ICT Journalist

‘Bantu Watch’ helps Zambia turn ICT into a mass vote monitoring tool

2011-10-11T16:49:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

Zambians voting or monitoring the September 20 elections had a
pleasant surprise in store for them when Bantu Watch, a joint platform of Civil Society
and (social) media representatives in Zambia, was unveiled showing the use of the SMS
(Short Message Service) as a tool for monitoring and reporting electoral
malpractices.
HIVOS, Coordinator ICT election Watch, Sanne van den Berg, said she

was pleased with the way Zambians sent in quality reports although she
said the numbers of SMSs was low in terms of numbers. She explained
that this was due to technical difficulties with Airtel messages.
She was also happy that by monitoring the SMSs and tweets sent to

Bantu Watch from both monitors and the general public, there were an
incredible high number of actionable reports of which SACCORD acted
upon.
Meanwhile, SODNET’s Program Associate Innovations and Knowledge

Management, John Kipchumbah, said his participation in Bantu Watch has
been an amazing experience that shows what the power of the people can
do.
“Their vigilance and their commitment to protecting their vote has

been very visible,” he said.
“I had the privilege of viewing the citizens’ voices streaming into

the platform, the level of commitment, the passion, shows that people
do know what they want and increasingly they are using channels
presented to them to get action on their issues. I take home a very
clear message that what we as individuals do can or will make a very
big difference by making that decision to care for what affects us and
others among us and that we have the power to make a difference,” said
Kipchumbah.
He added that the platform under the guidance of committed individuals

in both the Southern Africa Centre for Constructive Resolution of
Disputes (SACCORD) and the Africa Interactive Media representatives
has a very huge potential to be a citizens channel to give feedback on
specific issues on governance, development and economic grown for
young people presenting connections at different level.
Verifying SMSs and twitter reports on the Bantu Watch platform Lukonga

Lindunda, a Tech Enthusiast, said being part of the Bantu Watch team
has been a learning experience for him and the Tech minds who have
been motivated to map this year’s elections.
“On Election Day there was an increase in reports and we really had to

work under pressure to verify the reports from Zambians sending SMSs
on electoral malpractices. The Ihub shows that many reports were from
Lusaka and the Copperbelt provinces,” said Lindunda.
He explained that the people verifying the Bantu Watch Ihub were Tech

minds who were graduates from Evelyn Hone College of Applied Arts and
Commerce, University of Zambian (UNZA) and NIPA.
We have been interested in what Ushahidi was all about and discovered

that it was an open source tool with roots in Kenya. When we got to
play with Ushahidi we discovered that we could use it for other things
and soon after elections we will be trying to use it for something
else.
He added that they also monitored tweets under the hushtag #BantuWatch .

BantuWatch is a joint initiative of civil society and (social) media
representatives in Zambia under leadership of SACCORD. Hivos and
SODNET provided technical support to the project.
BantuWatch is an Ushahidi-based technology platform that allows citizens and civil

society to monitor and report incidences around the electoral process.
It provides a way for citizens and civil society to use phones or the
internet to report on electoral offences such as intimidation, hate
speech, vote buying, polling clerk bias and voting misinformation.
Reports from citizens were collected and visualized online together

with those of trained observers from civil society partners. Incidents
that needed to be responded to were channelled to the electoral or
security authorities after trained persons from civil society verified
citizen messages with contacts on the ground.
The compiled data of all submitted reports was used for reporting to the media and interested parties – at any point in the process. At the end of the election exercise, the data becomes part of a report with recommendations for future improvements to the election process.

Zambian Bloggers meet face to face to address the State of Zambian Blogosphere

2011-08-04T10:42:00.005+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
After my interview with Global Voices Online last month on the “State of the Zambian blogosphere” I decided to call for a face to face bloggers meeting for Lusaka based bloggers in Zambia. I sent out the call on facebook for Bloggers to meet.

