (BCP) for improving
   meaningful connectivity and digital sovereignty through the circular
   management of end-user and network devices.  It addresses a
   foundational but often overlooked dependency of Internet access
   deployments: the availability, repairability, governance, and
   lifecycle management of devices required to meaningfully use access
   networks.

   Based on operational experience from deployments in Spain, Argentina,
   and Senegal—including eReuse.org, EKOA/UNLP, Solidança, TAU/RAEE, and
   Hahatay—this document identifies practices that have demonstrated
   positive access, social, and environmental outcomes.  These practices
   complement research within the IRTF GAIA Research Group by
   documenting reproducible operational approaches that increase the
   sustainability, autonomy, and long-term viability of Internet access
   in underserved contexts, and therefore contribute to facilitate "the
   unconnected" to connect.

Status of This Memo

   This Internet-Draft is submitted in full conformance with the
   provisions of BCP 78 and BCP 79.

   Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering
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   Drafts is at https://datatracker.ietf.org/drafts/current/.







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Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
     1.1.  Relevance to IRTF GAIA  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   2.  Terminology and Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   3.  Problem Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5
   4.  Principles for Best Current Practice  . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
     4.1.  Device availability as foundational infrastructure  . . .   6
     4.2.  Local capacity and digital sovereignty  . . . . . . . . .   7
     4.3.  Collective access and commons-based governance  . . . . .   7
     4.4.  Open and interoperable software tooling . . . . . . . . .   7
     4.5.  Repairability and lifecycle extension . . . . . . . . . .   7
     4.6.  Transparency, accountability, and traceability  . . . . .   7
     4.7.  Privacy and security by design  . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
     4.8.  Environmental responsibility  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
     4.9.  Community-rooted governance and social relevance  . . . .   7
   5.  Best Current Practices  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
     5.1.  Digitalized Circular Device Management  . . . . . . . . .   8
     5.2.  Repair, Training, and Capacity Building . . . . . . . . .   8
     5.3.  Alignment with Access Networks and Network Devices  . . .   9
     5.4.  Community-centred Meaningful Connectivity . . . . . . . .   9
     5.5.  Collective Access and Commons-Based Device Governance . .  10
     5.6.  Federated Registries and Cross-community Coordination . .  10
     5.7.  Secure Sanitization of Storage Media  . . . . . . . . . .  11
     5.8.  Architectural Considerations for Access Networks  . . . .  11
   6.  Human Rights Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  12
   7.  Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  12
   8.  Privacy Considerations  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  13
   9.  Environmental and Sustainability Considerations . . . . . . .  13
   10. Deployment Case Studies (Informative) . . . . . . . . . . . .  14



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     10.1.  Catalonia and Madrid (Spain): eReuse.org Ecosystem and
            Social Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  14
     10.2.  La Plata (Argentina): EKOA/UNLP Programmes . . . . . . .  15
     10.3.  Hahatay (Senegal): Device Availability and Inclusion in
            Rural and Peri-urban Contexts  . . . . . . . . . . . . .  16
     10.4.  Rosario (Argentina): TAU/RAEE and Territorial Programmes
            in the Villas  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  16
   11. Replication Guidelines  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  17
   12. IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  18
   13. Acknowledgements  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  18
   14. References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  18
     14.1.  Normative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  18
     14.2.  Other Normative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  18
     14.3.  Informative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  18
   Authors' Addresses  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  19

1.  Introduction

   Extending Internet access requires more than deploying network
   infrastructure and connectivity.  Meaningful connectivity depends on
   the availability of functional, affordable, and maintainable end-user
   devices (e.g., laptops, phones) and, in many deployments, network
   devices (e.g., routers, switches, antennas).  In underserved
   communities, the absence of such devices is often a primary barrier
   to benefiting from existing or planned access networks.

   Circular device management—encompassing local reuse, repair,
   refurbishment, redistribution, and responsible end-of-life
   handling—has emerged as an effective approach to address this
   barrier.  When combined with community-centred governance and digital
   traceability, these practices can improve access outcomes, strengthen
   local capacity, and reduce environmental impact.

