Examining the Role of Public Access to Technology : April-June 2010 by Centre for Science, Development and Media Studies (CSDMS)

Vol III | Issue 9 | April - June 2010

www.telecentremagazine.net

Face2Face

shankar aggarwal, ashutosh chadha

TelecentresRus: More Lemonadeâ&#x20AC;Ś! Richard Fuchs

360 Latam Project Empowers Telecentre Networks to Provide Value-Added Services Marnie Webb, Elliot Harmon

IATP: ICT Promotes Freedom of Communication and Information in the Former Soviet Union Mark Skogen, Myles Smith

telecentre.org Foundation Launch Ceremony, Makati City, Philippines

Banging the gong to announce Foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s launch

Basheerhamad Shadrach addressing the participants

Basheerhamad Shadrach with Ahmed Mahmoud Eisa and Nabil Eid

Symbolic transfer of telecentre.org programme from IDRC to Philippines

Telecentre stakeholders at the launch

Basheerhamad Shadrach with Akhtar Badshah, Microsoft

Contents Volume III | Issue 9 | April - June 2010

FEATURES

Editorial

360 Latam Project Empowers Telecentre Networks to Provide Value-Added Services

IATP: ICT Promotes Freedom of Communication and Information in the Former Soviet Union

Consolidation and Expansion of the ESCWA Knowledge Network

The Dynamics of Capacity Building Programme for Telecentre Managers

Telecentre Revolution in Rwanda: Challenges and Prospects

Get Online Philippines: New Partnerships and New CeCs

FACE2FACE

AISECT Common Services Centres

Ashutosh Chadha: ‘Intel Outside’: Integrating Technology in Community Learning

COUNTRY FOCUS

CSC SCAN

Shankar Aggarwal: Changing the Face of Rural India through Common Services Centres

Burundi Community Telecentre Network 2010: Moving Forward

1000 IDEAS

Nenasakmana: Telecentre on Wheels

Telecentres For ‘First Communion’ Preparation

GRASSROOTS STORIES

Basic and Customised Internet Literacy Course for Rural Women

GRASSROOTS STORIES

Yara Obiedo: Walking Towards a Brighter Future

KNOWLEDGE RESOURCES

58 TELECENTRESRUS

More Lemonade...!

Reaching the Unreached: Community Based Village Knowledge Centres and Village Resource Centres You can download the complete version of the magazine from www.telecentremagazine.net

Cover Page: A telecentre located in a Post Office in Sapareva Banya, Bulgaria Photo Credit: Silvina FSA

April - June 2010

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w w w. t e l e c e n t r e m a g a z i n e . n e t

EDITORIAL

Continuum after Change: The Movement Surges Ahead Volume III | Issue 9 | April - June 2010

The April-June issue of the telecentre magazine focuses on

Advisory Board

continuum after change, which was the predominant theme

Dr. M P Narayanan President, CSDMS

of the previous issue. Following this natural rhythm, the

Gerolf Weigel Depurty Country Director Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, India

to enlighten its readers. The major highlights of this issue

magazine brings forth new stories from the telecentre world are the two Face2Face, one with Shankar Aggarwal, who

Michael Clarke Director, ICT4D International Development Research Centre, Canada Akhtar Badshah Senior Director, Global Community Affairs Microsoft Corporation, USA Florencio Ceballos Senior Programme Specialist, IDRC, Canada

Editorial Team

is leading the CSC project initiated by the Department of Information Technology, Government of India and the other with Ashutosh Chadha, who heads the Strategic Education Initiative under Intel Corporation’s Corporate Group Affairs in the Asia Pacific Region. Both interviews are extremely relevant to the telecentre world. While the former details the success and challenges associated with the implementation and

Editorial Advisor Basheerhamad Shadrach Executive Director, telecentre.org Foundation, Manila, Philippines Editor-in-Chief Dr. Ravi Gupta Executive Director, CSDMS Team Members Shipra Sharma, Indrani Kashyap, Subir Dey Editorial Consultant Karim Kasim, Rasha El Baz, Cuchie Echeverria, Leonce Sessou, Sandra Nassali, Francis Mwathi, Laia Fauro Gual, Macarena Diaz von der Hundt, Seuwandi Yapa, Luiza Caldas, Eiko Kawamura and Catalina Cruz Cuellar

management of world’s biggest Government initiated telecentre project, the Common Services Centre (CSC) Programme; the latter talks about the ways in which Intel Corporation is supporting the telecentres or shared access centres through its CSR activities modelled to facilitate ICT based community learning and empowerment. We have seen Intel Inside so many times, but this is what Intel is doing ‘outside’ in the telecentre space. The partnership that Intel and telecentre.org Foundation are negotiating could be extremely advantageous to the world wide telecentre community.

Designers Bishwajeet, Om Prakash, Shyam Kishore

The CSCs are the ‘change agents’ that are going to sweep through the country

Web Management Zia Salauddin, Amit Pal, Sandhya Giri, Anil Kumar

and bring about an e-Revolution in a couple of years when fully implemented.

Subscription and Circulation Astha Mittra (Mobile: +91-9810077258, subscription@elets.in), Manoj Kumar, Gunjan Singh

The ambitious, but achievable target of establishing 250,000 CSCs across the rural and semi-urban areas of India makes it stand out as ‘one of a kind’ project in terms of its nature and scale. It could act as a role model for the governments in the

Centre for Science, Development and Media Studies, 2007 Except where otherwise stated, this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Share Alike Attribution 3.0 License

Partners The ‘telecentre magazine’ is produced by the Centre for Science, Development and Media Studies in collaboration with telecentre.org. Published quarterly, it provides an in-depth review and analysis of the role of public access to technology, focusing on research findings, innovations, and current thinking and debates.

developing countries. The current issue also talks about one of the most successful telecentre programmes initiated in the Eurasian region by International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX) called the Internet Access and Training Centre (IATP) project; and the 360 LATAM project coordinated by TechSoup Global with its partners to support telecentres in the Latin American region. Moreover, the country focus section profiles the telecentre movement in the Republic of Burundi, a small country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa. From its neighbouring country, Rwanda, Paul Barera talks about the RTN or Rwanda Telecentre Network and its current and future plans. In CSC Scan, we have profiled a reputed Service Centre Agency, the AISECT. There are

Social Investors

also other regular sections to add value to these features. So, happy reading till the next issue!

To download full magazine visit: www.telecentremagazine.net

April - June 2010

Dr. Ravi Gupta Ravi.Gupta@csdms.in

FACE2FACE WITH SHANKAR AGGARWAL

Changing the Face of Rural India through Common Services Centres

Photo credit: CSDMS

Shankar Aggarwal, a 1980 batch Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, is leading the Common Services Centre (CSC) project of the Government of India (GoI), which happens to be the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest telecentre network. At present, he holds the position of Joint Secretary in the Department of Information Technology, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, GoI, where he is in charge of the e-Governance portfolio. Under his efficient leadership, the country is all set to achieve the mammoth target of establishing 250,000 CSCs across the Indian rural and semi-urban landscape. In a Face2Face with telecentre magazine, he shares the achievements, success and learnings derived from the implementation of a programme of this nature and scale.

w w w. t e l e c e n t r e m a g a z i n e . n e t

behalf

the

telecentre

magazine, we congratulate you for successfully

leading

the

Common

Services Centre (CSC) programme and its implementation!

Photo credit: CSDMS

Conceived as mechanisms for facilitating e-governance in the rural and remote areas across the country, the CSC programme entered the fifth year in 2010. So, for the benefit of the global readers of the telecentre magazine, please tell us about the progress achieved in its implementation so far. Shankar Aggarwal presenting a token of appreciation to one of the exhibitors during eIndia 2009

As far as the CSC programme is concerned, its actual implementation started only in 2008. And as on date, around 80 thousand CSCs have been

also escalate from 100,000 to 2,50,000

of this challenge. But because of the

set up across the country, which in

global melt down and other challenges,

itself is a great achievement if you

Panchayats or the local self government

they were not able to provide this

consider the nature and scale of

institutions in India.

support. Additionally, somehow, it is

delay

were in

responsible

implementing

for the

The

with

Panchayats

the

are

number

interlinked with the selection of the

the

very big role today. All the important

VLE. If you are able to identify a very

CSC

government programmes are being

enthusiastic and passionate VLE with

programme implementation. Several factors

keeping

playing

implemented at the village level under

entrepreneurial skills, he will himself

the

the aegis of the panchayats. Through

make his CSC successful.

contracts with the Service Centre

the integration of ICTs in the Panchayat

But, while selecting the VLE, some

Agencies or SCAs, who are actually

system, a lot of things like accounts,

of the SCAs, instead of looking at their

implementing this programme on

monitoring, etc. can be taken care of.

entrepreneurial qualities, considered

the ground;

programme, like: a) The

delay

formalising

So, the CSCs should be relocated in the

mainly monetary aspects and selected

b) The reluctance of the private sector

Panchayat premises wherever possible.

the person willing to invest money in the

to invest in this programme because

We are consulting with the concerned

range of Rs 50-100 thousand to set up

of the global melt-down;

ministry and we are trying to convince

a CSC, thereby ignoring other qualities

them to use this infrastructure. It would

associated with a good entrepreneur.

also curtail duplication of efforts.

Now, we are advising them to consider

c) The delay in providing G2C services through the CSCs. The state governments have taken

these qualities while selecting the VLE. Even if people are selected on the basis

Since we have already set up more

The success of the CSC programme is interlinked with a number of factors like appropriate capacity building of the Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs), reliable connectivity and content and services, etc. In addition to the progress made so far, what are the next steps in terms of continuity and changes in these areas?

than 80,000 CSCs, we consider it a good

Yes,

huge

in most of the cases, the money was

achievement, if we take into account

challenge and is also important to

invested by the VLEs, not by the SCAs,

all the challenges associated with the

make the CSCs sustainable. At the time

so, the motivational factor was missing

implementation of the programme.

of implementing this programme, we

among the SCAs, as they had already

Moreover, the number of the CSCs will

presumed that the SCAs would take care

made some money out of this venture.

a lot of initiatives, but the speed of

implementation

has

not

been

according to Government of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (GoI) expectations. As per the schedule, the GoI was supposed to set up 100,000 CSCs by the end of June 2009. But it was a really ambitious target, so now the renewed target is December 2010.

April - June 2010

capacity

building

of other criteria, we have to ensure that they learn the skills to operate the CSCs. Secondly, earlier, we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the mandatory provision of the SCAs investing in the CSC programme. We (DIT) left it to the SCAs to have an arrangement with the VLEs. Since

Now we are thinking of making it

Connectivity and electricity have

Another change brought in through

mandatory for the SCAs to feed in some

been the major challenges impeding

the CSCs is financial inclusion. About 65

investorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; investment into it, so that

the growth of the programme. As soon

per cent of the people living in the rural

he has a stake in the programme and

as we ensure good and round the clock

areas are not financially included. Now,

he would strive to make it a success.

connectivity and power supply, the

through the CSCs, they are able to avail

Consequently, he would also ensure

CSCs will change the face of the country.

of banking, micro-finance and other

the selection of good people for this

Then, the VLE will not suffer losses

financial services. Because of being able

programme.

since the CSCs will remain open all the

to operate a bank account, they can

In terms of content and services,

time for more and more people to come

have financial stability. Moreover, on

different state governments have taken

and utilise its services. In the villages,

that credibility, they can also apply for a

initiative and several services are being

since the VLEs will be available at the

loan. So, they can start small businesses

delivered through the CSCs, like land

CSCs to guide the people and help them

and improve their income.

records

utilise its services, they would prefer

At the same time, a lot of information

going there and save their money, time

regarding pesticides, fertilizers, seeds

and energy.

will be available to the farmers. The

System

Management (MIS)

for

Information

National

Rural

Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) job card, agricultural information, electoral cards updation, MIS for National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), telemedicine, employment information, Right to Information (RTI), consumer awareness information and publicity, utility bill payments,

online

ticketing,

postal

services, financial inclusion, etc. The government has also agreed to transfer data collection jobs related to the digitisation of the National Population Register (NPR) for the issuance of the Unique Identification Number (UID) project to the CSCs in principle. We are working on its implementation.

According to you, what have been the major achievements of this programme? Please tell in detail for the benefit of our readers.

only challenge is to deliver this content

CSCs are the change agents because, first of all, through the CSCs and the ICT infrastructure available there, the poor and marginalised people can have access to all kinds of relevant information and opportunities. Its unavailability is the primary reason for their poverty

in local language. Right now, majority of online content is in English language only. But, I think, in two/ three years time, a lot of relevant content in local languages will be available on the Internet. So, once you have access to information, public services, financial services,

good

quality

educational

content, etc. rural life will improve tremendously.

From your perspective, what have been the major impediments to implementing the CSC programme across the country? What strategy did you and your team deploy to counter these challenges? Because of its nature and scale, the CSC programme has been facing a lot of bottlenecks. We have taken a number of

CSCs are already functioning. The rural

The CSCs are described as the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Change Agentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in the society. What are the changes that the CSCs are catalysing and/ or could catalyse in rural India?

populace has also benefitted from this

They are the change agents because,

Earlier as per the Master Service

programme. Many of the CSCs may

first of all, through the CSCs and the

Agreement or MSA, the SCAs were

not be working optimally, but people

ICT infrastructure available there, the

supposed to provide connectivity.

are getting a lot of information from

poor and marginalised people can

But in actual situation, either the

them. For example, in Madhya Pradesh,

have access to all kinds of relevant

connectivity was not there or its

all the examination results and forms

information

Its

quality was rather poor. So, DIT

are available online. So, now, instead

unavailability is the primary reason for

is supporting BSNL financially to

of going to the nearby town, they go

their poverty. So, in other words, he or

provide connectivity. As per their

to the CSCs for filling up these forms

she could be at par with their better off

schedule,

and submitting them online. A lot of

counterparts in the urban areas in terms

to provide connectivity to all the

other information and services are also

of knowledge about opportunities. This

100,000 CSCs by September 2009.

available online.

is real empowerment.

But because of several impediments,

I would say that the people are very enthusiastic about the programme. As mentioned, at present, 80 thousand

and

opportunities.

steps to solve these challenges: a) Problems associated with round the clock availability of connectivity-

they

were

supposed

w w w. t e l e c e n t r e m a g a z i n e . n e t

iii) The

delay

providing

G2C

services through the CSCs. The state governments have taken a lot of initiatives, but the speed of implementation has not been according to Government of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (GoI) expectations. Due to all these challenges, the CSCs are not getting the kind of revenue,

which

was

expected

them. In addition, they have not been Map credit: www.csc-india.org

able to achieve respectability in the community they are serving. Moreover, we are going to increase the number of the CSCs to 250,000. When we are able to tackle all the above mentioned issues and challenges, then, the private sector would be more willing to set up CSCs and these would be viable from such as the slippage, the time taken

is also a big issue. We are planning

to formalise the contracts, etc., they

to give the VLEs a fixed monthly

were not able to adhere to their

revenue viability support, which

timeline. Now, according to the

would enable them to pay for solar

renewed target, we are planning to

panels or connectivity. We are also

provide connectivity to each and

thinking in terms of giving a token

every CSC by December 2010 or by

salary of Rs. 500 to the VLEs. This

early 2011. We are also considering

way, at the end of the day, they

alternative connectivity devices.

would realise that even if he hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t

day one.

b) The second major challenge is power

been able to generate any income,

availability, but it is not in our (DITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s)

he has some money. So, both these

We understand that henceforth, CSC eGovernance Services India Ltd, a Special Purpose Vehicle, set up by the DIT, will be leading the CSC programme across the country. Please throw some light on its organisational and management structure. What are its plans to take this movement forward?

control. We have advised the SCAs

incentives will act as a motivational

Yes, we have already incorporated

to install generator sets in the CSCs

factor for the VLE to continue to

in the CSC programme a Special

to generate electricity. But power

operate the CSC. Anyway, whenever

Purpose Vehicle (SPV) known as CSC

through the generator sets is very

you set up a micro enterprise like

e-Governance Services India Ltd. At

expensive, so, the VLEs are hesitant

the CSC, you would not earn money

the central level, the SPV will play a

to use them. In the first place, they

from day one. It takes almost a year

major role in coordinating the CSC

are not able to generate revenue

or so to set up a business and start

programme. For achieving this, the SPV

and by using the generator sets, the

generating income through it.

will have arrangements with the SCAs

cost of running the CSC will further

There are several other challenges

on the one hand and with important

escalate and they will be required to

that need to be addressed in a

Financial institutions and organisations,

invest money from their pocket. To

collaborative manner because of the

like the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), on

find an answer to this problem, the

multiplicity

the other.