About 10 bloggers came to the meeting to see how we could strengthen the state of the Zambian blogosphere which is currently weak and also address issues which were limiting bloggers daily blogging.

The bloggers agreed on setting up a formal network for Zambian Bloggers. The bloggers also agreed on setting up a facebook group which is up and running already called Zambian Bloggers which will act as a discussion platform. The bloggers also agreed to meet monthly and discuss issues related to their well being and how they can make money.

They also identified their capacity building needs that can enable them become knowledgeable. It is important that Zambian bloggers have a platform online and offline. The offline space makes it rich for bloggers to meet and add a face to the daily online talks and share their different experiences while the online space remains a link and meeting place for their daily discussions and pointers online.

There is also a need to grow the Zambian blogosphere. It is also important for the bloggers to be trained in citizen journalism, web2.0 applications and social media and how these tools can be used for citizen engagement and advocacy around Zambia.
Zambians need to know how to add content to Wikipeadia, delicious, tag some stories, vlog, social bookmark, how to podcast, leverage RSS feeds, share websites, photo-blog, skype and the use of many more applications and tools.

Bloggers can also use many free and open source tools which include and not limited to GIMP, Audacity, Scribus, Inkscape, Chisimba, Django and Drupal.

There is need to teach Citizen Media techniques to underrepresented communities in Zambia if the blogging community was united and made decisions as one.

Google and You tube partners with AfriConnect to host cache servers locally

2011-07-21T17:19:00.002+02:00

The World’s leading search engine Google and leading video sharing website You Tube has partnered with local Internet service provider (ISP) AfriConnect to host the internet giant’s local cache operations.

AfriConnect Marketing Manager Janice Maliwa-Chipenzi announced in a statement in Lusaka today that AfriConnect will become the host operation for the Google and YouTube servers in Zambia.

“The effect of hosting this caching equipment is that all Google searches are carried out locally in Zambia (rather than in Europe or further afield), and that 'popular' searches from around the world are 'pre-fetched' or ‘saved’ on the servers - meaning search results are already on a server in the country, making searches notably faster, and saving international bandwidth. She said.

Since Google also own YouTube the same facility applies to searching for and viewing all popular videos - now held locally.

Ms Maliwa-Chipenzi said to make this service available to local internet users, AfriConnect has installed several high-powered computer servers linked to their own dedicated high-speed Internet link, all housed in a secure facility with fully resilient power and cooling systems.

She said the partnership with Google and you tube shows the level of confidence the international ICT sector has in the local ISP’s, a situation which will further enhance Zambia’s internet connectivity to the world.

“AfriConnect has been tirelessly building capacity on our network and thus Google choosing to partner with us as the Zambian location for hosting because of our ability to provide the necessary infrastructure to an international standard.” She added

Ms Maliwa-Chipenzi said AfriConnect is now working to ensure that users of other ISPs in the country can take advantage of the speed and savings.

“Our integration into Vodacom Business has also seen more resources put into upgrading our technical support. Our call centre has been expanded and now has more staff to handle all manner of technical queries. Our call centre which is open from 07hrs to 23hrs daily now has more dedicated lines. Our customers can reach us through our customer support email. We will continue to improve upon our infrastructure and support as we push to offer more than just internet.” said Janice Maliwa-Chipenzi.