   This document draws on operational experience from:

   *  eReuse.org deployments in Catalonia and Madrid (Spain), involving
      social enterprises and reuse circuits that coordinate donors,
      refurbishers, and recipient organisations;

   *  University-linked programmes in Argentina (EKOA/UNLP), integrating
      refurbishment, training, and community engagement;

   *  TAU/RAEE in Rosario (Argentina), where a specialised cooperative
      carries out device diagnostics, repair, data sanitization,
      refurbishment, and e-waste management, while community centres
      focus on access, accompaniment, and territorial programmes;





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   *  Hahatay initiative in Senegal, combining device availability with
      local digital inclusion efforts in rural and peri-urban contexts.

   Several of these initiatives apply collective access and community-
   ownership models in which devices are managed as shared resources, a
   commons [Ostrom1990], rather than permanently transferred private
   property.  Digital lifecycle tracking supports transparency,
   accountability, and coordinated management across donors,
   refurbishers, and communities.  This approach has been formalised and
   analysed in prior research [Roura2025].

   This BCP adopts a community-centred interpretation of meaningful
   connectivity, consistent with civil-society analyses [GISW2024], in
   which connectivity gains value when aligned with local needs,
   governance, skills, and social relevance.

1.1.  Relevance to IRTF GAIA

   The IRTF GAIA Research Group investigates technical and socio-
   technical approaches to extend Internet access to underserved
   populations.  Device availability, repairability, and lifecycle
   governance form a foundational layer of access architectures and
   affect sustainability, resilience, autonomy, and adoption.

   This document does not specify Internet protocols.  Instead, it
   documents deployment and operational practices that have demonstrated
   effectiveness in real-world access contexts and may inform future
   GAIA research, architecture discussions, and deployment models.

2.  Terminology and Scope

   The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
   "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "NOT RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and
   "OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in BCP
   14 ([RFC2119]) ([RFC8174]) when, and only when, they appear in all
   capitals, as shown here.

   *Circular device management*: Structured processes that enable reuse,
   repair, refurbishment, redistribution, tracking, and responsible
   recycling of devices.

   *Collective access/community ownership*: A governance model in which
   devices are managed as shared resources, with rights of use,
   maintenance, and reassignment defined collectively rather than
   through permanent individual ownership, following a common-pool
   resource governance model.  [Ostrom1990]





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   *Community-centred infrastructure*: Digital infrastructure (devices,
   facilities, local organisations, and governance) that is locally
   operated and aligned with community needs.

   *Commodatum (loan for use)*: A form of loan [COMMODATE] in which a
   device is provided to an individual or organisation *for use without
   transfer of ownership*, typically for a defined or renewable period,
   and with the obligation to return the device or allow reassignment
   when the agreed conditions end.

   In circular device management contexts, commodatum arrangements
   support collective access by enabling maintenance, replacement,
   traceability, and reassignment of devices over time, while preserving
   shared stewardship and accountability.

   *Device*: Any Internet-capable end-user or networking device,
   including laptops, desktops, tablets, smartphones, routers, switches,
   antennas, access points, and IoT equipment.

   *Federated inventory/registry*: A network of interoperable device
   registries that enables transparency, accountability, cross-
   organisational coordination, and scaling without requiring
   centralisation.

   *Meaningful connectivity*: Internet access that is not only
   technically available, but affordable, reliable, socially relevant,
   and supported by skills and agency.

   A multi-dimensional concept encompassing not only technical access
   (infrastructure, connectivity, devices), but also social relevance,
   community agency, cultural and political meaningfulness, inclusive
   governance, and sustainable local ownership.  It recognises that
   connectivity gains value when aligned with community practices,
   needs, and aspirations.  [GISW2024]

   This BCP focuses on community/local-scale, decentralised practices
   relevant to access networks, community/local facilities, and
   underserved contexts.

3.  Problem Statement

   Despite investments in access networks, many communities remain
   excluded from meaningful connectivity due to:

   *  Insufficient availability of functional end-user and network
      devices for households, schools, and community organisations;





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   *  Markets dominated by non-repairable or locked-down hardware and
      software preventing device reuse, with short usage cycles followed
      by replacement;

   *  Limited local repair capacity, including insufficient skills,
      limited access to spare parts, and limited tools for diagnostics,
      secure data handling and refurbishment;

   *  Lack of interoperable systems to manage and track device lifecycle
      and accountability across donors, refurbishers, and recipient
      organisations and persons;

   *  Premature disposal of devices, contributing to environmental harm
      and e-waste;

   *  Organisational models that assume permanent individual ownership,
      which can hinder redistribution, maintenance, and re-assignment to
      evolving needs.