GoI is considering solar and other

actions influence the outcome of these

alternative sources of energy. On an

challenges. Some of these are:

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)

average, a CSC requires 300 or 350

i) The delay in formalising the contracts

with CISCO for the delivery of good

watts of power to run smoothly. So,

with the Service Centre Agencies or

quality educational and health related

if they are able to fulfill their energy

SCAs, who are actually implementing

content. They have also agreed to

requirements through a solar panel,

this programme on the ground;

provide the content in local languages.

stakeholders

whose

have

also

entered

into

then they would not be dependent

ii) The reluctance of the private sector

The SPV is also going to ensure more

on the conventional energy sources.

to invest in this programme because

robust knowledge sharing among the

of the global melt down;

SCAs and the VLEs.

c) Financial sustainability of the CSCs April - June 2010

initiated the process of developing the content. Thereafter, all the VLEs will be trained based on these modules. These modules are not only on Computer education, but they take up other topics related

telecentre

management,

like entrepreneurship skill building, delivering G2C and financial services, effective communication skills, etc. In this way, they can have a broader Photo credit: CSDMS

view of the services to be channeled through the CSCs. In this respect, we are in dialogue with IGNOU and other Shankar Aggarwal talking about the National eGovernance Plan of the Indian Government

organisations

and

they

are

considering it.

like Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Telugu, etc,

According to you, what are the lessons that national and regional telecentre networks operating in other parts of the world could take from the coordination and implementation of the Indian CSC programme.

so that the VLEs are able to read it.

The first thing to note about this

A delegation led by you visited ATACH, telecentre.org Foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chilean network and had a good interaction with them. As far as India is concerned, how would you advise telecentre.org Foundation to go about building a national network in this country?

than 50% of the people will be able to

Learning is essential for the VLE

programme is that it is one of its kind.

The telecentre.org Foundation can

because he has invested a lot of money

No where in the world, a programme

achieve this through enabling and

in the business and he must also

of this stature is being developed or

facilitating knowledge and best practices

earn. He should be exposed to what

implemented. In India, we are setting

sharing and learning at the global level.

telecentres are doing in other countries,

up 250,000 telecentres. So, problems

Here the Foundation can play a very

like Chile. For example, in Chile, we

important role in bringing in awareness

learnt that telecentres are being used for

enterprise,

about the wider telecentre networks. It

a number of social activities also, such

from the government are bound to

will make them feel a part of the wider

as generating awareness for keeping

happen.

global network where their counterparts

the neighbourhood clean. They have

with the way we have managed this

are

innovating

and

make use of them. Even the telecentre magazine should be made available in at least four or five Indian languages,

that

connectivity,

mandatory

The

energy,

conditions

learnings

associated

experimenting

become a centre for social activities

programme could be shared all across

with a number of services, technology,

and they are bringing in a lot of changes

the world. We have developed the PPP

content, etc. But these best practices

through the telecentres. The moment

model to implement this programme,

should be made available in the local

the VLEs are connected with the world,

but in other countries, the programme

languages. For example, a number of

they will feel empowered.

is being implemented either through

new practices are being adopted by

community participation where it is owned by the community, or the entire

to disseminate good practices from

One of the main pillars of telecentre.org Foundation is the Academy. Post the inputs received from your organisation, especially from you, the Foundation has amended and simplified the course content. How will your department encourage VLEs to sign up for the course?

all over the world. Today the major

In this regard, we have requested

robust one. These CSCs are also catering

deterrent to sharing is the unavailability

IGNOU, the secretariat of the telecentre.

to villages comprising

of content in local languages. Even if

org

people compared to their counterparts

the content is available in Hindi, more

for VLE training. They have already

telecentres in Chile. Those practices should be shared with the Indian VLEs running telecentres in India. At the moment, it is not happening. So, I would request the telecentre.org Foundation to develop some knowledge sharing models in local languages and use them

Academy

develop

content

programme is being implemented by the government. Here in India, the scenario is a little different - the government

providing

all

the

necessary support, and the investment is being made by the private sector. So, the Indian CSC model is the most thousands of

in other countries. ď ą w w w. t e l e c e n t r e m a g a z i n e . n e t

COUNTRY FOCUS: BURUNDI

Burundi Community Telecentre Network 2010: Moving Forward Burundi: Country profile

Lake. In addition to its landlocked

The Republic of Burundi is a small

geography, Burundi was also involved in

landlocked country of 27,83 sq km in

a long civil war from 1993 to 2007, which

the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa,

hampered its economic development

surrounded by Tanzania, the Democratic

to a great extent.

Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda.

NKURUNZIZA Jean Paul Chairman, Burundi Community Telecentre Network (BCTN) He is an ICT activist involved in different initiatives to promote ICTs in Burundi. In 2000, he co founded a youth ICT organisation called Burundi Youth Training Centre (BYTC). Since 2007, he has been engaged in capacity building in Internet Governance issues. email: nkurunziza1999@yahoo.fr

Burundi’s

largest

industry

It occupies a high plateau divided by

agriculture, which accounted for 58%

several deep valleys. Currently, it has

of the GDP in 1997. Approximately 90%

about eight millions inhabitants, out

of the agriculture is subsistence based.

of which 40% are illiterate. The country

The nation’s largest source of revenue

landscape is generally mountainous

is coffee, which makes up for 93% of

with a small plain near the Tanganyika

Burundi’s exports. Other agriculture products include cotton, tea, maize, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, manioc (tapioca), beef, milk, and hides. Some of Burundi’s natural resources include uranium, nickel, cobalt, copper, and platinum. Besides agriculture, other industries include: assembly of imported components, public works construction, food processing, and light consumer goods, such as blankets, shoes, and soap.

ICT policy environment and the emergence of telecentres in Burundi In addition to the challenges mentioned above, the country is facing many challenges in the ICT domain as well. These include lack of infrastructures, lack

enabling

regulatory

environment, lack of human resources in this domain, expensive available services,

digital

divide

between

Bujumbura, the capital city and other Map Credit: Google maps

parts of the country, and so on. However, good plans are being made to improve this

situation.

The

improvements

have begun with the drafting of an ICT strategic plan (2010-2025) for the April - June 2010

country.

Burundi

Community 11

Telecentre Network ( BCTN) was legally registered in Burundi on 11th July 2008 as a not for profit organisation. It was created in the context of the wider regional and international telecentre movement: East African Telecentre Network, African Telecentre Network, and the global telecentre movement led by telecentre.org. The telecentre leaders leading the BCTN were in touch Photo Credit:NKURUNZIZA Jean Paul

with telecentre.org since 2006. The vision guiding the BCTN is to “contribute to the prosperity of rural areas of Burundi through the use of ICT.” They believe that it can be achieved by the multiplication of rural telecentres. Burundi was left behind in the area of setting up rural telecentres

Opening session at the BCTN Strategic Planning Workshop

when it was being done in other parts of the developing world at the end of 1990s and the beginning of 2000s. This

areas suffered the worst. Because of the

In the area of Internet connectivity

may be due to the civil war that irrupted

insecurity caused by the civil war, no

provision, there are many operators,

in Burundi between 1993 and 2007.

such actions could be undertaken in the

but most of them are operating in

The civil war thwarted development

rural areas. The main founders of the

Bujumbura, the capital city of Burundi.

of any kind in Burundi and the rural

BCTN were practitioners from Burundi

These are CBINET, SPIDERNET, USAN,

Youth Training Centre (BYTC, www.

OSA. In addition, most of the telecom

bytc.bi), Digital centre of Kiremba and

operators have introduced Internet

Giheta Community Multi-media Centre

provision into their services through

(CMC) owned by Dushirehamwe. Other

technologies, such as Code Division

associations included ADGI, Youth

Multiple Access (CDMA) and General

Media, and CEFOPAD.

Packet Radio Service (GPRS).

The vision guiding the BCTN is to “contribute to the prosperity of rural areas of Burundi through the use of ICT.” They believe that it can be achieved by the multiplication of rural telecentres. Burundi was left behind in the area of setting up rural telecentres when it was being done in other parts of the developing world at the end of 1990s and the beginning of 2000 12

At the national level, the Government

The statistical data show that the use

of Burundi has now adopted a National

of ICTs in Burundi is still at a low rate,

ICT

2010-2025.

but mobile subscription is making a

Previously also, since 2002, several

Development

plan

real progress. On 8 millions inhabitants,

ICT development plans were made,

there were 227,000 mobile phone

but no real actions were undertaken.

subscribers in 2008 (http://www.20mai.

The telecom market was liberalised

net/2008/05/14/227000-abonnes-a-

in 1997 and the national Telecom

la-telephonie-mobile-au-burundi/).

Regulatory Agency was also created in

In addition to classic telecom services,

the same year (http://www.ileap-jeicp.

ECONET company has just introduced

org/downloads/burundi_march_

money transfer through mobile phones

2010/presentations/session_vi_

in Burundi, a project similar to the

telecommunication.pdf).

Currently,

M-Pesa initiative in Kenya. Under

several telecom operators are operating

the support of World Bank, the main

in Burundi and all its provinces are

telecom operators in Burundi have

now covered by mobile networks: like

set up the BBS (Burundi Backbone

ONATEL, U-COM LEO, AFRICELL-

System). BBS aims at building a national

TEMPO, ECONET and LACELL. Also,

fibre optic backbone to be linked to

HITS TELECOM is about to begin it’s

East African regional infrastructures.

operations in Burundi.

This regional infrastructure will allow w w w. t e l e c e n t r e m a g a z i n e . n e t

Francophonie in Gitega, Ruyigi and

Burundi’s ICT Fact File 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Name Area Capital Population GDP, Total Main (fixed) telephone lines Mobile Cellular subscriptions Ratio of Mobile Cellular subscriptions to fixed telephone lines Internet subscribers Internet users Broadband subscribers

Republic of Burundi 27,830 sq km Bujumbura 8,988,091 (2009 est.) 1.11 (B US$) 0.38 per 100 inhabitants 10.10 per 100 inhabitants 26.6 : 1 0.06 per 100 inhabitants 0.78 per 100 inhabitants 0.2 (000s)

Source: International Telecommunication Union, Country Data by Region (2009), accessed on 18 June, 2010, available at http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ICTEYE/Indicators/ Indicators.aspx#

Makamba.

Progress of the telecentre movement in the country Recently, BCTN, with support from Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU (CTA) held the strategic planning workshop for next five years’ period: 2010 – 2014. It was

organised

“Centre

Communautaire de Bujumbura” from 25 to 27th January 2010. The

workshop

was

also

opportunity for the telecentre leaders

The statistical data show that the use of ICTs in Burundi is still at a low rate, but mobile subscription is making a real progress. On 8 millions inhabitants, there were 227,000 mobile phone subscribers in 2008

strengthen the agricultural information

to advertise the existence of BCTN in

through ICTs. This is because the rural

Burundi. The workshop was officially

farming community constitute a major

launched by the Director of ICT division

part of the Burundian population

at the Ministry of Transport, Posts and

(http://setic.gov.bi).

Telecommunication, Burundi. About

In Burundi, There are now three

60 participants attended it and showed

main community telecentre initiatives:

their commitment to the cause. The

The CMC of Dushirehamwe (a

participants selected for this workshop

woman organisation located in

represented

Giheta with a community radio)

included:

•

The Digital Centre of Kiremba

•

The

•

BYTC’s

school

based

various

Representatives governmental

sectors

that from

institutions,

Telecentre

especially the National Secretariat

Digital centres set up by the

of ICTs. This one is in charge of

connecting Burundi to the international broadband infrastructures, like EASSY, SEACOM, etc. (http://www.starafrica. com/fr/actualites/news-tech/article/ burundi-backbone-system-signe-unPhoto Credit: NKURUNZIZA Jean Paul

accord-55097.html).

Main programmes and initiatives under Burundi telecentre movement The strategic plan for the development of ICTs in Burundi ( 2010-2025) has integrated a component for rural access that is planned to favour community access points. Also, the plan intends to April - June 2010

Speed-geek session at the workshop 13

the elaboration of the National ICT policy. •

Representatives

from

telecom

operators, •

Representatives

from

local

governmental structures (district administrators) •

Representatives

from

organisations

Bilateral (Belgian

Cooperation) Representatives from International

Photo Credit: NKURUNZIZA Jean Paul

•

development agencies ( UNESCO) •

Representatives from local NGOs

•

Representatives community

from

information

other access

centres (ADEN project centres) •

Representatives

from

media

(journalists)s •

Representatives

from

Community radio at the CMC

farmers’

associations from rural areas, etc. On the first day, (after the official

a successful telecentre can achieve

followed by a one-day session validation

launch), as the word ‘Telecentre’ was

for the community. The presentation

workshop.

unfamiliar to most of the participants,

was made by Jean Paul NKURUNZIZA,

workshop, the consultant and the

different presentations were made to

Chairman of BCTN, who had physically

BCTN team will be fine tuning the plan

allow participants to understand it.

visited the centre in 2006. After this

of action that evolved out of the first

During the day, participants discussed

presentation, day three was devoted to

workshop.

the strategy to be used to bring different

the development of the strategic plan.

In addition to this project under

stakeholders to get involved in the

Four strategic point were agreed upon

the partnership with the CTA, BTCN

multiplication of telecentre initiatives in

by the participants:

is involved in the project supported

Burundi. On the second day, discussions

Before

the

validation

Sensitisation for the multiplication

by ECA called Knowledge Network

of telecentre initiatives in Burundi,

for African Community Telecentres

Capacity Building for telecentre

(KNACT).

practitioners,

transforming

Baseline research and content

selected countries into real knowledge

production

centres

Empower the network ( BCTN), so

org/index.php?option=com_conte

presentation on Telecentre Songhai

that it can become a platform of

nt&view=article&id=97:knowledge-

of Porto Novo in order to help the

knowledge exchange for telecentre

sharing-and-networking-workshop-

different

efficiency.

completed-in-east-africa-&catid=1:

were made about capacity building for practitioners, content production,

community baseline researches and the coordination of the action plan

implementation. The third day began with a short

Burundian

stakeholders

present in the Workshop to know what

This

first

workshop

will

This

project

telecentres

aims of

at the

(http://www.satnetwork.

latest-news). Because of all these workshops and

Because of all these workshops and initiatives undertaken by the telecentre leaders of Burundi, the telecentre movement is now gaining momentum. The telecentre leaders hope to mobilise more and more partners for the promotion of telecentres in Burundi 14

initiatives undertaken by the telecentre leaders of Burundi, the telecentre movement is now gaining momentum. The telecentre leaders hope to mobilise more and more partners for the promotion of telecentres in Burundi. While taking the first steps in this direction, they have to raise awareness about the telecentres and they have to continue to learn from others.  w w w. t e l e c e n t r e m a g a z i n e . n e t

TELECENTRE INITIATIVE

360 Latam Project Empowers Telecentre Networks to Provide Value-Added Services

Photo Credit: Techsoup Global

Marnie Webb Co-CEO, TechSoup Global She is the driving force behind the organisationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts to continuously innovate its services to help social benefit organisations around the globe better fulfill their missions. email: marnie@techsoupglobal.org web: www.techsoupglobal.org www.netsquared.org

Through the efforts of CDI, 360 Latam Project partner, the residents of Lota, Chile, communicating with their families and friends after the Chilean earthquake

Elliot Harmon Staff Writer, TechSoup Global Elliot Harmon has worked in the nonprofit sector since 2004. As a staff writer for TechSoup Global, he covers trends and challenges in the sector, particularly in its use of new technologies. email: eharmon@techsoupglobal.org web: www.techsoupglobal.org

Despite some successes in the past

org), and the Nonprofit Enterprise

few

and Self-sustainability Team (NESsT)

years,

economic

sustainability

continues to be a major challenge for

(www.nesst.org).

the telecentre community in Latin

is a non-governmental organisation

America. Since early 2009, a capacity-

(NGO) that leverages relationships in

building project called 360 Latam has

the technology industry to provide

been seeking to address economic

technology donations and expertise

and

sustainability

to NGOs and public libraries around

in the telecentre movement while

the world. NESsT is a non-profit

simultaneously

that supports social enterprise and

organisational

augmenting

the

capacity-building

their communities.

America through a combination of

360 Latam is a joint venture among

work

Global

offerings that telecentres provide in

telecentre.org

April - June 2010

TechSoup

Latin

funding and consulting. Telecentre.

