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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dear All,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>From the South Pacific, I would like to introduce
myself. I have been Technical Advisor of the <A
href="http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/general/pfnet.htm">People First Network
(PFnet)</A> project since it's formulation in 2001. In this small country
suffering from after effects of ethnic strife, we have 85% of the 450,000
population living in poverty in rural areas, which means scattered in small
isolated communities on islands over a huge area of ocean. The basic access
problem is compounded by severe logistical problems and lack of opportunity to
aggregate demand. PFnet is meeting this with it's model based on affordable
radio email technology, community partnerships - and a range of partnerships
with government, private sector and civil society. Although the
operator-assisted community email stations are autonomous financially, we have a
central revenue generating operation to support the networking and information
management activities in which we are engaged, and are just about sustainable
finally after 3 years, with initial funding from UNDP, Japan, Great
Britain, NZAid, the EU and others.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The objectives of PFnet are to:</FONT></DIV>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face=Arial size=2>Facilitate affordable, community-based
communications and then....</FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT face=Arial size=2>...to use the communication network to facilitate
information sharing and networking across all communities forming the Solomons
and across all sectors (notably education);</FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT face=Arial size=2>To build capacity for rural
networking;</FONT></LI></UL>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>We're also active on the policy level, helping to
bring stakeholders together to develop a national ICT strategy, and have just
completed a major research project (led by the University of the South
Pacific, with partner UNDP and funded by JICA) into the social impacts and the
factors affecting utilization/appropriation of the rural ICT.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Our brochure: <A
href="http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/downloads/pfnet_brochure.pdf">http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/downloads/pfnet_brochure.pdf</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Research description (the full report will be
released in October) <A
href="http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/research">http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/research</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>ICT Strategy building:<FONT face=Arial size=2> <A
href="http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/general/pfnet_stats.htm#WG">http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/general/pfnet_stats.htm#WG</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>Main PFnet page with links to external evaluations, radio
interviews, videos and usage statistics:
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Our brochure: <A
href="http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/general/pfnet.htm">http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/general/pfnet.htm</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></DIV></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>PFnet was initially established through the UNDP
but is now operating as an activity of the Rural Development Volunteers
Association (RDVA), an incorporated non-profit body that is a partner agency of
the Ministry of Provincial Government.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>We had a presence at the ICT4D
Platform.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I hope this forum is going to be useful in sharing
best practice and helping to keep the momentum achieved last year with the
WSIS.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>David Leeming<BR>Technical Advisor<BR>People First
Network (PFnet)<BR>P.O.Box 652, Honiara, Solomon Islands<BR>Tel: (677) 26358 (w)
24419 (h)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><A
href="mailto:leeming@pipolfastaem.gov.sb">leeming@pipolfastaem.gov.sb</A><BR><A
href="http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb">http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
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