[SPAM] - RE: [Telecentres] Re: Basic Telecentre Items/ICT Definition - Email found in subject

Wed Oct 13 14:52:25 BST 2004

Sorry to be so out of synch, I am going through unread messages a bunch at a time after being away for a couple of weeks...

I think that it is right to have examlpes of what is expected from telecentres by their users or designers/ managers...  In the Reflect ICTs project we took as a starting point the capacity of groups or communities to analyse their communication needs, practices and gaps, and from there was established what a telecentre to serve that group or community might do (and look like).

In each of the three pilots the process has been similar in facilitating the needs analysis, but the resulting 'telecentres' (actually mostly more amorphous than that - called 'communications systems') are all very different.  Here a very brief summary of what the three teams came up with (I should mention that all three pilots are linked to Reflect, an approach to adult learning and empowerment which is structured around facilitated groups in villages - www.reflect-action.org to find out more!):

Uganda: Reflect participants want good information on agricultural practices and services, control over land, marketing advice and credit facilities.  A breakdown of information needs shows differences in priorities between men, women, young and old.  Women tended to focus on their rights and their reproductive health, especially how to cope with HIV. In particular participants asked for a databank to be elaborated with information on herbs used to fight opportunistic infections. Men were generally more concerned with their income. According to male Reflect participants, disease is a product of poverty.

The Uganda system is based around a central resource centre with a full-time coordinator to help develop materials and coordinate information exchange, and a technical assistant to look after the equipment and provide technical training and assistance, in a more typical telecentre model.  This is mostly because the infrastructure and policy environment allows.  The centre will also develop a databank of traditional medicines and their applications, act as a training centre and undertake pro-poor advocacy with information providers and policy makers on the development and information needs of poor people. Equipment includes internet-connected computers, digital cameras and world space receivers. Airtime is also being purchased for radio programmes.  

Burundi: For the community of Ruyigi, just coming out of war, reliable information can mean life or death and is considered very important.  In particular, Reflect participants want the 'telecentre' to provide:  experiences from elsewhere to stimulate debates on peace, reconciliation and development;  information for income-generation; information on donors for development work; information on relevant government commitments and rights; governance, land policies, and local government institutions during the reintegration period.

The system aims primarily to strengthen participation in an existing community newsletter, Ejo, which has correspondents drawn from Reflect groups  and is widely distributed (even to refugee camps in Tanzania and other provinces)and trusted.  The project will provide a new Information Officer to source relevant and requested information, translate and distribute it as necessary, manage equipment and run training.  Equipment will include video, to capture and share information and record debates, songs, story-telling and theatre; radio, for which programmes will be developed based on analysis by Reflect groups; newspapers and leaflets. Although electricity, transport and telecommunications infrastructure are not reliable for the area, a computer-training centre will be set up in Ruyigi Town to provide training and access for facilitators and project staff as well as general internet café style services.  This will enable the communities to diversify the information available and also spread awareness of the internet, allowing future strategies for its adoption and appropriation.  Staff will also ensure a strong link between local issues and national -level advocacy and between development planners, communities and policy makers.  

India (Orissa):  Reflect participants wish to be better informed about their rights and available benefits and schemes, to ensure food security and to mitigate the causes of migration, including agricultural practices, water conservation and seasonal employment opportunities. Finally, they wish to push for more transparency in governance.

The system they have developed looks at access to information as a matter of both the capacity of the poor and the responsibility of the government at different levels. The structure of the system mirrors the structure of local government, with resource centres, people and management committees at village, block and district levels.  Recognising the importance of verbal communication, the system will work to make facilitators better informed and supported. Electronic media, such as video, audio and television, will be stored at district level and available to use by all Reflect circles on request. Internet will be used where available (in the offices of some partner organisations) to feed information into the system. At village level, resource centres will hold materials developed by Reflect groups and collected locally, including newspapers and letters, posters, leaflets and booklets, cassettes, pictures and so on, and a radio set for each circle.   Methods of sharing and disseminating information include cultural performances, a quarterly newsletter based on issues arising from circle analysis, weekly radio programmes organised centrally in partnership with the local FM station, occasional television programmes, audio and video recordings.