(www.telecentre.org),

org, TechSoup Global, and NESsT have

TechSoup Global (www.techsoupglobal.

been working in partnership with three 15

360 Latam was launched in January 2009 with the goal of building a distribution channel to deliver products to telecentres and their clients

delivers these services can build up

centres in South America have failed to

telecentres’ financial durability, thus

recognise their customers’ potential as a

bolstering the telecentres as resources

source of income.

in the community. The combination

“The bottom-of-pyramid market was

of better BOP resources and stabler

a hitherto neglected segment since it

telecentres represents a win-win for the

was assumed that they have no or very

communities served by the centers.

little income to spare beyond fulfilling

In her September 2009 article for Telecentre

Magazine

their basic necessities of food, clothing,

[http://bit.

and shelter.” As telecentre networks

ly/jbetancourt] NESsT staff member

in other regions of the world have

Jimena

the

shown, telecentres can reinforce both

telecentre communities in Latin America

their budgets and their social missions

and Asia, noting that Asian centres have

by offering additional services to the

had more success bringing value-added

BOP market. 360 Latam was launched in

Betancourt

compared

products and services to their clientele

January 2009 with the goal of building a

regional telecentre networks in Latin

than their Latin American counterparts.

distribution channel to deliver products

America: Asociación de Telecentros de

“In Asia, many telecentre networks are

to telecentres and their clients. This

Información y Negocios (Association of

successfully

value-added

channel would offer economic stability

Information and Business Telecentres,

products and services to their clients,

both for telecentres and for regional

or ATN) in Brazil, Fundación Empresas

while achieving balance between social

telecentre networks, while ultimately

Publicas

mission and financial sustainability.

strengthening the centres’ missions

Business models like that of One Roof,

to provide access to information and

EPM) in Colombia, and Comité para

e-Chaupal, and Drishtee are among the

opportunities in their communities.

la Democratización de la Informática

best demonstrations of the role that

360 Latam also represented the

(Committee for the Democratization

telecentres can play through public-

beginning of a transition in the Latin

of Information Technology, or CDI) in

private partnership in identifying and

American telecentre movement. Where

Chile. In addition to helping develop

catering to the needs of the low-income

currently most centres are funded by

the programme, ATN, EPM, and CDI

markets.”

grants and international philanthropy,

Utilities

Medellin

Company

(Medellin

Foundation,

Chile have served as test cases for its implementation,

contributing

delivering

Why the disparity between services

360 Latam sought to help build centres’

their

available in Asian and Latin American

capacities

own regional expertise and reach in

telecentres? According to Betancourt,

enterprises.

self-sustaining

social

the telecentre communities of their respective countries.

Why 360 Latam? It’s obvious that a telecentre’s success is viewed not only in terms of its economic solvency, but also in its ability to provide needed products and services to its community. Worldwide and certainly in Latin America, there are largely untapped opportunities Photo Credit: Techsoup Global

for telecentres to provide additional resources and services to bottom-ofthe-pyramid (BOP) populations in their communities in areas like training, education, and employment. These services could be additional sources of revenue both for regional telecentre networks and for their member centres. A service channel that effectively 16

CDI Chile executive director Javier Figueroa shares ideas with Salvador Luna of TechSoup Global’s IT department

w w w. t e l e c e n t r e m a g a z i n e . n e t

Overview of 360 Latam project TechSoup Global and NESsT began by developing metrics that evaluated the ability of telecentre networks to administer a distribution programme for their members. They used this tool to assess the capacities of the telecentre networks that would participate in the pilot project. They also took an inventory of existing software platforms that could be used to build a product distribution system for telecentres. These tools and metrics were catalogued on the 360 Latam website. When the project was launched, its goals were to build a single distribution channel that would bring products to telecentres throughout Latin America and to have the networks administer the channel. It was envisaged that ATN, CDI Chile, and EPM would pilot the programme first, and then it would be replicated and extended to other

TechSoup Global and NESsT have built a body of knowledge and best practices for telecentre capacity building. This knowledge is reflected in over 40 tools that were developed for 360 Latam in areas like customer relationship management (CRM)

networks. Early in the project, though,

the unique needs of the organisations, the project shifted slightly to focus on

specific

elements

required

strengthen each network individually. Ultimately,

the

partners

realised

that they could have more impact by building up business capabilities in the three networks, while developing a curriculum that could be implemented in several networks. 360 Latam provided coaching to the three participating telecentre networks over several months. These coaching sessions helped prepare the networks to administer a future distribution channel,

but

they

also

helped

TechSoup Global and NESsT build a body of knowledge and best practices for telecentre capacity building. This knowledge is reflected in over 40 tools that were developed for 360 Latam in the areas of customer relationship management (CRM), capacity building, customer service, fulfillment, product

the 360 Latam team recognised that a

diversity of business practices among

launch, and account management.

one-size-fits-all product distribution

the participating networks necessitated

telecentre.org will adapt the tools for

channel wouldn’t work well with the

a variety of approaches for optimising

the curriculum offered through its

three participating telecentre networks,

the channel to serve each region.

telecentre.org Academy.

nor could it be malleable enough to

What’s more, the three participating

extend beyond the original pilot to

networks represented a diverse set of

serve more networks and centres. The

opportunities and challenges. Given

360 Latam’s implications for telecentre community The lessons learned from 360 Latam provide some insight into the state of the telecentre community in Latin America and beyond. According to EPM staff, one of 360 Latam’s benefits was that it helped the organisation better grasp the importance of customer relationship

management

(CRM). EPM now understands that

database

effective is

CRM

essential

first step toward providing value-added services in the This chart shows the fourteen competencies, as identified by the 360 Latam team, that a telecentre network needs to develop in order to effectively manage a product distribution program. To address these needs, TechSoup Global developed a toolkit for CRM and a suite of tools for capacity building, customer service, fulfillment, product launch, and account management. These tools will be adapted and available to the telecentre community through telecentre.org’s telecentre.org Academy.

April - June 2010

telecentre community. 360 Latam toolkits helped EPM implement and maintain its own CRM database and put metrics in place to measure 17

Having

created

toolkits

that

knowledge

Photo Credit: Techsoup Global

the

development

toolkit

throughout

among

the Community of Practice. In their

Latam

feedback on the project, the partner

organisations

networks repeatedly requested case

networks, offers

lessons learned along with the channel

360

ability

scale

studies to demonstrate the real-world

their missions without

experience of other organisations that

losing sight of their own

were

core

competencies.

Real-world case studies would augment

While the distribution

the effectiveness of the instructional

channel itself may not be

toolkits; the combination of big-picture

directly replicable from

expertise and real-life shared experience

region to region, what

would be a powerful method for

are replicable are the

disseminating knowledge throughout

resources and knowledge

the telecentre community.

implementing

CRM

systems.

base assembled during the project. The toolkit

Conclusion

approach

360

the

Latam’s

mission

build

networks to self-assess

sustainability not only in the networks

and

and telecentres served, but also in

their EPM-member telecentre serving the small mountain neighborhood of La Serra in Medellín, Colombia

allows

self-manage own

channel

the local communities served by the

ideally

telecentre. The project was built on

development,

and

the idea that if a telecentre can offer

training from peers, who

services that speak directly to the needs

and monitor its progress. ATN said

can share their own experiences and

of the BOP population in its community,

that the most important shift in its

lessons learned. Looking beyond the

then those offerings can help build

perspective was in gaining a better

timeframe of the original 360 Latam

the center’s economic sustainability

understanding of its core competencies.

project, TechSoup Global recommends

beyond

Thanks to 360 Latam, it has streamlined

a two-tiered plan.

traditional philanthropic funding. This

with

guidance

what’s

possible

through

and optimised its business processes.

First, develop a Community of Practice

mission reflects a core idea in social

The organisation now has a better

(CoP) among telecentre networks that

enterprise, that an enterprise’s growth

grasp of metrics and ways to measure

are seeking to develop a products and

and

performance and address problems

services channel. The networks in

development are closely linked. When

throughout the network. ATN indicated

the pilot programme indicated that

a telecentre can help its customers find

that these changes will contribute a lot

— as they were implementing their

employment, education, and training,

to its own sustainability.

CRM systems — it would have been

the community’s success will translate

useful for them to meet and share tips

into success for the centre.

360 Latam’s shift from a one-sizefits-all model to the one based on

with other networks.

the

surrounding

community’s

To be able to offer those kinds of

capturing and sharing best practices

As networks use the 360 Latam

products and services, t he first step is to

carries implications that are worth

toolkits to implement and maintain

equip the telecentre community — both

noting:

telecentre

their CRM systems, TechSoup Global

the centres themselves and the regional

network is unique in its attributes, work

recommends that there should be

networks that support them—with

processes, strengths, and challenges,

an online forum for them to interact

tools and resources to foster strong

developing

distribution

and exchange advice. As a secondary

business practices. Through strong

channel that could serve all of them

benefit, this forum could also serve as

knowledge-sharing partnerships within

requires a much longer cycle and a

a space for networks to identify areas

the telecentre movement and effective

similar level of organisational capacity

and projects in which they could be

tools that can be replicated globally,

across networks. That’s not to say that

pooling resources. Ideally, the online

but

there are no benefits in collaboration

interactions would be supplemented

telecentres can enhance both their own

and communication between networks

with periodic face-to-face meetings.

sustainability and the prosperity of the

in the interim.

Second, disseminate best practices and

communities they serve. 

Because

each

single

customised

each

network,

w w w. t e l e c e n t r e m a g a z i n e . n e t

TELECENTRE INITIATIVE

IATP: ICT Promotes Freedom of Communication and Information in the Former Soviet Union

Photo Credit: Mark Skogen

Mark Skogen Director, USAID-funded Promotion of ICT in Turkmenistan programme, and Lead, IDRC and UNESCAP-supported Eurasian Network of Telecentres. Mark Skogen is driven by his passion for community development through increased use of the internet and an unrelenting quest for finding solutions in challenging environments. email: mskogen@irex.kz web: www.irex.org

Turkmen women at an IATP centre

Myles Smith Regional Communications and Operations Manager, USAID-funded trade facilitation project in Central Asia. Previously, he served as Deputy Director, USAID-funded IATP program in Eurasia from October 2007 to September 2009. Concurrently, he also managed the US Department of State-funded Global Connections and Exchange program in Turkmenistan. email: mylesgsmith@gmail.com web: www.irex.org

For a region isolated in an information

(USAID), IATP brought free Internet

vacuum for decades, the Internet

access and training telecentres to

Access

over 160 cities in Armenia, Azerbaijan,

and

Training

programme

(IATP) offered citizens of the former

Belarus,

Soviet Union something unique, yet

Kyrgyzstan,

basic, free access to information.

Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan

Administered

(‘Eurasia’). During its peak in 2005,

Research

and

the

International

Exchanges

Board

(IREX) from 1995 to 2009 and funded

Georgia, Moldova,

Kazakhstan, Tajikistan,

IATP served over 35,000 individuals each month.

by the U.S. Department of State’s

April - June 2010

Bureau of Educational and Cultural

IATP telecentres and training

Affairs (ECA) and the United States

IREX partnered with local organisations

Agency for International Development

for each of its telecentres in a symbiotic 19

relationship. Partners benefitted from the increased foot traffic and technical expertise offered by the IREX staff, while the telecentres benefitted from shared costs and exposure to the partner’s existing patrons. Telecentres based at universities, libraries, NGOs, and local government offices provided free walkin Internet access for about 25 hours a week. For at least 15 hours per week,

Response Percentage

Where did you learn to use computer and Internet? (survey of 612 users in 2008) At IATP telecentre

47%

At school At university

10% 9% 4%

At work Learned myself

22%

From friends

Other

IREX employees taught free courses, thus broadening the pool of Internet

Moldova, said, “I believe that Internet

Pavlenko, a 51-year-old mathematics

users in the community and ensuring

resources are better than newspapers.

teacher from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan,

that those users could harness ICT to

News on the Web is updated faster.

said, “The Russian-speaking population

meet professional, educational, and

Internet sources provide comprehensive

can browse Russian web-content, but

institutional goals.

coverage of events.” Russian was the

young people and people from rural

Through 2009, computer basics, a

state language of the Soviet Union, and

areas don’t know Russian, that’s why

course designed for those with little

continues to be the primary language

we need more websites in Turkmen.”

or no computer experience, often

of several IATP countries. It is also one

Mikhail

remained the most demanded course.

of the predominant languages of the

student of Tajikistan State University,

But IREX trainers also taught users to

Internet, with various estimates placing

shared the same sentiments in relation

create online content, websites, wikis,

it within the top ten Internet languages

to Tajik Web content. He said, “There is

and blogs in their local languages.

worldwide. With knowledge of Russian

a lack of scientific information, students

This enhanced the public information

language on the decline in nearly all IATP

have to translate documents and books

environment and stimulated demand

host countries, citizens (particularly in

from Russian.” Even in places where

for the Internet as an information

rural areas) could benefit greatly from

Russian remains predominant, such as

resource. Administrators, specifically

online professional and educational

Transnistria, survey respondents still

aimed to bring in and teach those, who

information in the local language. Liliya

reported a lack of information related

have information to share, including journalists, librarians, NGO employees, teachers, government employees, and small business owners. IREX’s portfolio of expertise from its programmes serving these target groups (www. irex.org) boosted the D in the ICT4D equation. In numeric terms, 84,032 unique users visited IATP’s telecentres between June 2007 and December 2009, 657,375 times. Of these 37,634 were new users, and 43,247 participated in 7,955 technical training sessions at IATP’s telecentres.

Filling an information vacuum According to focus group discussions conducted in 2008-2009, the majority of IATP users participating in the survey said that Internet had become the most efficient and convenient source of information. Vladimir Bogat, a 40-yearold teacher from Tiraspol, Transnistria, 20

Azranzade,

21-year-old

to their region.

According to focus group discussions conducted in 2008-2009, the majority of IATP users participating in the survey said that Internet had become the most efficient and convenient source of information. Vladimir Bogat, a 40-year-old teacher from Tiraspol, Transnistria, Moldova, said, “I believe that Internet resources are better than newspapers”

Most IATP users surveyed (97%) believed that the development of local Web content and access to the Internet are critical elements for fostering democratic reform in a country, and 98% of respondents believe that IATP and its technical training is helping to develop local Web content and increase the number of local websites. Despite a decade of IATP service to generating new Internet users and locally-relevant online content, much work remains. Research by our team found that content in languages, such as Kyrgyz, Tajik, Turkmen and Uzbek are sparse online.

Major challenges of the Eurasian context Working against the legacy of the Soviet Union, where information was controlled, and free speech, free press, w w w. t e l e c e n t r e m a g a z i n e . n e t

Civil society organisations and government actors achieved their goals of providing improved services by using technologies that improved the way people and organisations communicate and collaborate

budget resources to a commodity

Lack of locally-relevant content

not seen as a necessity by much of

Lack of relevant language content

the population. Institutions, such as

online continues to be an issue,

NGOs, schools, and libraries, which are

particularly for the growing proportion

struggling to make utility payments and

of the population in the region that

continue basic functions, are unlikely

cannot communicate in Russian.

to prioritise public access Internet, or even have the staff capacity to operate

Lack of societal value for the Internet

it themselves. Not coincidentally, many

Even in 2009, IATP monitoring and

of these countriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; policy environments

evaluation reports found large numbers

have been not conducive to sustaining

of non-adopters of the Internet in cities

telecentres.

it served. Many of these were adamant that the Internet was not useful; that

Restrictive host governments

it was merely useful for children

Bureaucratic governments, restrictions

playing games or for those seeking

on the free market and restrictions

pornography. The Soviet legacy of

on the free flow of information have

distrust of published information helps

characterised all of the republics to

identify the source of this problem.

and free assembly were shunned,

some extent, and some more than

Eurasia presented IATP with challenges

others. Several of the 11 countries of the

development of telecentres have been

not fully shared by projects in other

IATP programme also had policies that

improving in many countries, and in

developing regions. To varying degrees,

were highly counterproductive in the

the past three years in particular. The

depending on the level of political

development of telecentres in general

Internet is getting cheaper, ISP services

oppression, IATP addressed audiences

and IREXâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s US-government funded, civil

are improving and expanding, more

well-suited

democracyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

society oriented model in particular.

people are using the Internet regularly,

growth. Civil Society Organisations and

In extreme cases, IREX employees

governments and outside investors are

government actors achieved their goals

were harassed by security services or

spending money on infrastructure and

of providing improved services by using

tax authorities, or pressurised to leave

connecting government institutions

technologies that improved the way

their jobs.

and schools, and governments are

feed

However,

conditions

for

the

people and organisations communicate and

collaborate.

According

IATP users online survey in 2008, 69 percent believed that there was greater transparency and information available on the Internet from local sources because of IATP. Some governments understood the risks of the Internet and intentionally blocked its development, most notably in Turkmenistan, which has only recently seen restrictions lifted. Other governments simply did not prioritise Internet development, resulting

in,

including

poor

infrastructure, lack of competition, high Photo Credit: Mark Skogen

prices, and low computer literacy. Low resources in host communities Most of Central Asia, Moldova, and rural parts of the Caucasus have faced still more challenges. Governments there have been less willing to devote scarce April - June 2010

Armenian bloggers in Georgia 21

becoming less restrictive of content. In IATP countries that have developed to the middle-income bracket, telecentres have been more successful in attracting patrons, and convincing governments to support ICT in their budgets. Many other telecentres remained sustainable through low-fee for services regimes.