   *  Individual private ownership of devices, which complicates
      redistribution and limits scalability.

   *  Lack of digitalized device management/transparency tools limits
      trust among donors and refurbishers, obstructs environmental and
      social impact assessment, and prevents coordinated processing of
      large-volume donations.

   *  Network connectivity alone cannot solve digital exclusion if
      individuals lack adequate network and user devices.

   Without collective access models and digital traceability,
   communities struggle to pool devices, coordinate refurbishment at
   scale, assess impact, or establish donor trust and accountability
   [Roura2025].  As a result, access networks alone are insufficient to
   close the digital divide.

   Addressing device availability is therefore a foundational
   requirement for equitable, inclusive, and rights-preserving Internet
   access.

4.  Principles for Best Current Practice

4.1.  Device availability as foundational infrastructure

   Device availability SHOULD be treated as a core component of Internet
   access, alongside network coverage, affordability, and skills.





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4.2.  Local capacity and digital sovereignty

   Communities SHOULD be able to maintain, repair, and manage devices
   without exclusive dependence on external vendors or proprietary
   restrictions.

4.3.  Collective access and commons-based governance

   Where appropriate, devices SHOULD be managed, rather than private
   ownership, under collective access models to improve equity, reuse
   rates, and long-term sustainability.

4.4.  Open and interoperable software tooling

   Device lifecycle management SHOULD rely on open-source and
   interoperable software tools to support transparency in diagnostics,
   tracking, and refurbishment workflows, device loan, federation, and
   replication.

4.5.  Repairability and lifecycle extension

   Repair, reuse, and refunctionalization SHOULD be prioritised over
   recycling or disposal, as long devices can be useful.

4.6.  Transparency, accountability, and traceability

   Device history and quality SHOULD be digitally recorded to support
   accountability, donor and user trust, and impact assessment.

4.7.  Privacy and security by design

   Reuse workflows SHOULD embed privacy-preserving data sanitization and
   prevent exposure of personal data.

4.8.  Environmental responsibility

   Circular practices SHOULD aim to reduce e-waste and environmental
   harm throughout the device lifecycle.

4.9.  Community-rooted governance and social relevance

   Connectivity initiatives SHOULD prioritise community/local
   participation, co-design, and governance of infrastructure and
   devices, enabling communities to determine what meaningful
   connectivity means locally and how devices and access are aligned
   with livelihoods, education, and inclusion goals.





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5.  Best Current Practices

5.1.  Digitalized Circular Device Management

   Circular management systems SHOULD include:

   *  Unique device identification (e.g., labels/QR codes) and lifecycle
      records;

   *  Structured triage, diagnostics, and condition grading;

   *  Secure data sanitization steps recorded in device logs;

   *  Chain-of-custody tracking across donors, refurbishers, and
      recipient organisations and end-user persons;

   *  Interoperability with other inventory and infrastructure systems
      (e.g., ERP, network registries) where beneficial;

   *  Support for processing large-volume device donations or
      procurement across multiple refurbishers to improve throughput,
      quality control, and traceability;

   *  Optional tamper-evident or cryptographically verifiable logging
      mechanisms for accountability in multi-stakeholder ecosystems.

   These capabilities enable transparency and coordinated reuse circuits
   where donors, refurbishers, community and formal local organisations,
   and beneficiary programmes can operate with shared visibility and
   responsibilities.

5.2.  Repair, Training, and Capacity Building

   Effective programmes SHOULD:

   *  Distinguish between specialised refurbishing tasks (diagnosis,
      repair, sanitization, refurbishment) and community-level access/
      accompaniment functions;

   *  Provide training that combines basic hardware diagnostics and
      repair (electronics), locally sourced spare parts, operating
      system and application installation and configuration (software),
      and practical repair and maintenance tasks;

   *  Use accessible pedagogies that reduce barriers for youth, women,
      and marginalised populations;





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   *  Integrate digital literacy and social inclusion objectives
      (education, employability, access to services);

   *  Provide pathways for income generation or employment (e.g., social
      enterprises, cooperatives, paid refurbishment);

   *  Use digital traceability systems to compute environmental
      indicators (e.g., avoided e-waste, estimated CO₂ savings) and
      social indicators (e.g., beneficiary counts, institutions served),
      reinforcing accountability for donors, policymakers, and
      communities.

