The ITU has released a report on "Multipurpose community telecentres: Lessons learned". It is a good development. After years of telecentre work, we need to understand the impact of access to ICT in poverty eradication and social empowerment. There is a need for deeper analysis of telecentre activities beyond anecdotal statements. Don't get me wrong. I have a passion for ICT in development... perhaps what is required is more evidence to push this movement to the next level.
Unfortunately, ITU's report doesn't go far enough... its mostly about what we know already.
In part, "...the study suggests that the social rate of return from access to information is likely to be very high, and ignoring it for the sake of cost-revenue balance would be self-defeating. It concludes that access to information should be considered as an investment that has an overarching impact on all the activities of an economy, and should not be constricted by requiring a monetary return in the short run.
See more: http://www.itu.int/net/itunews/issues/2010/05/30.aspx
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Thursday, June 3, 2010
More Telecentres to Boost Rural Access in Rwanda
Kigali, Aug 25, 2009 (The New Times/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) -- Rwanda Development Board's Information Technology has a directorate whose focus is enabling rural communities access basic ICT services for the purposes of boosting their levels of competitiveness.
As part of this empowerment drive, RDB-IT has been installing rural telecentres throughout the country.
It recently added 18 more telecentres under its community and rural access outreach programmes. The New Times' Fred Oluoch-Ojiwah spoke to Alphonse Zigira, the Director Rural and Community Access at RDB-IT on the new developments.
What are the costs implications to RDB-IT for putting up these 18 more centers? RDB-IT finances all the activities involved from construction to equipping of the structures. We, at initial stage take care of the operational costs of these multipurpose community telecenters. But we are working on modalities to ensure that these telecenters sustain themselves in the near future.
Kindly share with readers the status report of what your directorate has been undertaking since its inception.
The Government through, RDB-IT, has embraced the setting up of Multipurpose Community Telecentres (MCTs) as part of its programme to bridge the prevalent digital divide within rural Rwanda and the rest of the world.
This rural community access programme, hugely accorded attention by the government, bodes well with the policy to implement national e-government and e-governance programmes pegged on improving public and private sector service delivery.
There are so far 12 telecentres deployed and operational at the countryside in the first phase. More 18 telecenters are being constructed and nearing completion in terms of construction, equipment, connectivity and operational plan.
Multi-purpose community telecentres will link rural communities to urban areas as well as internationally.
This will allow for services such as video conferencing, enabling doctors, teachers, and other professionals to communicate, consult and learn from their colleagues in other parts of the country and from experts abroad.
E-learning will be taking place on a broader scale, allowing professors to provide training to several hundred students at a time through online facilities.
Read full article/interview at: http://4g-wirelessevolution.tmcnet.com/news/2009/08/25/4338187.htm
As part of this empowerment drive, RDB-IT has been installing rural telecentres throughout the country.
It recently added 18 more telecentres under its community and rural access outreach programmes. The New Times' Fred Oluoch-Ojiwah spoke to Alphonse Zigira, the Director Rural and Community Access at RDB-IT on the new developments.
What are the costs implications to RDB-IT for putting up these 18 more centers? RDB-IT finances all the activities involved from construction to equipping of the structures. We, at initial stage take care of the operational costs of these multipurpose community telecenters. But we are working on modalities to ensure that these telecenters sustain themselves in the near future.
Kindly share with readers the status report of what your directorate has been undertaking since its inception.
The Government through, RDB-IT, has embraced the setting up of Multipurpose Community Telecentres (MCTs) as part of its programme to bridge the prevalent digital divide within rural Rwanda and the rest of the world.
This rural community access programme, hugely accorded attention by the government, bodes well with the policy to implement national e-government and e-governance programmes pegged on improving public and private sector service delivery.
There are so far 12 telecentres deployed and operational at the countryside in the first phase. More 18 telecenters are being constructed and nearing completion in terms of construction, equipment, connectivity and operational plan.
Multi-purpose community telecentres will link rural communities to urban areas as well as internationally.
This will allow for services such as video conferencing, enabling doctors, teachers, and other professionals to communicate, consult and learn from their colleagues in other parts of the country and from experts abroad.
E-learning will be taking place on a broader scale, allowing professors to provide training to several hundred students at a time through online facilities.
Read full article/interview at: http://4g-wirelessevolution.tmcnet.com/news/2009/08/25/4338187.htm
addressing global poverty
what is the relationship between population growth and global poverty? ... a colleague urges that high population is an engine for poverty eradication. And he points to Chine, Brazil and India as proof to the power of big numbers.
I say, population is not a problem. Quality of the population is the concern. Yes, if Africa and Asia continue the path of high population growth - one that commands a high demand for goods and services - that should be a engine for innovation and productivity. The practical matter though is that its a far cry from reality. I believe that reproductive rights and population management ought to be central to any poverty eradication planning. This will ensure that numbers really do count.
I say, population is not a problem. Quality of the population is the concern. Yes, if Africa and Asia continue the path of high population growth - one that commands a high demand for goods and services - that should be a engine for innovation and productivity. The practical matter though is that its a far cry from reality. I believe that reproductive rights and population management ought to be central to any poverty eradication planning. This will ensure that numbers really do count.
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