Examples of IATP telecentre impact Within

these

conditions,

IATP

IATP cooperation with local governments aimed at enabling officials to better respond to citizen needs and increase the transparency of government activities. Between June 2007 and December 2009, 6,800 local government representatives used IATP telecentre facilities and over 3,900 completed IATP technical training courses

telecentres assisted Eurasian citizens

with officials from the Turkmenistan

Azerbaijan-wide youth movement IRELI

to access information, which, at times,

Ministry of Energy in Ashgabat. After

sent ten of their most active members

was directly related to improvement of

the Turkmen Ministry of Energy was

to IATP training in a series of courses

civil society and democracy.

computerised and all its departments

in computer and Internet research, MS

were connected to the Internet in 2008,

Office programme applications, and

The Voting Public

it requested IATP to train its employees

Web 2.0 technologies. As a result of the

Georgians are increasingly turning

in ICT skills, since most had neither the

training, the young people enhanced

to Internet news websites and forum

experience nor the skills to implement

the organisation’s website (www.ireli.

boards to express their opinions and

ICT in their daily work. In January and

az) by editing and uploading photos of

find

television

February 2009, 15 employees from

their activities. Equality, a Moldovan

coverage was limited during a state of

the Ministry’s departments, including

NGO, also launched a website with

emergency, all but one of IATP’s five

mechanical

power-

IATP assistance and now it is able to

telecentres in Georgia remained open,

supervision, petroleum-based fuels and

more effectively publicises its services

allowing people to communicate and

transport, and instrument construction,

among the community. Located in

access up-to-date information online.

were familiarised with the Internet for

Comrat, Moldova, this NGO seeks

During the January 2008 presidential

the first time. Since the training, the

to defend the legal rights of women,

election,

with

government officials have begun using

promote greater female representation

gathering

the Internet to learn more about the

information, which influenced their

electricity industry in other countries,

access to education, and combat female

vote. In a forum organised by IATP,

establish contact with international

human

Georgian citizens communicated with

suppliers, and began communicating

new, easy-to-use website, however,

presidential candidates in Georgia’s

via e-mail with international partners,

individuals and groups can now find

only pre-election online forum of its

saving money for their departments. As a

relevant information pertaining to their

kind. In other online forums, voters

result of the Ministry employees’ ability

issues and concerns. They can also

learned of their voting rights and ways

to conduct market research online and

contact Equality’s staff and board of

to protect them during the election

follow up with international suppliers,

directors, whether seeking direct help

period.

the Ministry is now acquiring equipment

or partnership opportunities.

information.

When

citizens

candidates

interacted

online,

engineering,

government,

increase

trafficking.

women’s

With

Equality’s

from a plant in Nizny Novgorod, Russia Government Representatives IATP

cooperation

governments

aimed

with at

local

to improve the stability of the electricity

Media Professionals

supply in Turkmenistan.

Journalists were also a target of IREX as

enabling

key players in the democratic reform

officials to better respond to citizen

NGO Officials

process.

needs and increase the transparency

IATP also partnered with NGO officials

December 2009, 879 media professionals

government

June

2007

and

Between

to equip them to use modern tools in

visited IATP telecentres throughout

June 2007 and December 2009, 6,800

their civil society development work.

Eurasia and over 500 participated in

local government representatives used

Between June 2007 and December 2009,

IATP technical training.

IATP telecentre facilities and over 3,900

2,542 NGO officials utilised telecentres

completed

across Eurasia, including over 1,200,

Vinnytsia, Ukraine, created a website

who received technical training.

during IATP training about Ukraine’s

IATP

activities.

Between

technical

training

courses. A good example of cooperation with government officials is IATP’s work 22

In October-November 2008, the

Journalist

potential

Yuriy

integration

Sikorsky

into

from

NATO.

w w w. t e l e c e n t r e m a g a z i n e . n e t

Sikorsky’s website, “NATO: Ukrainian

to accomplish the massive task of

(often including the IREX-managed

Briefing”, receives about 500 visitors

preparing over 100 telecentres across

administrator or partner staff the

a month. Galina Ponomarvova is a

11 countries for sustainability.

administrator had trained). In more

visually-impaired

journalist

from

developed countries, where partners

Donetsk, Ukraine. Before IATP training,

successful centres, and consultants

were generally better, such as Belarus

she still prepared her articles on an old

trained partners in everything from how

and Ukraine, most partners found

typewriter, thereby making it difficult

to teach computer basics to conducting

money in their existing budgets to

to meet her assignment deadlines. After

marketing research for determining

maintain the telecentres.

receiving training at a Ukrainian IATP

the services that might raise revenue.

telecentre, now she uses a computer

Partners received the IREX-developed

and

with special software to not only

training curriculum, which gave them

especially if the partner organisation

improve the efficiency of her writing,

a competitive advantage in the market

stops seeing the benefits of hosting a

but also to open a world of online

for IT training, and IATP’s centre

centre. To mitigate this issue, partner

research. “I couldn’t even imagine that

manual with detailed guidance on the

organisations found ways for staff to

one day, I would be able to use modern

administrative aspects of managing

use the workstations and Internet for

information technologies to perform

a telecentre.

email, online forums, and research.

my job duties so much more easily,” remarked Ponomaryova. IATP also trained journalists in Belarus, where knowledge of and access to modern technology is still scarce. Most reporters in Belarus still rely on phone conversations to obtain information from other regions and have to submit their stories and photos to the editor in person. Thanks to IATP training, one more media

organisation

Brest

now

functions as a modern news outlet. The local reporters obtain information and conduct interviews not only through phone calls, but also by using instant messaging, e-mail, and Skype. They use the Internet to conduct research and to submit their news packages across Belarus and from abroad.

IREX

staff,

partner

staff

Supporting a telecentre is financially and administratively challenging, especially if the partner organisation stops seeing the benefits of hosting a centre. To mitigate this issue, partner organisations found ways for staff to use the workstations and Internet for email, online forums, and research

Supporting a telecentre is financially administratively

challenging,

Even though IREX worked with partners to develop sustainability plans, outside

factors

sometimes

quelled

progress. For instance, the partner organisation in Pandjikent, Tajikistan, lost Internet service and the ability to operate the centre when the local ISP refused to resolve a connectivity problem. In Kurgan-Tube, Tajikistan, the IIC partner organisation’s director suspended

paid

training

until

received clarification on a new tax law that stipulates additional taxes for paid services, up to $6,000 in taxes annually. The director tried writing a letter to the head of local tax committee and waited months for a reply. The sustainability success rate of IATP

telecentres,

measured

percentage of telecentres operating under the terms of their agreement after

Sustainability planning for IATP telecentres

Partner organisations signed an

one year, is over 80%. Turkmenistan,

agreement promising to provide no

where distributing free Internet is

US-government

IATP

less than 20 hours of free community

technically illegal, and Tajikistan and

steadily diminished between 2005 and

Internet access and 20 hours of free

Kyrgyzstan, where Internet remains

2009. By this time, many host partners

training to target groups each month,

extremely

and communities had developed to a

but the partner’s enthusiasm for the

represented among those telecentres

point where the telecentre was more

telecentre was more important than

that failed to meet these obligations.

than ready to operate self-sufficiently.

a contractual obligation. The first few

With

But challenges remained in many cases.

telecentres to ‘graduate’ from IREX

without knowledge of Russian; with

In cooperation with its local partners,

oversight and US-government funding

governments continuing to struggle to

IREX worked to overcome the effects

support were those with dynamic,

provide even basic services; with local

business-minded

directors,

newspapers struggling to survive; the

interference, lack of relevant Internet

a clear vision for the activity and

need for continued ICT4D programming

content, and low social value for ICT,

funding of the centre and qualified staff

in Eurasia persists.” 

funding

underdevelopment,

for

government

April - June 2010

partner

new

expensive,

were

generations

over-

growing

TELECENTRE EVENT: ESCWA KNOWLEDGE NETWORK WORKSHOP

Consolidation and Expansion of the ESCWA Knowledge Network

Photo Credit: Nabil Eid

Nabil Eid Secretary, Knowledge Hub in the UN-ESCWA region, and Territory Executive, Syrian Telecentre Project. Nabil is a leader in using ICTs for the empowerment of the people with disabilities. email: nabieid@gmail.com web: www.ict4dpwd.ning.com www.reefnet.gov.sy www.caihand.org

The official opening of the workshop on Consolidation and Expansion of the ESCWA Knowledge Network in Syria The

Regional

Workshop

the

Regional Commissions. The project aims

Consolidation and Expansion of the

to empower poor and disadvantaged

ESCWA

was

communities by transforming selected

Nations

ICT access points and telecentres into

Economic and Social Commission for

networked knowledge hubs providing,

Western Asia (ESCWA) and hosted by

developing, organising, sharing and

the Ministry of Communication and

disseminating knowledge in areas of

Technology, Syria. Other workshop

sustainable development that include

collaborators

employment, education, gender and

Knowledge

organised

the

Network United

included

the

Syrian

Computer Society (SCS) and the Syria

The main objective of the workshop

workshop took place from 24th to the

was to ascertain how to work in tandem

27th of April 2010 in the conference hall

with the previously elected secretariat

of the Syrian Telecom Establishment

of the ESCWA Knowledge Network to:

(STE) Damascus, Syria.

(a) define the role and responsibilities

The Meeting was one of the many activities

the

United

of the secretariat; (b) devise a plan

Nations

to ensure the sustainability of the

Development Account Project entitled

network after the folding of the project;

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Knowledge

ICT

access

health, to these communities.

Trust for Development. The four-day

networks

points

for

through

disadvantaged

will govern the future expansion of

communitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, which is being jointly

the network. A secondary objective

implemented by the five United Nations

was the development of the capacity w w w. t e l e c e n t r e m a g a z i n e . n e t

of telecentre managers to effectively gather and publish information and knowledge pertinent to the communities they serve. The workshop was attended by more than 40 representatives of various telecentres and knowledgehubs, from Arab countries, such as Syria, Egypt, Sudan, Jordan, Yemen and Lebanon and participants from the Syrian Telecentre Project, Syrian Computer Society, The Syria Trust for Development and the Incubators project from Syrian Computer Society. The opening session of the Workshop was held under the patronage of Imad Sabouni, Minister of Communication and

Technology

Syria,

The workshop demonstrated a series of initiatives carried out by UN-ESCWA to transform the telecentres into ICT Knowledge centres at large, pointing out that this shift aims to keep pace with what is happening in the world

the importance of knowledge network strategy and implementation and its prospective next steps. In another session, he presented the expansion plan of the regional network, including norms and standards governing the future expansion of the network.

Steering committee and role of Knowledge Hubs Nabil Eid, Territory Executive in the Syrian Telecentre Project and Secretary of Knowledge Hub in the ESCWA region, outlined the role of Knowledge Hub managers, and suggested what it takes to make a Knowledge Hub work effectively. He also explained

Yousef

Nusseir, Chief of ICT division in UN-

the

the process of setting up a Steering

ESCWA,

the presentations, discussions and

Committee; the first steps in setting up

feedback.

a Knowledge Centre in addition to the

Rakan

Razouk,

Chairman

of Syrian Computer Society, Nazem Bahsas, Director of Syrian Telecom

speakers

and

participants,

On the first day, Mansour Farah, ICT

Policies

Section,

precise role of the Steering Committee

Establishment and a representative

Chief,

ICT

and Knowledge Centre manager in this

from the Syrian Trust for Development.

Division, ESCWA, presented a project

process. In the second session, Nabil Eid

In his address, Imad Al Sabouni stated

review and outlined the workshop’s

pointed out the role and responsibilities

that this workshop demonstrated a

expectations. He also discussed the

of the ESCWA Knowledge Network and

series of initiatives carried out by UN-

opportunities for the continuity of the

the future activities of the Regional

ESCWA to transform the telecentres

Knowledge Network after the end of

Knowledge Network.

into ICT Knowledge centres at large,

the period for the pilot project and for

pointing out that this shift aims to keep

building the capacity of the Knowledge

A new interface

pace with what is happening in the

Hub managers to help them to improve

Ziad Ghorayeb from Lebanon, the

world. It aims to increase dependence

the services they provide to local

specialist developing the new interface

on ICT and knowledge for economic

communities.

and global layer for the Knowledge Networks’ Portal, has designed the

and community development. The workshop was made even

Expansion plan

more successful through the active

Noureldin

participation

Reefnet project in Syria, explained

and

involvement

Cheikhobeid

portal for the ESCWA project. In his from

the

presentation, he previewed the design and

implementation

and

detailed

the prerequisites that the Knowledge centres need to increase exchanges, sharing and participation through the KN4DC portal.

Sharing experiences On the second day, Hoda Dahroug, Deputy Director of Egypt ICT Trust Fund, Photo Credit: Nabil Eid

Fund’s

presented experience

Egypt in

ICT

Trust

supporting

remote communities and marginalised groups using ICTs and the Fund’s most important projects in networking and knowledge sharing in the Middle East Students with hearing impairment at the Computer Training Centre, Damascus April - June 2010

and North Africa. She also explained 25

inspire young people aged five to fifteen about themselves and their world.

Information and knowledge Mustafa Abdin, also from the Syria Trust

for

Development,

explained

in a practical session, the effective communication

skills

needed

for

the promotion and development of Knowledge Hub project with emphasis on the difference between information and knowledge. Matters of relevance to the development of the communities Photo Credit: Nabil Eid

served by telecentres, such as basic drafting and communication skills for promotional purposes in telecentres and ensuring maximum reach and exposure of the published information Nabil and Hussam discussing the importance of ICT for people with disabilities

of a telecentre were amongst the topics covered in his discussion.

the factors that ensure sustainability

Studies and Training in Baalbeck, Beyt

Shama and Al Ain presented project

Success stories

various

fields

community

proposals, survey results, and future

“I have the right to develop my potential

Wassim Mossad, Director of Syrian

activities for their Knowledge Hub.

to use my qualities through ICT,” said

Telecentres project in Syrian Computer

The Jordanian participants previewed

Hussam.

Society presented its achievements

the future of Knowledge Hubs through

The fourth day of the workshop

and future outlook. They are planning

Knowledge Stations in Jordan and Khalil

was devoted to site visits to the two

the expansion of the Syrian Telecentre

Hajaya confirmed the expansion of the

Knowledge

network to cover all rural areas in Syria

regional network through joining the

Training Centre (CTC) in Damascus and

by increasing the number of Telecentres

Knowledge Stations in Jordan. He also

Zabadani telecentre in rural Damascus.

to more than 80. He also pointed out

presented survey results, obtained from

The CTC represents new vistas for

the role of the Syrian Computer Society

the rural area in Jordan for which he

persons with disabilities, as it cares for

in supporting the Syrian Telecentre

had received a grant from International

those with hearing, visual and physical

Project.

Development

disabilities or impairments. The centre

development.

Research

Centre

Hubs:

the

Computer

provides employment opportunities to

(IDRC), Canada.

Knowledge Hub leaders

its disabled members and helps in their

Leaders from Knowledge Hubs in the

Sustainability of the network

MENA region presented the projects’

The third day was dedicated to the Syria

The Computer centre has already

proposals, survey results, future activities

Trust for Development. The first session

made a tremendous difference in the

as well as other relevant activities

was led by Dana Derani, Director of

lives of students with disabilities from

during the open discussions. Ahmed

Massar project. She talked about the

Damascus and its rural areas. Hence,

Eisa, Chairman of Gedaref Digital City

solutions suggested for the sustainability

the People with Disabilities (PwDs)

Organisation from Sudan, presented his

of telecentres beyond its pilot phase

have a chance to gain ICT skills and take

experiences in the rural development

and also made a presentation on the

advantage of the opportunities they

of the Gedaref province in Sudan.

impressive activities of the children’s

offer. Consequently, high school and

Additionally, Suhaib Karrar talked about

project

major

college students with disabilities can

the importance of community radio for

national learning and development

use computer technologies for study

assistance and empowring farmers in

programme for young people in Syria,

and recreation on a par with their able-

Gedaref province.

a new concept for the country. The

bodied peers.