5.3.  Alignment with Access Networks and Network Devices

   Device reuse SHOULD be coordinated with access-network deployments
   by:

   *  Including network equipment (routers, switches, antennas, access
      points) in lifecycle tracking where relevant;

   *  Aligning device availability with connectivity provision (so
      devices reach users and institutions that can connect);

   *  Supporting local repair and reconfiguration of networking
      equipment where feasible;

   *  Tracking performance and replacement cycles to reduce downtime and
      avoid stranded access infrastructure.

   This document does not assume the presence of a specific access
   infrastructure.  The practices described apply to contexts where
   connectivity is provided through a variety of access models,
   including commercial, community-driven, institutional, or any other
   access facilities.

5.4.  Community-centred Meaningful Connectivity

   Connectivity initiatives MAY:

   *  Engage communities in defining meaningful use for them (education,
      work, health, services, civic participation, cultural expression,
      etc.);

   *  Combine devices, skills development, and governance to build
      holistic digital ecosystems;






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   *  Support shared facilities (community centres, libraries, schools)
      and collective access models where appropriate, rather than
      assuming all access is individual ownership;

   *  Design for social inclusion: enable participation of
      underrepresented groups (women, minorities, youth, adults),
      account for cultural and linguistic diversity, and empower
      communities to use connectivity for their own goals (education,
      civic engagement, small-scale enterprises, local content creation,
      environmental monitoring, etc.);

   *  Respect local agency and context, enabling adaptation of workflows
      and priorities over time;

   *  Include feedback loops and governance mechanisms to evolve
      deployments according to community needs.

5.5.  Collective Access and Commons-Based Device Governance

   Where appropriate, communities MAY treat devices as a shared digital
   commons.  Implementations of collective access typically include:

   *  Assigning use-rights instead of permanent ownership to individuals
      or organisations;

   *  Allowing devices to circulate across multiple users and community
      spaces over time;

   *  Establishing clear governance rules for allocation, maintenance
      responsibilities, reassignment, and end-of-life decisions;

   *  Using open-source digital tools to track device history,
      condition, transfers, and responsible recycling;

   *  Embedding accountability mechanisms so actors (donors,
      refurbishers, community managers) can verify device provenance and
      lifecycle steps.

   This model has been validated operationally in reuse ecosystems and
   formalised in prior research [Roura2025].

5.6.  Federated Registries and Cross-community Coordination

   Federated device registries MAY be used to coordinate reuse across
   organisations and regions while preserving local governance.  Such
   registries can support:

   *  Distributed metadata sharing and device lookup;



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   *  Cross-organisational coordination for batches and surplus devices;

   *  Shared accountability while avoiding centralised control;

   *  Federation across communities with different legal, operational,
      or cultural contexts.

   *  Multi-stakeholder governance.

   Federation is essential when devices flow across regions,
   institutions, and countries

5.7.  Secure Sanitization of Storage Media

   When devices are refurbished for reuse, data sanitization SHOULD
   follow recognised good data sanitization practices such as ITU-T
   L.1081 [ITU-T-L1081].  Implementers SHOULD select and apply
   appropriate methods (e.g., clear, purge, or destruct) depending on
   media type and sensitivity, before reuse or redistribution.

   Implementations SHOULD maintain documented chain-of-custody logs and
   sanitization records (preferably digitally linked to device lifecycle
   entries) to provide verifiable proof of data erasure, increase donor
   trust, and protect privacy.

   Where feasible, refunctionalization (reuse/refurbishment) SHOULD be
   preferred over destruction, consistent with circular economy and
   environmental sustainability goals [ITU-T-L1081].

5.8.  Architectural Considerations for Access Networks

   The practices described in this BCP imply architectural
   considerations relevant to GAIA research, including:

   *  Device availability and repairability as part of the access
      architecture, not an external dependency.