AfriConnect Zambia Limited was established in 2005.
AfriConnect’s brand portfolio includes iConnect, iSpot, iSMS, iControl and iPutt (at The Lusaka Club).
Among AfriConnect’s achievements are:
iConnect.zm was Zambia’s first WiMax broadband ISP
iSMS.zm was one of the first integrated SMS communication platforms in Zambia, allowing the development of tools such as the ZNFU Commodity Prices service
iConnect.zm was the first Zambian ISP to offer its customers an exclusive internet portal (myConnect)
iConnect.zm was the first Zambian broadband ISP to offer 7 days a week, 07:00-23:00 support
iConnect.zm was the first Zambian ISP to trial broadband connectivity in a rural area with its Namwala.com project
iConnect.zm was the first Zambian broadband ISP to offer broadband in all nine provincial capitals
iConnect.zm broadband is currently available in: Chingola, Chipata, Choma, Kabwe, Kasama, Kitwe, Livingstone, Lusaka, Mansa, Mongu, Namwala, Ndola and Solwezi, Luanshya, Chililambombwe, Mazabuka, Mufuliria and many more towns to follow..
iSpot has more than 100 hotspot locations across Zambia
AfriConnect invested heavily in the iSchool.zm project, which has now been spun-off as an independent company.
Became a part of the VodaCom Business group of companies in 2010.

Join the iConnect facebook page

Zambia: Brenda Zulu Discusses the State of Zambian Blogosphere

2011-07-13T13:39:00.004+02:00

By Soneka Kamuhuza

The spotlight is on Brenda Zulu, a Zambian journalist and blogger. Brenda’s blog [1] provides her reflections on information, communication and technology issues in Africa. Based in Lusaka, Zambia, Brenda has been blogging since 2004 and is one of Zambia’s seasoned blogger’s. I talked with Brenda about her life, her blogging origins and the state of Zambian blogosphere.

Soneka Kamuhuza (SK): How long have you been blogging?

Brenda Zulu (BZ): I have been blogging since 2004. Besides blogging I also teach Web2.0 applications at workshops to civil society, media and any other interested parties. This includes blogging, micro blogging, podcasting, vlogging, social bookmarking and the use of social media effectively by media organizations.

[2]Brenda Zulu - Zambian journalist and blogger. Photo source: Brenda's blog.

SK: What is the current attitude towards blogging in Zambia?

BZ: Well there is a number of Zambian bloggers but most of them live in the Diaspora. Many Zambians living in the Diaspora blog frequently than Zambians living at home. This is also associated with issue of access to the internet for Zambians at home. Many Zambians can now access internet on their mobile phone where they can mostly do micro-blogging. Otherwise, some even connect their mobile phones to their computers if they would like to do some blogging. Others access the internet from internet cafes, libraries, use mobile dongles, rabbits, wifi, etc. Internet access in Zambia is not cheap even with the coming of optic fibre networks. As one moves away from the city to rural areas access to the internet doubles while losing mobile networks.

Zambians living at home are not prolific bloggers. There are many Zambian blogs online but most of them are dead blogs as they are not updated frequently. Many Zambians are good at micro-blogging and the use of Facebook. Zambians use Facebook more than any other social media platform. Very few Zambians are on Twitter and among the few that have Twitter accounts very few use their accounts. Many claim that they don’t know how to use Twitter.

SK: What do you see as the influence of blogging on Zambian media?

BZ: The Zambian media does not really blog. Many media personnel see blogging as an extra activity. If blogging was bringing in an extra income for Zambian journalists, blogging would be rampant amongst them which is not the case. There is nothing influencing Zambian journalists to blog as many still need to learn the ropes about what blogging is and why it is relevant.

If anything, very few working journalists have equipment of their own. Many journalists use computers, recorders and cameras from their workplaces and they wouldn’t necessary be blogging while at work because they would be stealing company's time. In any case, while journalist can access the internet at their work places some newsrooms are still lagging behind in terms of access to the internet. Many journalists I have taught blogging still say that they still lack internet access and that it was hampering them from blogging. Apart from this it is usually the lack of knowledge that is hampering Zambian journalists to blog. For seasoned bloggers, blogging is just a way of life. When one has a readership and a following they always feel obliged to blog and keep their audience informed.

SK: Are there limitations to your ability to blog?

BZ: Yes there are limitations to my blogging because I now have to blog on other spaces for clients for money. My blog is actually suffering because I am busy creating other blogs and content for clients. In that case, I can safely say that blogging has opened up many closed doors as it has made me busy. Apart from blogging to create my ICT brand, I have used blogging to popularize myself and my work online.