Mahmoud Bwary and his colleagues from the Lebanese Organisation for 26

project

through

uses

creating

non-formal

economic development.

learning

techniques to inform, involve and

The

CTC

offering

computer

literacy training to people with hearing w w w. t e l e c e n t r e m a g a z i n e . n e t

disabilities as well as people with visual impairments. The Centre offers its trainees opportunities for independent work and invites visiting groups of students

with

visual

and

hearing

impairments to make use of its premises and equipment. The centre trains and takes care of persons with disabilities through ICT. Photo Credit: Nabil Eid

Kenda Khoury, Director of CTC, gave the workshop participants an idea about her work in the Centre and she explained the success stories of students with disabilities, who received training on ICT skills. Most students learned computer skills, such as Microsoft

Participants from MENA region at the workshop

Office, Photoshop, Flash media and they began applying their experiences

the participants met a group of female

the course in computer literacy with

in designing lessons for their friends in

students, all of whom had hearing

flying colours.

the class. The CTC provides information

impairments, but were benefiting from

to everyone about IT training, as well as

the CTC’s programme. All of them are

Ghanem,

about providing education and training

working and learning through these

students at the CTC. He suffered from

opportunities to increase the individual

programmes in order to improve their

poor muscles, poor absorption and

capacity of students with disabilities,

skills and quality of life. A profound

other disabilities. From the time he

so that they are able to move towards

success story was that of Nawal, who

spent at the CTC, he has learned to

employment.

completed the basic computer literacy

become aware of his deficits, develop

The participants also met Hussam one

the

outstanding

The CTC also helps students with

course that made it possible for her to

strategies to improve his skills, and

hearing impairments to benefit from

get a job. She did well at school and took

is thrilled with his progress, “I have

access to ICT, which supports the

part in as many activities as she could. At

a lot of experience in IT skills. I can,

recording of reading and learning

the CTC, she learnt to be as independent

so I do. I can be an active member in

materials for them. As part of the visit,

as her disability would allow and passed

our society.” Hussam has successfully completed his examinations in modules

Outcome and recommendations

of International Computer Driving

Developing countries in ESCWA region should formulate the terms and conditions governing the future of the knowledge hub expansion and the role of the secretariat of the ESCWA region Knowledge Hubs. Plans should be put in place that create an enabling framework for the Knowledge Hubs in serving the poor and disadvantaged communities and rural areas by providing information and they should receive support from national, regional policies and increased resources and knowledge base. In order to achieve its development goals, the Knowledge Hubs and its Secretariat should: • Advocate among the developing countries in the ESCWA region to incorporate Knowledge Hubs into their national management plans. • Create criteria for new knowledge centres, which join the regional network and define the criteria for steering committee. • Promote partnership, especially at the local level, which is important for the sustainability of telecentres. The development of support systems will make telecentres sustainable. • Work towards knowledge sharing and knowledge fusion of successful and unsuccessful practices and increase participation and impact. • Finally, the participants expressed their gratitude to the UN-ESCWA and organisers from Syrian Computer Society for hosting the Workshop and the excellent arrangements made for the meeting.

certificate. He has taken subsequent

April - June 2010

License, and was awarded the ICDL courses in graphic designing to improve his skills in IT. He is now ready to work from his home in fields, such as printing or accounting or business promising seminars. Hussam has now achieved financial

independence;

works

to live a decent life and has gained confidence. Hussam said, “I have the right to develop my potential, to use my qualities through computers. It is my conviction that we all have ‘disabilities’ and personal challenges, but none of this should stop us from working.” “I fell in love with computers,” he says, “I discovered computers. They kept me focused and on track.”  27

1000 IDEAS TO MAKE TELECENTRES WORK

Nenasakmana: Telecentre on Wheels The ‘Nenasakmana’ mobile telecentre introduced by Sooriyawewa Nenasala (telecentre) is an innovative solution to reach remote rural areas with poor Information

and

Communication Photo Credit: Sooriyawewa Nenasala

Technology (ICT) infrastructure and no Internet facilities. The so called “mobile telecentre”- a small van-sized lorry incorporating four laptop computers powered by a solar panel and with connectivity provided through a HSPA/ 3G modem is an ideal solution to serve the rural areas in Sri Lanka. G

Deepika

Rural youth using the mobile nenasala

Priyadharshanee,

Sooriyawewa Nenasala Manager is the idea originator of this project.

Why to replicate?

Nenasakmana

telecentre

In Sri Lanka, villages often lack the technology to access the information

currently serves 10 villages selected out

needed to help improve their livelihood. Also, they do not have adequate access

of 21 in the Sooriyawewa Divisional

to the government extension services and facilities. Apart from that, most of

Secretariat area. In addition, it visits

the people are simply unaware of the ICT resources and services available for

schools, religious institutions and other

them. Under such circumstance, mobile telecentres can be identified as an

special events/occassions that take

ideal solution, which can address all the constraints of rural poor communities

place in the area.

isolated from the digital world. One of the major advantages of mobile

mobile

In addition to affording Internet facilities in remote areas, the mobile

telecentre is the availability of ICT supported services at the doorstep of the rural community across the country.

telecentre is equipped with educational CDs,

newspapers,

and

computer

Who can do this?

games. Its facilities are specifically

Telecentre managers/ networks, who look forward to expanding their IT

designed keeping in mind the needs of

services to a larger community can implement this project. The government

the community it serves.

and other civil society organisations can launch and manage mobile telecentres

Comments and feedbacks provided

for the benefit of rural poor community.

by the community of Sooriyawewa indicate that Nenasakmana mobile

How to proceed?

telecentre has delivered a better IT

The telecentre activists, who would like to launch a mobile telecentre can use

service to community and helped

a small vehicle and equip the vehicle with several laptops powered by a solar

farmers, students and youth to obtain

panel fixed on the roof and Internet connectivity through HSPA/3G modem or

necessary IT facilities. In addition, it has

(W)CDMA. In addition to the basic ICT resources, the mobile telecentre can

also become an efficient and effective

be equipped with relevant IT contents, information on varied disciplines and

channel for creating public awareness

government services, facilities, procedures, etc. Once the vehicle is equipped

on government services. 

with necessary IT resources, it can travel to distant and isolated villages.

Gavashkar Subramanium 28

w w w. t e l e c e n t r e m a g a z i n e . n e t

1000 IDEAS TO MAKE TELECENTRES WORK

Telecentres For ‘First Communion’ Preparation In order to make the preparation for the ‘First Communion’, a Catholic tradition, an enjoyable experience for the children, Andrea Rojas Cartagena has discovered an innovative use of telecentre. At the telecentre, the children are invited to Photo Credit: Andrea Rojas, Makaia

strengthen human values and learn about religious Commandments. They are encouraged to search the Internet for getting information on these topics. Thereafter, they summarise the findings and also mention the reasons for going in for their ‘First Communion’ through a telecentre. This idea was developed by Andrea Rojas Cartagena. She has

Children preparing for their First Communion at the telecentre

been working for Makaia Asesoria

Why to replicate?

Internacional since July 2007. Catholic

Preparation for First Communion is an activity usually carried out in Catholic

country. But this specific activity can

Communities. Through the integration of ICTs, the telecentre has developed

be used by other beliefs too. In order to

a new way of preparing the children for the ‘First Communion’ in a very

develop the project, Andrea and Ledys,

interesting and playful way. By using educational tools, children learn while

the telecentre operator met with the

playing and at the same time, are trained in the use and benefits of ICTs. They

‘Seminarians’ preparing children for

learn to see ICTs as a means and not as the end.

Colombia

mostly

their ‘First Communions’, in order to demonstrate that ICT allows all kinds

Who can do this?

of activities and also motivates children

This idea is feasible not only for the Catholic religion, but also for other beliefs

to learn in an enjoyable way. Children

and cultures that can take advantage of the useful ICT tools to pass on the

from the community, learn prayers,

teachings. Due to the flexibility of this idea, it can be developed in every

commandments necessary for ‘First

telecentre.

Communion’ preparation In addition, some workshops are organised in Safe

How to proceed?

Internet Use and other complementary

To proceed with this, it is essential to come up with a clear proposal to be

activities.

are

presented to the priest or persons responsible for carrying out these activities

coordinated through the ‘Seminarians’,

in the locality. Together with them, the telecentre manager can develop a work

who help in passing on the teachings

plan, which combines the knowledge of the priests and the ICT tools offered

from the Gospel to the children. The

in the telecentre. They could prior search pages and tools in order to have the

most important thing about this idea is

material resources to develop this activity when participants arrive. Let the

that it gives children other options for

children learn through play and leisure tools. Also accumulate knowledge

using the Internet, different from just

and ways of teaching children at the telecentre, who are so demanding and so

playing or chatting. 

full of energy.

These

activities

Andrea Rojas, Catalina Escobar April - June 2010

FACE2FACE WITH ASHUTOSH CHADHA

‘Intel Outside’: Integrating Technology in Community Learning

Photo credit: Ashutosh Chadha

With over 20 years of experience in the education sphere, Ashutosh Chadha has been managing programmes around ICT enabled education and building effective business models at international level. Currently, he is leading Intel Education Initiative as part of the Corporate Affairs Group across 14 countries in the Asia Pacific region. In this role, Ashutosh drives Intel’s relationship with Governments and multilateral bodies throughout the Asia Pacific region to support the development of appropriate policies and processes for educational transformation. His focus on leveraging the power of technology to help achieve greater goals in addressing educational challenges as well as improving quality of life of the under-served has baeen a constant throughout his career. In a Face2Face with telecentre magazine, he talks about Intel’s engagement in the shared access space. w w w. t e l e c e n t r e m a g a z i n e . n e t

Photo credit: Cuchie Echeverria

Intel’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities are geared towards achieving e-Inclusion for all through ‘shared access centres’. As the Head of Intel’s Strategic Education Initiatives in the Asia Pacific region, could you elaborate on the programmes that are channeled through these ‘shared access centres’ or telecentres and also support them. Intel has actually been working in the shared access space and with telecentres for quite some time. For example, Intel’s programmes have been running in the Akshaya centres in Kerala, India for the last five years. We also have engagements with the MS Swaminathan

Research

Telecentre leaders listening to Ashutosh Chadha during telecentre.org Foundation launch reception at Manila, Philippines

Foundation

Village Knowledge Centres in India for

Entrepreneurship”, which will provide

to make them self sustainable. As a

the past three years and a project with

training on how to use technological

result, for the last four or five years, we

skills in managing a small business.

have been carrying out these capacity

Telecom

supporting

community

At the same time, we also realised

building activities in the Kerala Akshaya

works

that it is extremely important to build

Centres. Intel’s efforts support the state

primarily in three areas: the K-12 space,

the capacity of the organisations, and

government objectives, which in turn,

higher

individuals who run these centres,

empowers the local entrepreneurs, who

centres across Malaysia. Intel

Education education,

Initiative and

community

are actually reaching out to the children

based learning. The objective of all our programmes is to help support the goals of local governments in driving education transformation by focusing on the effective integration of ICT into the teaching and learning processes and providing opportunities for students to develop 21st century skills. In the community education space, we have a very strong programme called Intel Learn Programme. The objective of this programme is to provide underserved children in the 8-16 years age group with opportunities to develop 21st century skills and digital literacy by using examples that are relevant in the community and the work environment. Thus, we are enabling these learners to utilise the shared access centres or telecentres to develop skills, which are required for employability in the 21st century. Intel Learn Programme currently has two main offerings, “Technology at Work” and “Technology and Community”. We are developing a new offering called “Technology for April - June 2010

So while we build capacity in the content area, we also understand that a number of entrepreneurs require support in terms of effectively running their centres and marketing the programme. Thus, an additional area of intervention is providing guidance to the entrepreneurs about how to evangelise the programme to the target population and get people into the centre

and the local populace and building their skills. These local entrepreneurs, in some cases, charge a small fee from their end customers to ensure sustainability of their centres. So while we build capacity in the content area, we also understand that a number of entrepreneurs require support in terms of effectively running their

centres

and

marketing

the

programme. Thus, an additional area of intervention is providing guidance to the entrepreneurs about how to evangelise the programme to the target population and get people into the centre. Intel believes that the important issue in the telecentre context is not just the creation of the infrastructure, but how we utilise the infrastructure, and also how we enable the owner/operator to build a sustainable business model that can scale to meet the needs of the community. The

implementation

model

for

these programmes keeps a sharp focus on sustainability, scale and 31

In addition to these programmes, we also look at technological solutions to help support the Shared Access opportunities including research, development and deployment of low cost, low power and highly efficient devices, like the netbooks or Classmate PC’s (CMPC), which are portable and rugged

Please describe the areas where Intel and telecentre.org Foundation could support each other or add value to their respective programmes?

example, Intel is exploring how we can

shared access centres based on the

telecentres with the skills that they need

use technology for remote medical

experience gained in the Akshaya

to succeed. In this context, I see a synergy

diagnostics, tele-medicine, or even for

centres

The

between Intel’s education activities (as

training the paramedical staff in villages

objective of the study was to help us

mentioned above) and telecentre.org

and remote areas. This not only provides

understand the issues which contribute

Foundation’s area of work. I believe that

another usage model for the shared

to the sustainability of the centre.

Intel and the telecentre.org Foundation

access centres, but also addresses a very

Initial findings show that it is not just

have very strongly aligned objectives

key social need.

impact. We have entrepreneurs at the grassroots level, who deliver the services, partners who provide the finance and infrastructure facilities; and organisations, such as Intel, who provide the content and services. In addition to these programmes, we also look at technological solutions to help support the Shared Access opportunities including research, development and deployment of low cost, low power and highly efficient devices like the netbooks or Classmate PC’s (CMPC), which are portable and rugged. At the same time we are exploring the usage of these devices using solar power and in different mobility scenarios like on cycles, boats etc. Another area that Intel is working on that is very relevant to the telecentre domain is how technology can be used in the area of health. For

across

Kerala,

India.

be considered including availability of localised services, value added services and social acceptance, which also contribute to sustainability. We anticipate that this study will illustrate other important areas for us to consider with respect to sustainability.

During

our

meeting,

Shaddy

(Basheerhamad Shadrach, Executive Director, telecentre.org Foundation) mentioned four key focus areas of telecentre.org Foundation. These are: knowledge exchange, capacity building, networking and content and services. Basically telecentre.org Foundation is trying to empower the people running

financial viability, which needs to be

in this space and the organisations

We have recently done a preliminary

measured. In addition to the finances,

have complementary skill sets and

study on the issue of sustainability in

there are other important criteria to

content that can make a very successful relationship to deliver the benefits of ICT to the deprived communities.

From your perspective, what are the major advantages of working closely with a global telecentre network like telecentre.org Foundation? In general, the advantage of this kind of partnership is that it brings together organisations with complementary skill sets that share a common passion and Photo credit: Cuchie Echeverria

objective of bringing ICT and PC literacy to under-served populations around the world in order to benefit their individual lives as well as their local communities. It would be noteworthy to say that both Intel and telecentre.org Foundation have extensive networks and programmes Ashutosh Chadha explaining the synergy between Intel CSR and telecentre.org Foundation programme areas 32

that can be maximised, so that we can reach and help more people. w w w. t e l e c e n t r e m a g a z i n e . n e t

According to you, what are the major challenges of the global skill market in the 21st century? Do you think that the current education system in the region is actually addressing or is capable of addressing these challenges? One of the major challenges that Photo credit: IntelÂŽl Education Initiative

companies in many countries continue to address is the unavailability of competent knowledge workers. To meet the needs of these employers, we need to ensure that students receive a solid math and science foundation, coupled with skills like critical thinking, collaboration and problem solving, so that they are prepared to compete in

Empowering students through Intel Learn Programme and teachers through Intel Teach Programme

the 21st century economy as the next generation knowledge workers.

Please tell us about Intel partnership with the Kerala IT Mission where you are delivering Intel Education Initiative through the Akshaya Centres. How far has it been successful in adding value to their ongoing programmes?

being

I think, PC literacy is only one piece

implemented at the grassroots level,

any

new

programme

of the puzzle in preparing students

the Intel Learn Programme also faced

to meet the needs of the 21st century

a number of challenges in Kerala. Some

workplace. ICT is one of the most

of the most prominent ones were:

powerful

tools

developing

21st

a) Changing the attitude of people and

century skills. Therefore, it must be

Intel and the Kerala IT Mission work

all stakeholders toward external

integrated into the educational system

together towards building Kerala as

interventions

Learn

in order to most effectively promote

Programme and getting them to see

and develop such skills. In addition to

the programme benefits.

technology literacy, students need to

knowledge-based

state

through

the Akshaya Centres. The Intel Learn Programme has successfully contributed

Intel

coordinating

be trained in effective communication,

to the success of the AKSHAYA project

aspects of the programme and

critical thinking, problem solving and

in Malappuram and other districts of

ensuring that all stake holders were

collaboration in order to have the tools

Kerala. Following a structured sequence of

aligned.

necessary to succeed in the modern

b) Addressing

initial

prescribed learning activities, learners in

c) Staff attrition and turn-over â&#x20AC;&#x201C; when

Kerala have explored software applications,

trained staff members leave Akshaya

programmes that help teachers develop

arrived at decisions about what they would

centres for other opportunities.

projects that teach these fundamental

like to do, and have successfully related

d) Local

geo-political

their learning to issues in their everyday

diversities

lives. Children in Malappuram have been

etc

dynamics,

different

affecting

districts,

programme

workplace.

