Internet for Refugees

We are the volunteer initiative “Freifunk Pinneberg” and are currently working to provide free, open Wi-Fi throughout the Pinneberg district.

Freifunk sees itself as a social, community-driven network for everyone. It is built by citizens, for citizens. We have no commercial interests and operate completely independently of any service providers.

Just like other Freifunk initiatives in cities such as Hamburg, which already support many refugee accommodations and facilities with Wi-Fi, the idea for such engagement has also taken root here in Pinneberg.

From other Freifunk groups, we hear that refugees who have access to Wi-Fi are incredibly grateful for this means of communication. They use the network to stay in touch with their home countries (via Skype or Viber), keeping contact with the family and friends they had to leave behind. A landline or mobile call would be prohibitively expensive, and the available mobile data plans here are only of limited use for a long-term stay. Social contact and entertainment are important factors in preventing boredom and frustration.

In addition to communication, internet access can help refugees find their footing in a foreign country. They can inform themselves about the asylum process or learn the German language via smartphone, as supported by a current government project.

We would now like to equip as many accommodations and meeting places in the district as possible, and we hope our idea resonates with you. We always rely on the support of neighbors who are willing to share a small part of their internet connection.

The Freifunk routers protect your private network from external access and provide legal safety through a VPN tunnel.

Get involved and contact us!