Internet-in-a-Box “learning hotspots” are used in dozens of countries, to give everyone a chance, e.g. in remote mountain villages in India.
It works without internet — like a community fountain, but for the mind — wirelessly serving anyone nearby with a smartphone, tablet or laptop.

I love everything about this project. It acts as a Wi-Fi hotspot with preloaded data that can serve the community. Wikipedia, eBooks, online courses, medical reference material, the possibilities are endless.

Will it also let people connect with each other through this central hub? Assuming you could supply people with devices, how would a digital messaging utility transform a community? (There is a cynic in me that announces, “Bringing the Worst Parts of Nextdoor to the World!” but I choose to be optimistic today.)