Intel

has

focused

skills to the students. Simply placing PCs

the

classroom,

without

changing the teaching methodology,

able to access the opportunity to design,

implementation.

or integrating the ICT tools into the

create, and solve problems in collaboration

However, by having a collaborative

curriculum, has limited benefit.We

with their peers. With the structure, tools

engagement

stakeholders

and Governments strongly believe that

and adult guidance, the learners have

(Akshaya owners, community leaders,

what is needed is a holistic approach,

been able to gain new knowledge, arrive at

religious leaders, parents, the offices

which involves a combination of policy

standard solutions, and become proficient

of the Department of IT), believing

reform driving curriculum standards

in basic skills.

in a

common goal and clear and

and assessment practices, sustained

consistent communication, we were

professional development, information

able to address these challenges. One

and

very popular component for building

and

trust in the community was sharing of

and evaluation to drive continuous

learner success stories by the learners

improvement. Thus, when you deliver

themselves.

a holistic programme that allows the

Based on the experience gained through Intel partnership with the Kerala IT Mission, please tell us about the challenges, if any, encountered during its implementation? April - June 2010

with

all

communications effectively

technology,

applying

research

pursue

technical

degrees,

and helps move technology out of university labs and into local communities. includes

The

programme

research

technology

grants,

entrepreneurship

Photo credit: Intel®l Education Initiative

forums and competitions, and mentoring by Intel technologists. In 2008, Intel awarded grants totaling over $21million, enabling research conducted by leading universities around the world. 4.

The Intel Computer Clubhouse Network

after-school,

community-based

Young learners developing their critical thinking skills through Intel Learn Programme

learning

programme that enables youth in under-served areas to access students to use ICT to take ownership

relevant ways, with appropriate use

cutting-edge

in their own education, amazing things

of technology for learning, creativ-

become self-confident, motivated

happen.

ity, and communication. Intel

learners. The network is based

Teach Programme is the largest,

on a learning model created by

most successful programme of its

the Boston Museum of Science in

kind. Intel has trained more than

collaboration with the MIT Media

Concluding the interview, please tell the readers of the telecentre magazine about Intel Education Initiative to support 21st century skill requirements. What are the major initiatives under this programme?

7 million teachers in over 60 countries, and is committed to train

technology

and

Labs. 5.

The

Intel

Learn

Programme,

millions more.

delivered in informal education

The Intel International Science

settings, provides opportunities

The Intel Education Initiative aims to

and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF),

for young learners in developing

inspire future innovators to help drive

a programme of Society for Science

countries to learn key skills needed

sustainable growth and development

and the Public, is the world’s largest

for tomorrow’s success, with a

of knowledge economies. Through this

pre-college science competition,

focus

initiative, Intel gets directly involved

bringing together hundreds of

problem solving, critical thinking

today

young scientists to share ideas,

and collaboration.

education

programmes,

technology

literacy,

advocacy, and technology access to

showcase

prepare the next generation with the

and compete for scholarships. The

programme provides teachers and

skill requirements of the 21 century

competition encourages students

students online access to science

workplace.

to solve problems and tackle

and mathematics resources and

challenging

tools set in an engaging, multimedia

Intel has invested over $1 billion

cutting-edge

scientific

science,

questions

The skoool learning and teaching

and Intel employees have donated

through authentic research. The

environment

over 3 million hours in the past decade

2010 fair drew over 1600 young

learning.

toward improving education in over 60

scientists from 59 countries, regions,

countries. The Intel Education Initiative

and territories to compete for more

complete education solution that

includes multiple successful education

than $4 million in scholarships and

includes:

programmes, such as :

awards. Intel assumed sponsorship

education

of Intel ISEF in 1996, and in October

content, infrastructure, IT services,

2008 extended its commitment to

training that are ethnographic

the programme through 2019.

research based and localised to meet

The

specific needs, delivered through

The which

Intel

Teach

offers

Programme,

teachers

proven

professional development supporting 21st century skills. Intel Teach

Intel

Higher

Education

Programme courses promote stu-

Programme

dent-centered approaches and help

edge

teachers engage students in deeply

universities, encourages students

brings

technology

cutting-

expertise

help

improve

The Intel Learning Series is a hardware,

education to

software,

specific

students,

specialised localised

ecosystem

governments

businesses.  w w w. t e l e c e n t r e m a g a z i n e . n e t

and

CSC SCAN

AISECT Common Services Centres

Photo Credit: AISECT

Shilpi Varshney Senior Manager, AISECT Projects & Services Shilpi specialises in Project Management, Training, Capacity Building and Awareness Generation strategies in the areas of social and rural development, e-governance and vocational education. email: shilpi@aisect.org web: www.aisect.org

AISECT – IL&FS ETS Programme on Train the Trainer for Village Level Entrepreneurs, September 17-21, 2007

AISECT: Leading ICT Training and Services Network of India

and is widely followed now both by the

The All India Society for Electronics

first replicated under a joint DST-DOE

and Computer Technology (AISECT)

All India Co-ordinated programme in

is India’s leading education, training

ten states and since then, has spread

and services network, with a spread of

across the country. AISECT is the

over 8,000 Multipurpose Information

winner of Indian Innovation Award

Technology (IT) centres in 27 states

2005 from the President of India,

and three Union Territories. This

NASSCOM IT Innovation Award, Gold

network includes about 4000 Common

Icon in National e-Governance Awards

Services Centres (CSCs). These centres

for Exemplary Leadership in promoting

are essentially engaged in training and

e-Governance, I4D Award, NASSCOM

delivering ICT enabled services. An

Emerge 50 Leader Award and the

ISO 9001:2008 Certified Organisation,

TiE-Lumis Partners Entrepreneurship

AISECT

Excellence Award for its innovative

has proven models, which

cater to the requirements of semi

Government and the Industry. It was

rural ICT interventions.

urban and rural India – at the block and

lies in its reach to the grassroots level.

AISECT’s Model Multipurpose IT Centres: A precursor to the CSC programme

The Multipurpose IT Centre Model

While there cannot be any debate about

of AISECT for IT intervention in rural

the power and potential of Information

areas has come to be accepted as a

Technology in changing the lives of

unique methodology for sustainability

the people, building up a sustainable

in rural and under developed regions

model of an ICT centre in rural areas

panchayat levels. The uniqueness of the organisation

April - June 2010

demand. Basically a flexible menu approach is adopted and depending on the competence, capability and local demand, activities are chosen from the menu. The menu also keeps getting updated by the Entrepreneur himself depending upon their community needs. AISECT as a network provides support to each centre in availing various services. Photo Credit: AISECT

The CSCs now established all over the country have adopted the same flexible menu approach with more emphasis on services. AISECT was ready with its field presence and menu approach when the A glimpse of the IT Yatras in AISECT CSC regions for CSC awareness generation

CSC programme was launched. This is one reason why its success rate as a

was always a difficult proposition in

Based on a series of innovative ideas,

the Indian context. While the major

devices,

urban centres have been able to

AISECT has been able to develop this

contents

and

campaigns,

attract investment, technology and

network of IT centres.

Service Centre Agency (SCA) are better than many others.

Achievements of AISECT CSC project

manpower to build up modern urban

One of the major conclusions of

ICT sector, the rural and backward areas

AISECT’s work has been that building

AISECT was the only SCA in Madhya

are still engaged in the prioritisation

up strong inter-linkages with ongoing

Pradesh to submit bid for all the nine

debate. AISECT decided to remain

social and developmental programmes

regions including Chambal (for which

proactive and organisation asked and

is key to sustainability in rural areas.

no other Bid was received) and won a

tried to answer the following questions:

It has adopted a ‘menu’ approach in

maximum of three regions. While the

Is there a demand for ICT in Rural

delivery of services and has made its

achievement of AISECT CSC project in

and Tribal areas? If yes, then what

centres multipurpose in order to make

Madhya Pradesh is more than 100%,

is the nature of this demand?

them viable.

that in Chhattisgarh is over 64 % at

•

manpower situation in rural and

The Menu approach

working in three geographically difficult

backward areas, how ICTs can be

The choice of activities at an AISECT

divisions - Rewa, Sagar and Chambal for

taken to and can be maintained in

centre is flexible and is based on local

setting up 2926 CSCs. Further, AISECT

these areas? •

What is the work environment of the users and the needs of proposed beneficiaries?

•

What should be the bundle of services that can be offered on a sustainable basis?

•

Can IT centres be established on self employment basis so that the Government resources are minimised and element of personal commitment is brought in?

•

How the rural population can be trained and educated in utilising these technologies?

•

Who should be the carrier of such technologies in the rural areas?

present. In Madhya Pradesh, AISECT is

Given the power, connectivity and

The Menu approach Government (G2C) Services

Business to Consumer (B2C) services

Business to Business services (B2B)

e-Commerce/ Online Service

Birth Certificate Death Certificate Electoral Card Voter IDs Telephone Bills Electricity Bills Land records Vehicle Registration Employment registrations Road Tax Property Tax Public grievance

Commercial Digital Photos Web surfing Photocopy DTP Email/Chats Games Forms downloads

Advertising & Promotion Space marketing Data Collection Survey Data Entry Distribution FMCG Financial Loans/Deposits Insurance

e-Commerce Railway Tickets Astrology Matrimonial Resumes Education Exam Results Admission Forms IT Education Entertainment DTH Community TV Telemedicine Primary Healthcare Agri-loans Agri-clinic

w w w. t e l e c e n t r e m a g a z i n e . n e t

was awarded two divisions Korba and Durg in Chhattisgarh for setting up 1487 CSCs in the seven districts. Going by the various parameters like Village Level Entrepreneur (VLE) selection, VLE training, hardware installation, provision

connectivity,

linking

up for G2C services, availing B2C services, AISECTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance can be adjudged as commendable. It has continued its tradition of innovation in

the

implementation

CSC

Project also.

Innovations in AISECT CSC Project implementation During the last 25 years of rural ICT interventions,

AISECT

has

devised

several innovative tools and techniques. Photo Credit: AISECT

These experiences and resources were utilised during the implementation of AISECT CSC project also. IT yatras in AISECT CSC regions The CSC songs CD

IT Yatras were conducted in all AISECT CSC regions of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh

awareness

These Yatras had a very positive impact

facilitation letters from Collectors/

generation. These Yatras reached the

for

CSC

on generating awareness and attracting

CEOs, VLE

blocks and panchayats of CSC districts

prospective entrepreneurs from Gram

with Rural Development Department,

to apprise the rural communities about

Panchayats.

NABARD, etc., conduct of IT yatras, and

e-governance and select prospective

incentives,

interactions

so on.

entrepreneurs. The main features of

CSC establishment techniques

these yatras were: conduct of the Yatra

adopted by AISECT

by solar energy driven Mobile IT Van;

AISECT

demonstration of available services

Institution (PRI) officials, Jan Shiksha

AISECT Studio developed Audio CDs

through Internet enabled PCs; playing

Kendras/

AISECT

of motivational songs in Hindi for

motivational

showing

students, STD/ PCO owners/ Cyber

CSC project. These CDs are helpful

training films to the communities, etc.

Cafes, Nehru Yuvak Kendras, local NGO

in training, IT Yatras and block level

networks,

towers,

CSC conventions at field level. AISECT

vocational

studio also prepared CSC training films

centres, insurance agents/ network

for VLE orientation in four volumes

marketeers, Self Help Groups, NABARD

with details of CSC project, ICT

trainees, unemployed youth to initiate

infrastructure, highlighting successful

the dialogue for setting up CSCs.

VLEs and available services, etc.

The methods adopted to reach the

CSC Khabar

focused groups

It is the monthly newsletter in Hindi

CSC

songs;

selected Private

Photo Credit: AISECT

computer/

Santosh Choubey, Director General AISECT receiving Indian Innovation Award from APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India

April - June 2010

Audio visual contents for awareness Panchayati Schools,

communication coaching/

Raj

generation

It included personal contacts and

to provide project updates to all CSC

government,

advertisements,

stakeholders. The AISECT CSCs share

press release and conferences, cable TV

their success stories through the CSC

broadcasting, pamphlet distribution,

Khabar.

open

AISECT CSC website, www.aisectcsc.com

Pradesh. Similar efforts were repeated

The

information

in Chhattisgarh also. This was followed

about CSC Project, its national scenario,

by a massive state level convention of

VLE

website

provides

available,

VLEs at Bhopal, which was attended by

Government orders and successful

training,

services

over 1800 VLEs. The Convention was

VLEs for experience sharing.

inaugurated by Shankar Agrawal, Joint Secretary, Department of Information

AISECT CSC project team

Technology

The AISECT Head Office formed a

India (GoI) in the presence of Santosh

State Project Team at Bhopal, which

Choubey, Director General, AISECT and

acts as a nodal office for formulation

Anurag Shrivastava, Managing Director,

of strategies, mobilisation of resources

Madhya

and monitoring the implementation of

Development Corporation (MPSEDC).

the Common Services Centre Project

Selected VLEs were rewarded and

in AISECT CSC districts. In addition

discussions were held on the roll

to this, district and block level teams

out and services. A report on various

were also activated and trained as per

aspects of AISECT CSC Project and its

the I-Care, IL&FS-ETS Certification for

achievements, with 500 VLE profiles

Advancement in Rural Entrepreneurship

was also released on this occasion.

(DIT),

Pradesh

Government

State

Electronics

A booklet detailing the services delivered through AISECT CSCs (utility bills, railway reservations etc.).

course developed by IL&FS Education Remedial VLE training

AISECT with its experience of rural ICT

(IL&FS-ETS) and Indian Institute of

One of the major conclusions of the

interventions realised that two types of

Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) for

state convention was that the new VLEs

services must be offered at all its CSCs:

the CSC project.

require a fresh round of orientation

Core Services and Auxiliary Services.

training to kick-start their CSCs. Keeping

The Core Services includes services

VLE capacity building programme

this in view, a one month long VLE-

that immediately generate revenue for

AISECT realised the indispensable need

training was conducted at AISECT Head

the VLEs to ensure financial viability.

of VLE training and designed exhaustive

Office, attended by over 1000 VLEs in

These include G2C services (through

training package to train them on

20 batches. This training was based on

MPOnline in M.P. and CHOiCE in

various aspects of CSC business and

project perspective, entrepreneurship

C.G.), AISECT educational courses and

services. It comprises six levels of

and delivery of various services. Anurag

IGNOU courses, selected B2C services

training as follows: VLE Orientation,

Shrivastava, L.K. Tiwari, Nodal Officer,

like DTP, Digital Photography etc. The

Entrepreneurship

Development

CSC M.P. and Suresh Pachauri, former

second important category of services

Programme, Technical Training of Basic

Minister of State (GoI) also addressed the

offered at AISECT CSCs are Auxiliary

IT skills, G2C Service Delivery, B2C

participants during various sessions.

Services,

and

Technology

Services

Limited

which

are

optional

but

through which the VLEs can constantly

Service Delivery, and Online Service Delivery. AISECT Content Development

Services at AISECT CSC

raise

Cell prepared Hindi training modules

The concept of core and auxiliary

Banking

for VLEsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; IT skills training. It is available

services

Entertainment, etc.

along with Service delivery manuals for

The GoI has visualised CSCs as one stop

imparting training on various services

window for delivery of e-governance

Delivering G2C Through Mponline

in Hindi, the state language.

in rural areas. As the availability of

AISECT, in collaboration with MPOnline,

G2C is less in most of the states, CSCs

is offering G2C services at about 2000

are allowed to deliver B2C and other

CSCs in Madhya Pradesh. All these

VLE conventions

their

profitability.

and

Insurance,

They

are

Telecom,

online services through the available

CSCs have been allotted Kiosk IDs and

AISECT CSC regions to mobilise rural

infrastructure.

trained for G2C service delivery.

communities and CSC stakeholders

service bouquet to be delivered by CSCs

at over 500 CSC panchayats. Over 90

across the nation includes G2C Services

Educational services

block level conventions and 15 district

(Birth/Death Certificate, Land Records

AISECT CSCs are playing a significant

level

conducted

etc.), B2C Services (Telecom, Banking,

role in offering IT and Vocational

twice in the last two years in Madhya

Insurance etc.) and Online Services

courses developed by AISECT, online

VLE

conventions

are

held

were

all

The

perception

w w w. t e l e c e n t r e m a g a z i n e . n e t

certificate courses by Dr. C. V. Raman

like account opening, loan processing

absence of electricity and connectivity

University

and insurance services. AISECT has

at panchayats, lack of CSC awareness at

tie-ed up with the State Bank of India as

Jila Panchayat, Janpad Panchayat and

and

certificate

courses

developed by IGNOU.

