[Telecentres] Robinson contribution

[Jayne Cravens]

> Given recent comments by Don, Florence, Arun and others before, plus
 >  the fact there is such a wealth of experience concerning the real work of
 >  Telecentres on this list, I suggest one of the main things that is lacking 
 >  within WSIS is the voice of the grassroots with most of those participating 
 >  speaking for other people's experiences rather than from their own.  
 
One of the reasons that the UNITeS/UNV display at the WSIS in Geneva stood out so much, IMO, was that we created, as much as possible, a real telecenter, staffed by local volunteers we brought in from Africa, Asia and the Middle East who ran ICT4D initiatives, including telecenters, back in their own countries. Our booth was run as a real telecenter, with sign-in sheets and the telecenter "staff" providing technical assistance to users and with these local grassroots people making presentations and talking to visitors about their experience.  
 
I don't believe that UNV will be doing such an exhibit again at the WSIS in Tunis, but I hope someone else will. I think it's an excellent way to "walk the talk" about the importance of local voices in telecenter management.




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Jayne Cravens (jayne.cravens at unvolunteers.org)
Online Volunteering Specialist
United Nations Volunteers
www.unvolunteers.org
Bonn, Germany

Online Volunteering:  www.onlinevolunteering.org
UNITeS: www.unites.org
Global volunteerism portal: www.worldvolunteerweb.org
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