Two students helped to bring internet connectivity to underserved homestead families on Molokaʻi, addressing a critical gap in digital access that has long hindered residents.
Andrew Alling, a junior electrical engineering student in the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s College of Engineering, and Kainalu Seales, a senior at Kamehameha Schools Kapālama, partnered on a project to install Starlink satellite internet systems for multiple families across some of the island’s homestead lots. The initiative is part of a broader effort to provide basic infrastructure to residents who previously had no electricity or internet connection.
“I feel like I’m paying back a debt because this community has provided so much for me.” — Kainalu Seales
“There are residents living on appropriated land that do not currently have access to electricity or internet,” Alling explained.
On November 23, the pair traveled to Molokaʻi and helped provide internet access for nearly 50 residents from several families. For Seales, the project holds personal significance. Growing up on Molokaʻi, he experienced the community’s collaborative spirit of sharing resources, from hunting to fishing.
“I feel like I’m paying back a debt because this community has provided so much for me,” he said.
Connectivity, educational opportunities
The project’s impact extends beyond immediate internet access. Alling emphasized the educational opportunities this connectivity will create, particularly for the island’s youth.
“Getting the children connected to the internet is going to unlock a lot of doors for opportunities, particularly education,” he noted, highlighting how access to online resources can teach valuable skills.
Seales, who participated in the UH Mānoa College of Engineering’s Junior Engineers Summer STEM Experience this year, reflected on his own journey, acknowledging that he had to leave Molokaʻi to access opportunities.
“I had to leave Molokaʻi to get these opportunities,” he said. “It’s sad that kids on Molokaʻi wouldn’t have been given these opportunities if they stayed.”
The pair received $2,000 in funding for the project through the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Microwave Theory and Technology Society UH Mānoa chapter. They stressed that meaningful change doesn’t require extraordinary resources or expertise.
“You can be a regular person and make a difference,” Seales said. “It just takes inspiration and knowing to actually go out and do something.”
The internet installation is just one part of a larger micro-grid project aimed at providing solar and wind energy to Molokaʻi’s homestead communities. The students plan to continue their work, with another visit to the island scheduled in the coming months.