Business Facilitator (BF) and Business

in local administration about the role of

Financial inclusion

Correspondent (BC) to offer banking

CSCs in their areas. Till date, there is no

Financial inclusion envisages delivering

services in unbanked areas of Central

mechanism for convergence of major

banking services at an affordable cost

India. Presently, AISECT is offering

ongoing Government programmes like

in unbanked areas of the country. In

these services in CSC districts of

National Rural Employment Guarantee

India, the basic concept of financial

Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. As a

Act (NREGA), National Rural Health

inclusion is to offer banking facilities

BF, AISECT CSCs generate business for

Mission

the bank from the communities living

Abhiyan or Universal Education (SSA),

in and around their CSCs and book the

Bharat Nirman with the established

business at the nearest linked SBI. As a

CSCs nor are there any efforts to route

BC, the AISECT centre with adequate

the implementation of the Mission

ICT infrastructure acts as a bank’s outlet

Mode Projects of NeGP with the

to offer banking facilities.

existing CSCs. AISECT overcame most

AISECT CSC success stories Amit Sharma established his CSC at Chitaura Panchayat of Gohad block in Bhind. He started his centre with two PCs and connectivity to offer educational courses and MPOnline services. Within a period of one year, he was able to upgrade it to an infrastructure of seven PCs to add digital photography and DTP services. He has a team of five members to assist him in offering various services. He generates an income of more than Rs. 15,000 monthly. Mandvi Sahu has opened her CSC at Chandera Panchayat in Jatara block of Tikamgarh district. She started Digital Photography and Video Titling facilities at her CSC because of her interest in photography. She has now a few girls in her team to offer photography and video shooting facilities in the nearby villages and herself undertakes the titling and mixing activities on computers. During marriage season, she earns more than a lakh rupees through these services. MPOnline is also available at her CSC. Pravesh Bundela is an educated housewife with a strong ambition of doing something of her own. With the advent of CSC in her village, she decided to open it at Basari Panchayat of Rajnagar block in Chhattarpur. She is good in computer operations and hence offers AISECT Computer Courses at her CSC with an infrastructure of five PCs. Along with training, she also sells Idea cellular and Tatasky due to which lots of youth come to her CSC and, subsequently, enroll for various training. She is earning more than Rs. 12,000 monthly.

April - June 2010

(NRHM),

Sarva

Shiksha

of its challenges with continuous efforts Distribution services

like establishing local level contacts,

AISECT has tied up with B2C Service

conducting IT Yatras, providing more

Providers for providing services through

B2C services in the absence of rural G2C

its CSCs, like Idea Cellular for STD/PCO

services. Proposals were submitted at

and mobile, Tatasky for entertainment,

district as well as state level to integrate

Suvidha Online for utility, and so on.

ongoing government schemes with the existing network of CSCs. AISECT also

Other B2C services at AISECT CSCs

sought to involve District Administration

Apart from the above institutional

through

arrangements,

also

demonstrations. Options of solar panel

delivering other B2C services, like

for power and mobile connectivity for

Photocopy,

Internet access have also been utilised.

the

Screen

Internet-Email,

CSCs

are

Printing,

Audio/Video

DTP,

various

conventions

and

Titling,

Digital Photography, Accounting, Kundli

The road ahead

(Horoscope) Matching, Local Placements

CSC is an ambitious project of GoI with

etc. for generating additional revenue.

vast potential of opening up enormous opportunities for the rural masses and

Centre for e-Governance

of technological and societal transition

AISECT has also established a Centre

for an organisation. AISECT’s present

for

network of about 8000 centres all over the

demonstrate ICT enabled technologies

e-Governance

Bhopal

country with the upcoming 4000 CSCs

and applications suitable for rural and

in central India shall be able to create

semi-urban communities. The ICT

a strong ICT enabled rural network to

enabled kiosks established in this centre

harness the potential of rural India.

can demonstrate G2C services, VSAT

AISECT as an SCA envisages to utilise

Technology based B2C services, AISECT

its CSCs to create demand driven market

Online Educational Programmes and

structures for rural India; provide a

other online rural applications.

cost effective distribution network for rural citizens; enable a transparent

Major challenges

framework to deliver good governance

AISECT faced various challenges during

in rural India; provide a sustainable

the implementation of the CSC Project

business model for rural prosperity; and

due to Lack of Rural citizen centric

facilitate social and financial inclusion

G2C services on Government portal,

of marginalised communities.  39

telecentresRus THE COLUMN BY RICH FUCHS

More Lemonade…! The experience changed my life, forever. It was 1997. I had travelled to Uganda, East Africa to help with the selection of partners and the location for the first-ever telecentre in that part of the world. The drive to rural Nakaseke from the capital city, Kampala,

Photo Credit: Rich Fuchs

Rich Fuchs has been involved with the telecentre movement for almost 25 years. He launched the first telecentres in North America and worked closely with telecentre start-ups in Africa and Asia. He was IDRC’s Director of ICT’4D from 2001-06 and served as their Regional Director in SE Asia. Rich is co-founder and Vice Chair of the Telecentre.org Foundation. The column, telecentresRus will be a collection of stories from telecentres around the world. You can reach Richard at rfuchs@futureworks.ca

took almost two hours, the last 40 minutes of which was down a narrow jungle path. Villagers drove past us on bicycles with their crop of plantain, a sort of vegetable-banana, tied to their bike chassis with telephone wire. No telephone call had been made from this

Rich Fuchs with delegates at the Kampala International Convention Centre, May 1998

district for 10 years. The telephone wire was more valuable as twine!

befallen each skinless face beneath me. A “killing field” on a different continent!

The poorest place

We visited the school in the village and

This was the poorest place I had ever been.

environs. Smiling African children in uniforms

It was part of the infamous Luwero Triangle

of green and white colours. No shoes. No

from where the current President Museveni

power. No running water. The headmaster,

had launched his final successful assault

sitting in his thatched-hut-office, told us, “The

on the forces of Idi Amin and Milton Obote

maize crop failed last year. The students walk

(often referred to as Obote II). The violence

from their rural homes to the school and we

and genocide in the village had been

don’t have anything to give them for lunch.

gruesome. 10 years later people still walked

They return home in the evening on empty

with hunched shoulders. With heads down,

stomachs.” Yet the children smiled and stood

eye contact barely occurred.

neatly in line. They sang and played their drums

Several months before my visit, the

for us. We were served lunch with all of them

President had returned to Nakaseke and

watching. Boiled beef, plantain and peanut

dedicated a new memorial building for all

sauce! With formality and special moment, the

the souls that had departed. I visited it on

pop bottles appeared in their plastic transport

my first day. When the concrete cover with

box to be served with the meal as a testament

iron rebar handles opened the basement

to the event and the special visitors.

repository, 1,500 skulls stared up at me. The

mix of horror and almost religious moment

Form library to telecentre

deeply affected me. It was too spiritual and

The Library Committee assembled to meet us for

too private to use my camera. This was a

the principal purpose of our visit. Where would

very private, very personal horror that had

the new telecentre be located and what would w w w. t e l e c e n t r e m a g a z i n e . n e t

be more important, the computers or

Centre

the books? Their Committee’s name

Development’.

had hastily been changed prior to our

chartered bus, 75 people from

visit to the ‘Telecentre Committee’.

rural Nakaseke came all the way

There had been a longstanding tradition

to be there. They were all dressed

of librarianship in Uganda. That was

in their Sunday finest. The others

until Idi Amin took power and, much

at the day-long session were

like the Khmer Rouge, half a world away

from the capital city, Kampala,

at just about the same time in history,

from institutions like Makerere

education and learning came to be

University, UNESCO, local ISPs,

associated with treachery. Appearing

fledgling computer companies,

educated and curious were grounds

along with politicians and other

for death.

assorted Ugandan literati. Using

the

‘Telecentres

Arriving

tried

n’

Photo Credit: Rich Fuchs

The small, 10X12 shambled building

true

that had been home to the manually

telecentre principle of “demo or

operated telephone switch in Nakaseke

die”, we wanted to do a remote

was now the principal residence for four

demonstration of telelearning

families. Of course, the Uganda Post

and telehealth. It was still the

and Telcoms Ltd (UPTL), as it was then

era of ‘dial-up’ and Wifi hadn’t

using a wired ear scanner, used at the

called, didn’t know this. When we first

yet been invented. We needed two

time in modern hospitals for telehealth,

met them, they described the telephone

telephone lines at the International

so that people could see their ear-drums

service in Nakaseke as being basic, but

Convention Centre to do this. The state-

on the computer monitor.

functional.

owned telephone company, UPTL, had

The telecentre room was jam packed.

promised to deliver these one week

Perspiration was on every body. People

earlier.

arrived,

were crammed in the building like

there were no telephone lines available.

sardines in a can. Everyone could sense

On the fly, we had to improvise and

that something was about to change.

perform an extemporaneous skit of a

And it did!

We held a special event in the Kampala

International

Convention

When

‘show-time’

Rich Fuchs testing the Inmarsat phone while Senono tries to find the western horizon with the antenna

‘western evaluator’ coming to visit the hypothetical telecentre. Much to our

Thirteen years later

surprise, the audience loved it.

Just last month, 13 years later, I received

Photo Credit: Rich Fuchs

an email from the very same Christopher

Christopher Senono advertised his product at Nakaseke telecentre for the first time April - June 2010

A low tech carnival

Senono. He has continued to be

Back in rural Nakaseke, we had

involved with the Nakaseke telecentre

organised the Telecentre Awareness

since the very start. We have remained

Day. It was a low-tech carnival of sorts.

email pen-pals over this time. There was

In a place where no telephone call had

a fascinating attachment to his email.

been made in a decade, we arranged for

It was the resume’ of a young woman

free satellite phone calls from anywhere

from Nakaseke. His daughter, Cissy,

in the world. Christopher Senono, a

now 23, she was just 10 years old when

local entrepreneur, and his brother

I first visited the community. A graduate

volunteered that their building supply

of Nakaseke SDA Primary School, she

store would create the first-ever adverts

was one of the smiling faces in the

in the history of the community. The

green-white uniforms. She probably

price of concrete block was reduced by

didn’t have lunch that day either. She

20%. The freshly designed PowerPoint

can afford lunch now!

advert we created on-the-fly was hung

This young woman found her way to

proudly on the wall. Business picked up

and through high-school and worked as

right away. The Senono Brothers got the

a volunteer at the Nakaseke telecentre

point. Advertising pays! Over in another

for several years. She then graduated

corner of the telecentre, someone was

with a Bachelor’s Degree in Information 41

reread Cissy’s resume’and introspected my first visit there. I became inspired once again.

Its about the people This fresh graduate is a testament to why the telecentre movement is important. Telecentres aren’t about the internet, although sometimes they can be. They’re not about the immediate financial sustainability of an advanced market solution in a pre-market environment, although they have to navigate how to pay the bills. They are about that recent graduate from Nakaseke, Cissy Senono, Photo Credit: Rich Fuchs

Telecentres aren’t about the internet, although sometimes they can be. They’re not about the immediate financial sustainability of an advanced market solution in a premarket environment, although they have to navigate how to pay the bills. They are about that recent graduate from Nakaseke, Cissy Senono, who now doesn’t have to worry about her lunch

who now doesn’t have to worry about her lunch. Telecentres build skills so that people in poverty ridden circumstances can transform their lives. They create a new awareness of enterprise opportunities, so that traditional entrepreneurs in poor

Cissy Senono: A life transformed by Nakaseke telecentre

communities can become IT business

telephony has created near-universal

people. They build market awareness,

access to a communication platform.

so that IT entrepreneurs have a basis

How the poor-people’s technology of

for new customers and services. IT

the mobile phone comes to interact

Technology from Makerere University in

skills aren’t just consumer and business

with the Internet on an affordable basis

Kampala. Would it have been possible

needs. They’re life skills.

Everyone

is, however, a new challenge, which

to imagine, looking back 13 years at

deserves access to them. Telecentres

telecentres can help address. And even

those 200 plus Primary School students,

make that happen.

in the post-industrial ‘developed world,

that even one among them, and maybe

large segments of the population still

more, would have their careers and lives

The Future?

can’t afford regular access to computing

transformed by the telecentre, which

The telecentre movement faces new

or the internet. Neither can many

was about to open in their community? I

challenges in 2010. The spread of mobile

immigrants afford their own personal computing

devices

build

their

skills, so a traditional social market for telecentres remains important. But I can’t help but think back to Nakaseke, Uganda; of the tremendous progress this poor community has made in less than two decades. There are so many ‘Cissy’s’ out there, who never would have had their lives transformed without the local telecentre. Their Photo Credit: Rich Fuchs

names don’t show up in the evaluation reports that get done before they blossom. Cissy, and the many like her throughout the telecentre world, are the real testament to the long-term impacts telecentre people

of the value that telecentres, and their activists, create.  w w w. t e l e c e n t r e m a g a z i n e . n e t

FEATURE: TELECENTRE.ORG ACADEMY

The Dynamics of Capacity Building Programme for Telecentre Managers

Photo Credit: IGNOU

Shipra Sharma Member, Editorial Team, telecentre magazine She is a sociologist by education and training and a researcher by vocation. She has more than 15 years of work experience in the development sector, ranging from qualitative research, project management to knowledge management and communication. email: shipra@csdms.in web: www.csdms.in

MC Nair delivering the welcome address at the workshop

Background The

Vignesh Sornamohan Consultant, Drishtee Development and Communications Ltd., He is a Knowledge Management, Content Development, Instructional Design, eLearning, eGovernance, telecentres expert and Honorary Director, Voice to the Voiceless Trust. email: vigneshjnu@gmail.com

April - June 2010

National

(SCA) and Village Level Entrepreneur Plan

(VLE). Since the VLEs are responsible

(NeGP), as approved by the Government

e-Governance

for CSC operations at the village level,

of India, envisions Common Service

therefore, they require appropriate

Centre (CSC) scheme as a platform that

skills to manage them efficiently as

can enable Government, private and

social enterprises. As per the plans, the

social sector organisations to align their

target was to establish approximately

social and commercial goals for the

100,000 CSCs to serve 600,000 Indian

benefit of the rural population in the

villages, i. e., one CSC for a cluster of

remotest corners of the country through

six neighbouring villages, following the

a combination of IT-based as well as

hub and spokes model. However, after

non-IT-based services. To facilitate

the announcement by the President

this, NeGP has developed a conducive

of India to reposition CSCs as Bharat

ecosystem for the CSCs to take root

Nirman Common Service Centres at

and grow.

the Panchayat or local government

The main components of the CSC

level, their numbers are going to double

programme are: National Level Service

(approximately 250,000) in proportion

Agency

(NLSA), State Designated

to the Panchayats functioning in the

Agency (SDA), Service Centre Agency

country. To run these CSCs, there is an 43

who is also coordinating the ‘Certificate Programme in Telecentre Management, talked

about

this

programme.

mentioned that IGNOU has undertaken a series of exercises and consultation spread over a period of two years to develop

this

certificate

programme

through a bottom up approach. He further added that the main objective of convening the workshop was to present an outline of the curriculum and get VLEs’ inputs on the same. This initiative Photo Credit: IGNOU

was possible because of the persistent efforts of V N Rajashekharan Pillai, ViceChancellor, Indira Gandhi National Open University. In addition, Basheerhamad Shadrach, Executive Director, telecentre. org Foundation has been an inspiration

Basheerhamad Shadrach, VN Rajasekharan Pillai, SR Rao and Aruna Sundararajan among the panelists at the workshop

for the course and for providing both human and financial reosurces as and when required.

urgent requirement of skilled human

this National workshop to discuss and

V N Rajashekaran Pillai expressed

resource.

deliberate on the curriculum being

his pleasure in collaborating with DIT

Given this massive capacity building

developed for a certificate course for

and telecentre.org Foundation. Since

need, the Indira Gandhi National Open

telecentre managers, at the invitation

the country is entering the Decade of

University (IGNOU), in collaboration

of the Department of Information

Innovation (2010 – 2020), its timely to

with various partner organisations like

Technology

understand the nature of knowledge

International Development Research

India (GoI).

(DIT),

Government

Centre, telecentre.org Foundation, M

and skills needed to meet the objectives of capacitating 500 million youth under the National Skills Mission.

put together a comprehensive training

IGNOU’s role in National Skills Mission and telecentre managers’ capacity building

programme for the telecentre managers,

In his welcome address, M C Nair, Director,

collaboration are critical. Consequently,

entrepreneurs and other stakeholders.

Centre for Extension Education (CEE),

through the telecentre management

S Swaminathan Research Foundation, Drishtee, and other consultants, have

With

the

existing

To meet such objectives, large rural infrastructure and innovative

curriculum,

course, IGNOU aims to capacitate

IGNOU and its partner telecentre.org

250,000 VLEs on various skills. Apart

Foundation’s capacity building pillar, telecentre.org Academy is in a unique position to address the training needs of the CSC programme. Together, they have taken the lead and have organised several workshops and meetings to achieve this goal. The latest in this series is the ‘Capacity Village

building Level

programme

Entrepreneurs

for and

telecentre managers: First Curriculum review workshop’ held on 22nd March 2010 at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, India. IGNOU in partnership with telecentre.org Foundation organised 44

IGNOU has undertaken a series of exercises and consultation spread over a period of two years to develop the certificate programme for telecentre managers through a bottom up approach

from increasing the gross enrollment ratio for this course, it also offers an opportunity for effective collaboration between

IGNOU

and

grassroots

organisations.