   *  Federated registries as a decentralised control-plane component
      for device lifecycle management and accountability
      (verifiability).

   *  Alignment between network deployment lifecycles and device
      deplyment and lifecycles.

   *  Reduction of centralised/remote dependencies through local
      maintenance and governance.





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   These considerations may inform future research on access network
   architectures, operational sustainability, and resilience.

6.  Human Rights Considerations

   Device availability and governance affect:

   *  The right to access and benefit from the Internet;

   *  The right to repair and modify hardware;

   *  The right to privacy and autonomy;

   *  Environmental justice in communities affected by mining or
      e-waste.

   Circular practices SHOULD mitigate risks of:

   *  Data leaks from improperly erased devices;

   *  Surveillance risks via persistent identifiers or misconfigured
      software;

   *  Exclusion due to vendor lock-in or proprietary barriers;

   *  Unsafe or inequitable disposal practices.

7.  Security Considerations

   Risks include compromised devices, malicious firmware, insufficient
   data erasure, unauthorised access to inventories, and forged device
   histories.  These risks can undermine trust in reuse ecosystems and
   reduce access sustainability.

   Risks include:

   *  Tampered with or compromised devices;

   *  Malicious firmware;

   *  Insufficient data erasure;

   *  Unauthorized access to device details in inventories and
      registries;

   *  Forged or altered device histories.





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   These risks can undermine trust in reuse ecosystems and shared
   devices, and directly reduce access sustainability.

   Mitigations are RECOMMENDED, including:

   *  Verified testing and refurbishment workflows;

   *  Secure firmware reinstallation and configuration baselines;

   *  Cryptographic or tamper-evident logging where appropriate;

   *  Role-based access control for lifecycle systems;

   *  Periodic auditing and peer-review among participating
      organisations.

8.  Privacy Considerations

   Reuse systems SHOULD apply:

   *  Data minimization and least-privilege access;

   *  Local-first and decentralized architectures;

   *  Strong sanitization and verification practices;

   *  Transparent documentation of data handling;

   *  Encryption for sensitive metadata where stored or transferred.

   Device identifiers SHOULD be abstracted or scoped appropriately when
   feasible to reduce long-term cross-context correlation risks.

9.  Environmental and Sustainability Considerations

   Circular device management reduces [Roura2026]:

   *  Demand for new hardware;

   *  Raw material extraction;

   *  CO₂ emissions, land and water polution from manufacturing;

   *  e-waste in vulnerable communities, while increasing economic
      inclusion: build financial opportunities, increase economic
      independence, and create sustainable income sources.





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   Reuse and refurbishment (after secure sanitization) SHOULD be given
   priority over disposal.  By enabling safe refunctionalization of
   devices that would otherwise be discarded, communities reduce e-waste
   and environmental harm, consistent with circular economy principles
   and L.1081 guidance that supports reconditioning over destruction
   [ITU-T-L1081].

10.  Deployment Case Studies (Informative)

   This section is informative.  It illustrates how the practices in
   Section 5 have been applied in diverse contexts.

10.1.  Catalonia and Madrid (Spain): eReuse.org Ecosystem and Social
       Enterprises

   The eReuse.org ecosystem coordinates reuse circuits that connect
   donors (public and private organisations), social refurbishers,
   recyclers, community organisations, and beneficiaries [EREUSE].
   Typical operational characteristics include:

   *  Intake of unused devices through institutional donation channels;

   *  Structured diagnostics, refurbishment, and grading by social
      enterprises;

   *  Digital lifecycle traceability through open-source inventory
      tooling, supporting transparency and accountability;

   *  Allocation of refurbished devices to individuals and organisations
      through models that may include subsidised pricing, sponsorship,
      and collective access arrangements;

   *  Measurement approaches that support reporting of environmental and
      social outcomes (e.g., devices reused, avoided e-waste,
      beneficiary reach).

   eReuse deployments also experiment with collective access and
   ownership: devices may remain part of a shared pool and be
   redistributed as needs evolve, rather than being permanently assigned
   to individuals, increasing reuse cycles and long-term availability
   [Roura2025].