Infact, blogging opens up new opportunities for us people in the media sector. Apart from tutoring on blogging, I have been contracted to liveblog and speak at events, I have also become a news source for media on new and social media and web2.0 issues. I believe my skills have also helped me to be part of two fellowships as everyone wants to learn about new media and how they can benefit from it in career building and also in specilised reporting. These include the Population Reference Bureau (PRB) under the Women’sEdition fellowship in the USA and the Women In News Programme in France which is part of the WAN-IFRA programme.

[3]Brenda Zulu hopes that Zambian bloggers will work together in creating content and aggregate it for this year’s elections.

SK: How does technology infrastructure affect blogging in Zambia?

BZ: Well, I will talk about myself and how I have managed to blog even under difficult circumstances. I started blogging when I used to access internet at the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) resource center. I usually used to work offline on my laptop and then blog only when I had internet access. Firstly, I started blogging because I wanted to archive my articles as the publication I used to work for had no online presence and also used to refuse my ICT articles. I only blogged articles I did on information communication technologies (ICT) as my blog allowed me to do that. Sometimes I also blogged stories that were never used by my publication.

With or without access to technology, blogging can still go on if people are just passionate about it. I blogged more after I was first to be given an award as the Best female Journalist in 2003 in writing ICT stories by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). I wanted to brand my myself in the web which I did because of blogging. Blogging has helped me to find new strings I could contribute stories to as many editors just expressed interest for me to write for them after reading one or two of my blog posts.

SK: What do you see as the role of bloggers in the upcoming elections?

BZ: I just wish that bloggers could work together in creating content and aggregate it in this year’s elections. The role of bloggers in this year’s election is basically to keep the electorate informed but also to create spaces of interactivity and discussion with the community.
The objective of blogging elections is also to capture information that will be presented in different areas of Zambia and also give the voice to voiceless election-aspiring candidates especially women who want to be in leadership.

Integration of data from multiple sources will be required to provide meaningful information and content. Involvement of stake holders is crucial for sharing and dissemination of information for knowledge sharing for the general public. We will need to aggregate content from blogs so that the content will be organised, highly read and it should be presented in text or data, pictures and video and audio (podcasts).

Blogging elections will help geographically dispersed people to also be sensitized. Collaborative framework for community participation even after the elections come to an end. This will help improve the quality of information by linking information from multiple data sources and also reduce cost of content creation and deployment for providing better access through multiple devices.

SK: How would you describe the state of Zambian blogosphere?

BZ: The state of the Zambian blogosphere is growing at a very slow rate. There is need for bloggers to be committed and consistent.

SK: What is the current public attitude towards blogging in Zambia? Are bloggers/online journalists under threat in Zambia?

BZ: Well, the public is ready to consume any other information from any other platform including the Internet. A wordpress based news outlet called the Zambian Watchdog [4]has gained popularity with the owner living in exile because of some stories that were published on the site.

I was also threatened to be sued over stories published on the Southern Africa Social Forum as I was the one who in charge of content management. A journalist and also former President Fredrick Chiluba’s Press Aide Emmanuel Mwamba has been taken to court for a story he allegedly posted on Zambian watchdog.
The public reads blog posts that are circulated and aggregated by the general public.

SK: Would you say that blogging has become a new public sphere in Zambia?

BZ: Not really!!!!!!!! Unless you talk about micro blogging using Twitter or the use of Facebook in Zambia. It is now a fashion trend for Zambians to update their Facebook profile on a daily basis and also to leave comments on other people’s Facebook pages. There is still need for prolific bloggers, though, so that many blogs can be read.

SK: Are there government officials or politicians who blog?