Think local, act global: the telecentre.org Academy approach to capacity building According to Basheerhamad Shadrach, the vision that Rajashekharan Pillai and R Chandrasekhar visualised on 28th November 2006 during a meeting organised by DIT to address the capacity building needs of telecentre operators w w w. t e l e c e n t r e m a g a z i n e . n e t

has materialised today. In the last four years, the telecentre.org Academy has trained more than 10,000 mentors, who could train more people on telecentres. Together with its partners in twenty different countries across the globe, the Academy boasts of 200 different modules

telecentre

managersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

training. This course needed a think local and act global approach. So far, fourteen national telecentre.org Academies have joined this initiative. In this process, the Academy realised that a curriculum developed around the

It is vital to make the curriculum local and contextualised to address practical challenges at the village level. It is also necessary to make the content interactive and include some of the best case studies into the curriculum

typical academic system would not work

Recently,

DIT

commissioned

research study to understand the Challenges of SCAs. The main findings of the report indicate that the capacity building

VLE

inadequately

addressed by the SCAs and they are also not making enough investments for this. The study also revealed that there is a direct co-relation between training and earning. Therefore, the feedback to the curriculum development team would be to make the curriculum local and contextualised to address practical challenges at the village level. It is also necessary to make the content interactive and include some of the

basic Certificate Course on Telecentre

Co-relation between learning, earning and telecentre sustainability

Management, which addresses the

Aruna Sundarrajan, CEO, IL&FS, also

dynamic. IGNOUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s partnership network

learning needs of grassroots knowledge

mentioned that capacity building is a

should be leveraged to reach out to all

workers. This course would be launched

critical factor for the CSC programme to

the VLEs. She requested all the SCAs to

in June 2010.

succeed. The programme has reached

actively participate and co-create the programme.

to cater to the needs of unconventional learners. So, it has come up with a

best case studies into the curriculum. The training should be on-going and

Shadrach mentioned that the VLEs

the stage of serious implementation

should have knowledge on three basic

and is coping with complex challenges.

S R Rao, Additional Secretary, DIT,

literacy, which are: 1) Water literacy

So, this workshop is timely. During its

mentioned that the telecentres have

2) Climate literacy and 3) Financial

course, the curriculum developers will

been active for the past two decades

literacy.

Foundation

present the curriculum and the VLEs

and have shown both successes and

is happy to partner with IGNOU in

would apprise of its relevance and the

failures.

this mammoth task of capacitating

requirement for additional modules,

is facing human and technological

250,000 VLEs.

if necessary.

challenges. As the programme is being

telecentre.org

Currently,

this

movement

scaled up, some of the CSCs are closing down due to unavailability of services. This shows a direct disconnect between the SCAs and VLEs. Therefore, it is important to understand that all the stakeholders including the SDAs have a stake. There is a need to evolve a viable business model. At this point, it is also important to think in terms of how to connect telecentres and community to ensure its sustainability. Mr Rao was happy to see that a bottom-up approach is being followed while developing the Photo Credit: IGNOU

curriculum. The curriculum must have a local flavour and the course design should be dynamic. A comprehensive needs

assessment

from

the

field

has to be conducted to understand the Basheerhamad Shadrach speaking at the workshop April - June 2010

real need. 45

should be self-sustainable. Unless and until they understand their community, they may not be able to do successful business. Last year, telecentre.org organised a five days curriculum writeshop at Singapore. More than 15 people from 12 countries participated in it. Most of them were experiencing similar challenges and the curriculum was extensively discussed and reviewed. Photo Credit: IGNOU

The goals of the curriculum include: To enable telecentre professionals

•

to use ICTs as strategic tools for community development SR Rao, Additional Secretary, DIT, speaking at the workshop

To provide for continuous learning

•

to facilitate and promote knowledge exchange.

While Shankar

making Aggarwal,

his

observations,

Joint

designing this course, as they are the

To build capacities and skills

•

Secretary,

primary target groups. He also requested

eGovernance, DIT, mentioned that the

the VLEs to act as change agents and

managing, planning, operating and

primary objective of this course should

bring about a new revolution in this

improving upon the functional and

be to make sure that the VLE is capable

country. The vision of the government

strategic aspects of telecentres to

of running the telecentres successfully.

is to enable VLEs and authorise them

ensure their economic and social

So, the need for formal capacity building

to provide Government and other

sustainability.

of VLE is of paramount value. Therefore,

value-added services. There will be a

he has requested the SCAs, VLEs and

viability gap in the initial years. So, the

sharing to maximise resource and

IGNOU to sit together and design a

government has a vision to support

capacity utilisation.

course, which suits CSC operation and

VLEs for three to four years till they

The course caters to diversified

management skill requirements. He

become self-sufficient through delivery

learners with a standardised global

envisages a bigger role for the VLEs in

of services.

approach and localisation possibilities.

telecentre

professionals

for

To enable collaborative resource

•

It leverages technology for collaborative

The course caters to diversified learners with a standardised global approach and localisation possibilities. It leverages technology for collaborative resource sharing and interactive learning and customisation for telecentres 46

The curriculum development process

resource sharing and interactive learning

Presenting the curriculum, Anita Anand

and

commented that years back, the MS

A typical learner of this course is 8th

Swaminathan Research Foundation,

- 10th standard pass youth grown up in

Grameen Gyan Abhiyan and telecentre.

a small town/ village. S/he should be

org organised a Telecentre Managers

interested in social entrepreneurship

Forum for two days. During this

with the potential to be a community

workshop, more than 50 grassroots

worker, leader and entrepreneur.

customisation

for

telecentres.

telecentre operators and managers

Keeping the profile of the learners

deliberated over this issue. It helped to

in mind, the course structure is divided

develop an outline for the curriculum,

into two modules. First is the ‘Core’

which led to curriculum development.

modules, which are generic and centers

As part of her job, Anita traveled

around

globally

applicable

extensively to different telecentres.

subjects of learning. The second is

Some of the key learnings included:

‘Advanced’ modules, which are more

telecentres don’t stand on their own.

detailed and specific learning modules

They are lodged in a community and

for telecentres focused on a particular

they are part of a bigger development

subject or area of work, with inputs

picture. They are not for charity and

from specialists and experts. A variety w w w. t e l e c e n t r e m a g a z i n e . n e t

of delivery mechanisms, such as online content, printed books, interactive learning platforms, classroom learning, site

visits,

internships

and

other

activities that enable the achievement of learning objectives, will be used for imparting training. In the certificate course, the learner will follow ‘Sequential Learning’ while the advanced modules are oriented around studying more than one module Photo Credit: IGNOU

at a time. The learning process would include: a) self-paced learning model with in-built interactivity, b) modules and units with self-assessment tools for on-going progress checks, c) learner

A group discussion in progress at the workshop

behaviour tracking enabled LMS to have a detailed check on the time spent on online and offline learning or recap

•

activities.

A good course is not sufficient for

through post; b) Audio - Cassettes,

making a good entrepreneur. It

Gyan Vani, Community Radio; c)

is critical to give them hands on

Video – Video cassettes – Gyan

Curriculum review and discussion

training with practical challenges.

Darshan;

A number of SCA representatives, like

It also entails more emphasis on

RC and

pedagogy.

phone,

Highlight the value of the education/

Society provided their feedback on

training, so that VLEs can appreciate

multimedia programme; e)

the proposed curriculum, which are

the need for such training.

On-line facilities – assignments,

Make it mandatory to have a

examination;

VLE role clarity and role linkages

dedicated section on Panchayati

– identify partner institutions for

must be part of the course.

Raj Institutions.

practical courses

BASIX, SREI Sahaj e-Village, ZOOM Developers,

NICT,

and

DOEACC

mentioned below: • •

•

Emphasis should be put on change

•

The curriculum can have sections

•

Tele-conferencing interact Edusat

Multi-media

–

through programme;

–

Interactive

Practical

sessions

As per the evaluation system, 16

management, a critical component

on 3Cs – Content, Connectivity and

credits are given for basic certificate

of the CSC programme.

Collaboration.

course; 32 credits for diploma

It should be available in regional

course. It is a combination of 75%

languages.

theory and 25% practical.

VLE selection criteria should also

•

be predefined. •

A good course is not sufficient for making a good entrepreneur. It is critical to give them hands on training with practical challenges. It also entails more emphasis on pedagogy April - June 2010

Also, this curriculum may be added

After the brief feedback session on

to the High School Curriculum as a

the curriculum, the participants were

vocational course

divided into four groups to discuss

Nair

provided

additional

feedback to the group •

four

questions

around

training

needs and curriculum. Each group

IGNOU has developed a module on

discussed all the four questions in

Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs),

detail and presented the findings

which can be incorporated in the

listed below:

curriculum. •

•

Also, IGNOU has developed many

Previous training and its usefulness

courses that are directly relevant to

Most of the VLEs had an induction

CSCs like, computer education,

training for one or two days. They

time management, soft skills, BPO

were also given training on a particular

operations, etc.

service delivery as and when required.

IGNOU uses a variety of delivery

The training provided on National

mechanism, like a) Printed books

Population Registry was useful. Some 47

Shadrach observed three opportunities to work with the SCAs in designing the course: localise the curriculum, work closely with SCAs to nominate first set of mentors, contextualise and package it to meet the capacity building needs of the VLEs

of the VLEs have undergone training on micro-credit too. There is no training on

government

services.

However,

there was no uniform and standardised curriculum for training VLEs.

Additional skill requirements a) Basic

computing

(M.S.

Office,

Troubleshooting, etc.) b) Basic financial and accounting c) Communication networking,

skills, public

social speaking

(including English language speaking) and sales and marketing skills d) Time management e) Information

about

relevant

government services and departments and e-Governance service delivery f) Training on maps, data, information, etc.

d) CBT Materials on computer literacy and IT training materials

Stakeholders’ engagement in localisation and mentoring a) The

stakeholders

can

help

translating the curriculum in the local language b) Integrating

local

examples

with

success stories c) Arranging local maps, data, info, etc. d) Provide trainers and mentors fluent in local language e) Training

information,

pictures,

surname, etc. to suit the local context f) More pictorial course material g) Local newspaper advertisements h) Awareness

campaigns

featuring

successful VLEs

g) Management and social and business

i) Including solution building for local

Available training materials

etiquette h) Business development skills

different services delivery

i) Customer Relationship Management and Behavioural Training

b) Some VLEs had manual on computer operations

j) Micro-planning skills k) Course on alternative energy and

challenges

a) SCAs have process documents for

Final observations by moderators During the final session of this workshop, Shadrach observed three opportunities

c) Training material on Micro-credit

to work with the SCAs in designing this

and Livelihood is available with SCAs

course a) localise the curriculum, b)

connectivity

work closely with SCAs to nominate

Workshop Outcome •

•

• •

•

There is a direct co-relation between Learning and Earning, eventually leading to telecentre sustainability. Capacity building is inadequately addressed by the Service Centre Agencies. There is a lack of uniform and standardised training material. There is no training material on access to government services and service delivery. The curriculum developed by telecentre.org Academy for certificate course can be used by the Service Centre Agencies for training their VLEs. Additional modules on NeGP can be developed with support from DIT. Some of the existing IGNOU modules can be adopted into the course curriculum like,

•

time management, finance and accounting, BPO operations, etc. There are three ways to partner with IGNOU: a) train their VLEs through telecentre management course, b) Partner with IGNOU and deliver its courses through their CSCs, c) To become IGNOU community colleges. SCAs can help in translating, localising and contextualising the course content. A few SCAs like Srei Sahaj and AISECT are already delivering IGNOU courses through their CSCs. The Jammu and Kashmir Bank also showed interest in partnering with IGNOU to deliver their courses through CSCs. DOEACC society has expressed interest in working with SCAs to deliver their courses at the village level.

first set of mentors, c) contextualise and package the course to meet the capacity building needs of the VLEs. He has requested all the VLEs to follow business like social operation to make the CSCs viable and relevant to the community needs. In her observation, Anita Anand mentioned that there is no training content with the SCAs. So, this course may be a standard curriculum to train their VLEs on telecentre operations. She also felt the need for having more audio-visual training. This course was made possible by the untiring efforts of telecentre activist

spread

across

the

globe.

IGNOU is happy to play a small role in designing this course. IGNOU caters to a heterogeneous group between the age of 18 and 86. However, the role of SCAs in localising and contextualising this content would be much appreciated.  w w w. t e l e c e n t r e m a g a z i n e . n e t

TELECENTRE NETWORK

Telecentre Revolution in Rwanda: Challenges and Prospects

Photo Credit: Paul Barera

Paul Barera Executive Director, Rwanda Telecentre Network (RTN) He also chairs the Knowledge Network for African Community Telecentres (KNACT), a project being implemented by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). He is an active advocate of ICT4D in Africa, especially with regard to providing ICT access to the rural and disadvantaged communities. email: pbarera@yahoo.fr

Rural communities using telecentre to access information

Overview of ICT development in Rwanda

April - June 2010

based. The Government of Rwanda has decided to use Information and

Rwanda is a country that has come

Communication Technologies (ICTs)

remarkably far in terms of development

as a tool to reach this development

in a relatively short period of time.

goal. The vision document has been

Despite a very recent history of war and

made operational through the national

genocide that aggravated the already

policy document widely known as the

rising levels of poverty and inequality,

National Information Communication

the country manifests considerable

Infrastructure Plan [NICI 1 (2001-2005)].

macro-economic and political stability.

Rwanda is currently implementing NICI

However,

II (2006-2010).

development

challenges

remain. The economy remains a largely

subsistence based agricultural sector

country

facing land pressure and productivity

economic

challenges.

telecommunication reforms that aimed

the has

past gone

few

years,

through

reforms

the major

including

As part of the national vision (Vision

at increasing the competitiveness of

2020), Rwanda looks forward to middle

the telecommunication industry and

income economy by the year 2020

attracting foreign investment. These

through transforming it from being

comprised the establishment of an

predominantly agricultural to one that

independent regulatory body known as

is information rich and knowledge

the Rwanda Utility Regulatory Agency 49

(RURA). The main mission of RURA is to promote fair competition, improve the quality of services, create an enabling environment to attract investors and, more importantly, ensure the provision of services to all citizens in accordance to the Universal Access obligations set by the International Telecommunication Union. Despite

high

level

political

commitment to take ICT development forward as a priority area, the current Photo Credit: Paul Barera

trend in the sector’s development reveals several gaps that need to be addressed if the country expects major returns in the coming 20 years. Those gaps are related to the issues of access to and affordability of ICT services One of the telecentres establsihed by RITA

for the majority of people living in rural areas in addition to the lack of local content. Meanwhile, in order

launched two mobile buses, which

movement has been moving at a very

to address those gaps, a number of

are also used by rural communities as

low speed since the last five years. Out

programme and projects are underway

mobile telecentre. Services offered by

of a total of

within the National Information and

these ICT buses are basically computer

were planned to be established since

Communication Infrastructure (NICI

literacy training and Internet access.

2006 by the government and other

II) Plan framework. These programmes

300 telecentres, which

organisations, only 30 telecentres are Cooperative based telecentres

operational country wide. In addition to

network access around and outside

These are telecentres initiated by

30 rural telecentres, it is estimated that

the country over satellite and fiberfibre

members of cooperatives with the aim

nearly 500 cyber cafés are operational in

technologies, as well as deployment of

to access the information they need.

the country with 75% of them operating

Multi-purpose Community Telecentres

Even though no study was done yet

in the capital city, Kigali itself.

(MCTs).

to determine the exact number and

and

projects

focus

increasing

operation mode of cooperative based

Rwanda telecentre movement: the youngest in East Africa

Local content and sustainability

telecentres, the Rwanda Telecentre

Sustainability and local content have

Network (RTN) has been working closely

always been key issues for government

The Rwanda telecentre movement is

with a few such telecentres based in

supported and private telecentres. All

relatively young as the first community

coffee and rice grower’s communities.

telecentres are still relying on basic ICT

telecentre was established in 2003 in

As far as ownership is concerned,

services, such as Internet browsing,

coffee grower’s community of Maraba

cooperative

are

secretarial services, and basic computer

in Northern part of Rwanda. Presently,

truly recognised as community owned

training. In addition to telecentre

there are three types of telecentres

telecentres.

viability issue, it has been ascertained

based

telecentres

in Rwanda

that the provision of basic ICT services Entrepreneurs based telecentres

to rural communities without local

Government telecentres

These are centres based in urban and

and relevant content could not have

These are telecentres established by

semi-urban areas initiated by local

any big impact on their livelihood. The

Rwanda Information and Technology

entrepreneurs with or without donor

major sources of income for telecentres

Authority (RITA). The plan is to set up a

support. The most popular telecentre

are computer training, Internet and

telecentre in every district. Currently,12

under

secretarial services.

telecentres are operational and 18 will

telecentre.

this