 Hannah

-----Original Message-----
From: telecentres-bounces at wsis-cs.org [mailto:telecentres-bounces at wsis-cs.org] On Behalf Of Elizabeth Carll, PhD
Sent: 04 October 2004 05:16
To: telecentres at wsis-cs.org
Subject: [SPAM] - RE: [Telecentres] Re: Basic Telecentre Items/ICT Definition - Email found in subject

Joel,

I certainly agree with your suggestion as to identifying what telecenters are used for, which brings us almost full circle to my initial request for people to list telecenters they are involved with, their function and how these relate to the WSIS Declaration.  However, it appears that most are not interested in posting this information, as only Toby has done so to date.

I have pasted Toby's brief summary below, again,  for other peoples reference, should you be inclined to submit this information and code it to the table of Contents/sections of WSIS Declaration, which is pasted at the bottom.  It is simpler for each person to describe and code their own information than for one or two of us to have to undertake that as an additional project.

If everyone submits this information, I can compile the information and draft a paragraph in conjunction with Joel developing a matrix  from the purpose indicated for each of the various telecenters.

Elizabeth

-----Original Message-----
From: Toby Beresford [mailto:toby.beresford at microaid.net]
Sent: Thursday, September 30, 2004 5:00 AM
To: Elizabeth Carll, PhD
Subject: Re: [Telecentres] Content areas - application to telecentres

Hi Elizabeth

For MicroAid the following two categories are most applicable to our 40 current online centres in UK, Indonesia and elsewhere.

2.1.1 Poverty Eradication       X
MicroAid online centres help community based organisations to plan and execute micro-projects targeted at (and usually suggested by!)  specific low-income individuals within the community.

2.1.8 Development of Sustainable and Community-based ICT Solutions X MicroAid online centres are designed to provide tools for commuity based organisations to raise funds to pay for the online centre and to fund micro-projects themselves - empowering them to be sustainable and self-financing.

Good luck!

Toby

"Shaping Information Societies for Human Needs"
Civil Society Declaration to the World Summit on the Information Society

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. A VISIONARY SOCIETY-
2. CORE PRINCIPLES AND CHALLENGES

2.1 Social Justice and People-Centered Sustainable Development
2.1.1 Poverty Eradication
2.1.2 Global Citizenship
2.1.3 Gender Justice
        2.1.4 Importance of Youth
2.1.5 Access to Information and the Means of Communication
2.1.6 Access to Health Information
2.1.7 Basic Literacy
2.1.8 Development of Sustainable and Community-based ICT Solutions
2.1.9 Conflict Situations

2.2  Centrality of Human Rights
2.2.1 Freedom of Expression
2.2.2 Right to Privacy
2.2.3 Right to Participate in Public Affairs
2.2.4 Workers' Rights
2.2.5 Rights of Indigenous Peoples
2.2.6 Women's Rights
2.2.7 Rights of the Child
2.2.8 Rights of Persons with Disabilities
2.2.9 Regulation and the Rule of Law

2.3  Culture, Knowledge and Public Domain
2.3.1 Cultural and Linguistic Diversity
                2.3.1.1 Capacity Building and Education
                2.3.1.2 Language
                2.3.1.3 International Law and Regulation
2.3.2 Media
        2.3.2.1 The Role of the Media
        2.3.2.2 Community Media
2.3.3 Public Domain of Global Knowledge
        2.3.3.1 Indigenous Peoples' Knowledge
        2.3.3.2 Copyright, Patents and Trademarks
        2.3.3.3 Software
        2.3.3.4 Research

2.4  Enabling Environment
2.4.1 Ethical Dimensions
2.4.2 Democratic and Accountable Governance
2.4.3 Infrastructure and Access
2.4.4 Financing and Infrastructure
2.4.5 Human Development - Education and Training
2.4.6 Information Generation and Knowledge Development
2.4.7 Global Governance of ICT and Communications

3. CONCLUSION

Elizabeth

Dr. Elizabeth Carll
Focal Point
International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies; Chair Media/ICT Working Group, NGO Committee on Mental Health, New York
Tel: 1-631-754-2424
Fax: 1-631-754-5032
ecarll at optonline.net

-----Original Message-----
From: telecentres-bounces at wsis-cs.org
[mailto:telecentres-bounces at wsis-cs.org]On Behalf Of Joel Galgana
Sent: Sunday, October 03, 2004 11:36 PM
To: telecentres at wsis-cs.org
Subject: [Telecentres] Re: Basic Telecentre Items/ICT Definition

<<<I humbly propose that we identify first WHAT the telecenters would be used for, maybe coming up with matrix of categories of telecenters, and based on the various applications / objectives, THEN focus on the details.>>>

-Joel

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