BZ: The President has a blog but I think it is not him who updates it. It has been born as a campaign tool for this year’s elections. Rupiah Banda’s personal website was officially re-launched on Monday 21 February. Boasting a new design and brand new content, the site include more useful information and personal details about him and his wife and the nation of Zambia. The website provides a crucial channel to help President Banda reach the Zambian people. It comes as part of his pledge to drive forward progress and development and so help Zambia to achieve a better place in the world.

The website [5]was first launched in September 2010. He also has official Facebook page [6] and a YouTube channel [7]. Main opposition parties have online presence [8] and the opposition presidential hopefuls such as
Haikainde Hichilema [9] and Michael Sata [10]have personal sites. In 2011 we can see the shift of election campaigns to online platforms.There are also some Members of Parliament and Minister who have Facebook pages such as Dora Siliya [11]who is Education Minister and a former journalist. She uses the page to disseminate government information.

SK: Brenda continues to commit to sharing her experiences and expertise with the rest of the world through blogging.

ICT@Innovation Programme Builds Free and Open Source Capacity in Africa

2011-04-06T16:35:00.002+02:00

In March 2011 the ICT@Innovation programme, aimed at building free and open source capacity in Africa, achieved a 75% pass-rate for the Southern Africa leg of its Linux professional certification programme. This follows the 66% pass rate achieved in its East Africa leg which was held in Nairobi, Kenya in November 2010. The success of the project so far has double the number of Linux Professional Institute (LPI) certified professionals in countries such as Uganda, Kenya, Zambia and Mozambique.

“The success of the programme so far has exceeded our expectations,” said George Nyambuya programme manager at ICT@Innovation, “ and we and hope to achieve a much wider impact as participants implement plans to roll out training programmes in their local communities.”

Linux Certification, a division of South African based Jumping Bean, an open source integration company was selected to run the two week intensive course which prepares participants to write the internationally recognised LPI Level 1 certification.

“We are thrilled to be part of the effort to build open source capacity in Africa and overjoyed that our Linux training programme has been so instrumental in helping ICT@innovation achieve its objectives” said Trust Zifa, Technical training manager at Jumping Bean, who attributed the high pass rates to the quality of the trainers and participants alike.

“With the first phase of the programme well under way we will now be concentrating on the 2nd phase of supporting participants as they grow floss businesses around Linux training and help foster the adoption and use of FOSS in a sustainable way for Africa” said Evans Ikua ,FOSS Certification Manager for ict@innovation.

ICT@innovation is a partnership of FOSSFA (Free Software and Open Source Foundation for Africa) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). Funding partners are the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA). The programme focuses on Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) as a key technology to drive innovation, add local value and create sustainable and affordable ICT solutions. ICT@innovation aims to enhance regional networking and to strengthen consulting capacities of regional and national ICT associations and training institutions as well as of other relevant change agents.

Jumping Bean however also offers training in Drupal and Java training.

DotConnectAfrica endorsed by Corporate Council on Africa (CCA)

2011-01-24T16:15:00.004+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

The Corporate Council for Africa (CCA) has endorsed the dotafrica project for DotConnectAfrica.

According to a Press Release made available to the Africa New Media Group, this mean't that DCA will have access to nearly all the international brand premium names that would register for the .africa top level domain. Additionally, an opportunity is created for doing business and developing the ".africa" brand in Africa and globally.

"It is a win-win situation for both sides" , said Sophia Bekele DotConnectAfrica Organisation Executive Director accepting the endorsement. "Branding is key for market access and so will these heavy hitters benefit from building their brands using the '.africa' name" .

"I look forward with anticipation the implementation of the" dotafrica" initiative", said the endorsement letter signed by President and CEO of CCA on November 17, 2010. "Should this projects come to fruition, we will encourage our members to use these services",

Computer Aid International appoints new CEO

2011-01-06T09:26:00.004+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

ICT for development charity Computer Aid International has appointed David Barker as its new Chief Executive Officer. David has previously been CEO or Director of four not-for-profit organisations: the Royal Academy of Arts, the Childrens' Trust, Practical Action and CABA. He has also worked at two international banks and was previously a captain in the army.