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10.2.  La Plata (Argentina): EKOA/UNLP Programmes

   EKOA at the National University of La Plata (UNLP) operates
   university-linked initiatives that integrate refurbishment, training,
   and outreach [EKOA-UNLP].  EKOA manages its own production plant for
   refurbished technological equipment.  Observed characteristics
   include:

   *  Involves students, faculty, non-teaching staff, researchers, and
      extension practitioners linked to university ecosystems, who
      perform activities within and outside the e-waste management and
      refurbishment plant, including diagnostics, repair,
      refunctionalization, and data sanitization.

   *  Refurbished devices are distributed to schools at all levels,
      community kitchens and food distribution centres, NGOs, hospitals,
      health centres, fire brigades, social organisations, university
      students, Indigenous communities, migrants, older adults, and
      other vulnerable communities.  Devices are typically delivered
      under loan-for-use (commodate) or chain-of-custody arrangements.

   *  The plant serves as a reception and training site for students
      from technical secondary schools and university students, who
      engage in training activities, work-based learning experiences,
      and degree projects.

   *  The plant is also a training space for cooperatives of urban
      recyclers, empowering youth and adults with practical skills
      across the device and WEEE management chain.

   *  Training activities are organised with equitable participation
      across genders.

   *  Environmental responsibility is integrated through secure channels
      across the WEEE management chain and promoted to donors and
      beneficiaries of refunctionalized devices.

   *  Device reuse is generally linked to digital literacy programmes
      and territorial initiatives that provide benefits to the wider
      community (e.g., hospitals, fire brigades, public services).

   *  The initiative includes environmental education projects aimed at
      primary and secondary schools.








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10.3.  Hahatay (Senegal): Device Availability and Inclusion in Rural and
       Peri-urban Contexts

   The Hahatay initiative addresses device scarcity in rural and peri-
   urban contexts where new hardware can be unaffordable or unavailable
   [HAHATAY].  Observed characteristics include:

   *  Sourcing and reusing devices as a practical prerequisite to
      meaningful connectivity;

   *  Integration with community programmes that support digital
      literacy and community benefit;

   *  Emphasis on locally appropriate maintenance and operational
      continuity.

   These contexts highlight the importance of aligning access-network
   plans with device availability and repair capacity to avoid stranded
   infrastructure.

10.4.  Rosario (Argentina): TAU/RAEE and Territorial Programmes in the
       Villas

   TAU/RAEE operates a community-embedded ecosystem in and around
   Rosario [TAU-RAEE].  A specialised cooperative (TAU) carries out the
   technical processes of diagnostics, repair, data sanitization,
   refurbishment, and e-waste management, while community centres and
   territorial programmes focus on access, accompaniment, and local
   participation.

   Observed characteristics include:

   *  A cooperative of young workers (TAU) manages the e-waste and
      refurbishment plant where diagnostics, repair, and data
      sanitization are carried out.

   *  Community centers do not perform the technical refurbishment
      themselves, but act as access and coordination points.

   *  Training programs empower youth and adults with practical skills.

   *  Refurbished devices are redistributed to schools, families,
      cooperatives, and social organizations, generally under cession-
      of-use schemes rather than as permanent donations, including
      maintenance and replacement, to preserve traceability.

   *  Inclusive pedagogical approaches prioritize women and
      underrepresented groups.



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   *  Environmental responsibility is integrated through safe recycling
      channels.

   *  Device reuse is connected to digital literacy programmes.

   These community-driven refurbishing and connectivity efforts embody
   community-centred meaningful connectivity: devices and networks are
   locally governed, refurbishment and reuse are collective, and
   infrastructure is shaped by community needs and practices, not by
   vendor-driven or top-down deployment.  [GISW2024]

   This model demonstrates how circular device management can be
   sustainably embedded in informal settlements and marginalized
   communities.

   This case illustrates a division of labour model that can be
   replicated: specialised refurbishers/cooperatives ensure technical
   integrity and sanitization, while community organisations ensure
   access, inclusion, and community-centred governance.