Sara Williams, Computer Aid’s chair said “We are delighted David has joined Computer Aid, he brings with him a wealth of experience to help drive Computer Aid forward and build on its previous successes. We’re very proud of what Computer Aid has achieved so far and we look forward to working with David to continue our work”
Computer Aid International is a leading non-profit provider of ICT for development having professionally provided refurbished over 175,000 PCs and laptops for use in schools, hospitals and community projects in more than 100 countries such as Rwanda, Chile and Zambia.

The charity aims to reduce poverty through practical ICT solutions and it has recently begun working on a number of new and exciting projects. In 2010 Computer Aid launched its first solar powered internet café. The café consists of a standard shipping container which converts into a fully functional internet café and can be used by rural communities anywhere in the world. No mains electricity or wired connectivity are needed. To function, it only requires power from the sun and the internet access is acquired through cellular data connection, wifi or VSAT. Computer Aid has so far shipped two to Zambia and one to Kenya and the charity is currently seeking corporate support to ship more in 2011.

David Barker replaces Tony Roberts, who as well as being Computer Aid’s CEO, founded the organisation 14 years ago. Tony has left the charity to pursue a PHD in ICT for development.

To find out more about donating computers to Computer Aid International or supporting the charity in other ways please visit www.computeraid.org. You can follow Computer Aid on twitter for regular updates on its work

Social Networking in 2011

2011-01-03T16:14:00.005+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

In the new year i believe there will be many social networks that will be born. People have always asked me how many social networks one can subscribe to and fear the trouble in updating all of them at once. I really don't have the answer because what works for me would not work for others.

I have since come to learn about ping.fm and this social network helped me to update my status at once when i was in a hotel where they had blocked facebook and twitter. Ping.fm has helped me in updating my gmail buzz, yahoo and Skype status.

For Africa there still many things to consider such as access to the mobile phone that has access to the internet especially a smart phone, access to the internet and the ability to social network responsibly.

I believe that social networking should provide some positive outcome to people. It all starts with the kind of people we add to our networks. What kind of stuff do they post? How relevant are their postings? I have come to find that social networking is all about "garbage in and garbage out".

That reminds me, i should edit all times wasters on my twitter, facebook, linkedin etc as they just crowd my space.

In any case, through social networking i have found jobs, been invited to present at conferences, i have been asked to participate in campaigns, asked to train Journalists, provide new media applications services, participate in New Media Projects, educate my colleagues. provide public relations services and participate in fellowships etc

It is amazing how the world has become a small place in the face of social networking. I have actually learned a lot from others through social networks on different topics.

I have also used social networking as a platform for dissemination of content. I have however managed to create a wonderful online network. 2010 you will be remembered for your birth to social networking for business in my life. Welcome 2011!!!!!!!!!!!

Power in decision making

2010-12-27T14:49:00.003+02:00

Being an ICT Journalist has opened many closed doors. More over adding the science component is just magic for me. More magic when i have to register my own media company.

it is a indeed a learning curve and there is power in decision making.

8th Conference of the African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment (AARSE 2010) opens in Addis Ababa

2010-10-28T10:23:00.002+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

The 8th African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment Conference opened at UN-ECA in Addis Ababa gathering distinguished geoscientists, educators, researchers, decision makers, practitioners and allied service providers from over 100 countries endorsing the truly international character of the AARSE Conference.

The Conference, which is being held from 25 to 30 October 2010, is organized by the ICT and Science & Technology Division (ISTD) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment in cooperation with the Ethiopian Mapping Agency and in partnership with the Network for the Co-operative Management of Environmental Information in Africa (EIS-Africa) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers - Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society (IEEE-GRSS).

A press release says the Conference is sponsored by the Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc (ESRI), Astrium, GIS Development and the European Space Agency.

The primary objective of the Conference is to increase the awareness of African decision makers, scientists and institutions, the private sector and the society at large, on the benefits of developing, applying and utilizing the products and services of geo-information and space technology in the sustainable management of Africa’s natural resources and environment, as well as potential applications of these technologies for poverty alleviation. This objective also addresses the continent’s needs for national geo-information systems for monitoring its ecosystems on a sustainable basis.

In her welcoming remarks,Jennifer Kargbo, Acting Deputy Executive Secretary of ECA, on behalf of the Executive Secretary, Abdoulie Janneh, indicated that the African continent was struggling with major pressing issues, in addition to challenges such as climate change, water, and other environmental stresses. She advised that a major imperative would be “to master the production, management and dissemination of information and knowledge that could promote and sustain social and economic development, whilst mitigating the effects of disasters”.

She also stressed that “value-added information can and should be represented spatially in order to facilitate informed-decisions, hence providing the right services at the right time at the right place”. In light of this, she alluded to the fact ECA not only continued to champion the use of space technology and information services to make Africa spatially enabled but also implemented and supported member States in activities to improve the understanding and use of space-based information technologies for decision-making in the various sectors of development.

The Conference was officially opened by His Excellency Mr. Mahamouda Gass, State Minister, Ministry of Science and Technology of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. In his opening remarks he indicated that the agenda of AARSE 2010, “Earth Observation for Africa’s Development corresponded to the current concerted efforts to gear of Africa’s natural resource towards enhancing its development. He noted that the Conference “will address Africa’s development and the needs and the potential of space science and technology to meet some of the key challenges of the continent’s social and economic growth endeavor”.

He also noted the various areas of the economy where application of geospatial products was central in policy making such as, good governance, security, population census, land administration, environmental monitoring, public utilities, boundaries, conflict resolution, culture, tourism, communication, health, transport, etc. He also stressed that “to leverage the potential of Earth Observation, the continent needed readily available skilled manpower and an enabling infrastructure”.

In the several messages good-will delivered during the opening ceremony and the ensuing two keynote addresses, it was noted that space exploration capacity was improving in Africa with many countries participating in a variety of notable space technology initiatives. However, the continent needed to strengthen institutions of higher learning and national and regional institutions to enable countries to acquire the desired capacity for research and development. Speakers also advocated for an African Space Agency sustained by an appropriate space policy taking into account existing initiatives and governance fora such as the Committee on Development Information, Science & Technology (CODIST).

An Exhibition of space based technology products and services was also opened with 30 exhibitors showcasing their offerings. During the week, several papers will be presented and participants will deliberate on the various issues emanating from the conference themes. The conference will end on Friday 29 October 2010. For more information, please visit: www.aarse2010.org

CTO to extend its rural ICT developmental agenda to semi-autonomous Southern Sudan

2010-10-27T16:22:00.002+02:00

Bringing universal access to people everywhere

By Brenda Zulu
As part of its mandate to ensure that no community is left out in the international campaign to provide universal access to information and communication technologies and services, the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), in conjunction with the government of Southern Sudan (GoSS), will be organising a two-day international forum on rural ICT connectivity from 23rd to 24th November 2010 in the GoSS city of Juba. The conference, under the theme “Connectivity for Communications, Commerce and Governance”, is expected to set the tone for thought-provoking discussions on the development of friendly policy and regulatory frameworks, mechanisms for funding ICT infrastructure, development of sound and profitable business models, and enhancement of partnerships between public and private sector entities to achieve connectivity for all.

With high-level delegates expected from some twenty countries in Africa, Europe, the Americas and Asia, the forum, among other things, will deliberate on topics relating to the establishment of rural telecentres, the effective use of ICTs for public services, the deployment of affordable technologies, and the alternative uses of Universal Services Funds to connect the unconnected.