11.  Replication Guidelines

   Organisations seeking to replicate these practices SHOULD consider:

   *  Establishing partnerships among donors, specialised refurbishers,
      community organisations, and (where relevant) access-network
      operators;

   *  Deploying open-source, interoperable inventory tooling to enable
      traceability and accountability;

   *  Developing training pathways (diagnostics, software installation/
      configuration, repair, sanitization, responsible e-waste
      handling);

   *  Selecting appropriate governance models, including collective
      access where it improves equity and sustainability;

   *  Aligning device availability with connectivity provision and local
      access conditions;

   *  Defining privacy and security controls, including sanitization
      verification and role-based access to inventories;

   *  Establishing impact reporting for environmental and social
      outcomes to maintain trust and continuous improvement;

   *  Comply with WEEE management and re-functionalisation regulations.



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12.  IANA Considerations

   This document has no IANA actions.

13.  Acknowledgements

   The author thanks the participating communities and organisations
   whose operational experience informed this document, including
   eReuse.org, with Solidança [SOLIDANCA] and ReutilizaK as member
   social enterprises, EKOA/UNLP, TAU/RAEE, Hahatay, and the community
   organisations and beneficiaries involved in deployment, training, and
   reuse circuits.

   The authors also acknowledge the contributions of Juan Flores
   (Reutilizak), Daniel Florin (Solidança), David Franquesa
   (eReuse.org), Sergio Giménez (hahatay.org), and Pedro Vilchez
   (eReuse.org), whose practical experience and insights informed the
   development of the practices described in this document.

14.  References

14.1.  Normative References

   [RFC2119]  Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
              Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC2119, March 1997,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc2119>.

   [RFC8174]  Leiba, B., "Ambiguity of Uppercase vs Lowercase in RFC
              2119 Key Words", BCP 14, RFC 8174, DOI 10.17487/RFC8174,
              May 2017, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc8174>.

14.2.  Other Normative References

   [ITU-T-L1081]
              International Telecommunication Union, "Recommendation
              ITU-T L.1081: Good practices for the sanitization of the
              information storage media in end-of-life ICT user
              devices", July 2025,
              <https://www.itu.int/rec/T-REC-L.1081>.

14.3.  Informative References

   [COMMODATE]
              Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, "Commodate",
              <https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commodate>.





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   [EKOA-UNLP]
              Universidad Nacional de La Plata, "EKOA programme
              website", <https://ekoa.unlp.edu.ar/>.

   [EREUSE]   eReuse.org, "eReuse.org initiative website",
              <https://ereuse.org/>.

   [GISW2024] Association for Progressive Communications (APC),
              "Meaningful connectivity: What does 'meaningful' mean in
              the context of the Internet?", Series Global Information
              Society Watch (GISWatch), 2024, <https://gisw.org/en/
              internet-governance-civil-society-participation-internet-
              rights/what-does-meaningful>.

   [HAHATAY]  Hahatay Network, "Hahatay community initiatives website",
              <https://hahatay.network/>.

   [Ostrom1990]
              Ostrom, E., "Governing the Commons: The Evolution of
              Institutions for Collective Action", Publisher Cambridge
              University Press, 1990.

   [Roura2025]
              Roura, M., Navarro, L., and R. Meseguer, "Reuse of ICT
              devices as commons: a property rights and governance model
              for collective access", Journal ACM Journal on Computing
              and Sustainable Societies, 2025,
              <https://doi.org/10.1145/3770067>.

   [Roura2026]
              Roura, M., Navarro, L., and R. Meseguer, "Assessing the
              impacts of computer reuse for digital inclusion from
              product information", Journal Cleaner Production Letters,
              Volume 10, Article 100123, 2026,
              <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clpl.2025.100123>.

   [SOLIDANCA]
              Solidança, "Solidança social enterprise website",
              <https://solidanca.cat/>.

   [TAU-RAEE] TAU/RAEE, "TAU – Gestión de Residuos de Aparatos
              Eléctricos y Electrónicos", <https://tau.org.ar/raee/>.

Authors' Addresses







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   Leandro Navarro
   ISOC.CAT
   Barcelona
   Spain
   Email: leandro@ereuse.org


   Mireia Roura
   eReuse.org
   Barcelona
   Spain
   Email: m.roura@ereuse.org


   Eduardo Rodriguez
   TAU/RAEE
   Rosario
   Argentina
   Email: eduardorodriguez@tau.org.ar


   Viviana Ambrosi
   EKOA/UNLP
   La Plata
   Argentina
   Email: viviana.ambrosi@ekoa.unlp.edu.ar

























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