Speaking on the upcoming conference, the CEO of CTO, Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah said, “For more than two years the Government of Southern Sudan, through its Ministry of Telecoms and Postal Services, has been an active Sector Member of the CTO, and has contributed in diverse ways to support the organisation’s mandate of promoting ICTs through research, studies, consultancy and advisory services, capacity-building programmes, training and knowledge-sharing events. We realise that Southern Sudan is an area with very unique geographic, demographic and developmental challenges. They need special help and focused attention. It is our hope that this conference will serve as a platform for ICT stakeholders across Africa and beyond to share experiences, strategies and expertise in guiding Southern Sudan on its quest to extend connectivity to all unconnected areas.”

On his part the Minster of Telecommunications and Postal Services for GoSS, Hon Madut Biar Yel commended the CTO for accepting to partner with his ministry to undertake such a timely initiative, and assured that GoSS will do all it can to make delegates feel welcome in Juba. He said he is confident of the value to be derived from the two-days of deliberations, leading to better preparedness for the Ministry to realise its objectives in the field of ICTs in the years ahead. Hon Biar Yel also hoped that through the conference GoSS will learn from the experiences, challenges and achievements of other African and non-African countries in the area of ICT delivery, given that they share similar topographical landscapes.

On the other hand the Hon Biar Yel expressed the hope that the international ICT sector would take this opportunity to learn more about Southern Sudan and the opportunities it presents.
Leading global entities and operators, including Seacom, EASSy Cable, MTN, Ernst & Young, Nokia Siemens Networks, Sofrecom, Ericsson, Netwise, ECI Telecom, RCS Communications, representatives of a number of Commonwealth Governments, and ICT policy-makers and executives from across the world will be attending the conference to network, collaborate and discuss innovative business models and niche services aimed at improving the reach, quality and capacity of connectivity in Southern Sudan.

About The CTO
The CTO is an inter-governmental organisation which provides technical assistance services to its member countries through research and studies, consultancies and advisory services, capacity building and training workshops, and through knowledge-sharing events. With a history dating back to 1901, the CTO is a partnership between the Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth governments, regulators, businesses, civil society organizations and other ICT stakeholders. The CTO’s mission is to reduce global poverty through the more efficient utilization of ICTs, and its development agenda reflects the priorities set in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). (www.cto.int)
MEDIA CONTACT
For media enquiries and press pass, please contact:
Rumana Bukht
Senior Marketing and Communications Officer
T: + 44 (0) 208 600 3800, E: rumana@cto.int
CTO SERVICES
For CTO Services, please contact:
Bashir Patel
Director of Programmes and Business Development
T: + 44 208 600 3802, E: b.patel@cto.int

Access to education should improve with eLearning: eBrain Zambia

2010-05-21T14:57:00.003+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
The eBrain Forum of Zambia would like to see the Zambian education system improve to a level where access to education will no longer be limited by distance and fewer places in Schools, Colleges and Universities.
In an interview with eBrain Chairperson, Lee Muzala said the eBrain Forum of Zambia's mission was to contribute to the improvement of quality of life through promoting the use of information communication technologies (ICTs) for purposes of development by raising awareness, conducting monthly meetings, baseline surveys, research as well as building capacity among members.
Explaining their role in the eLearning Africa Conference, Muzala said eBrain Forum of Zambia had representation on the eLearning Africa 2010 Organising Committee, and was playing a key role in ensuring that Zambia was prepared to host the event.
“We have also managed to bring on board our funders who will be supporting the preparations by providing and paying for Coordinating Officer as well as paying for a survey to measure the extent of eLearning usage in Zambia,” explained Muzala.
He added that eBrain together with their cooperating partners, the International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD) will be exhibiting at the conference, and that they have several members that will make presentations during the conference, as well as chair some of the parallel sessions.
He explained that the eBrain Forum willl also be having a special event called "Teachers Forum", on the pre-conference day, which will enable around 50 pre-service and in-service teachers to share their experiences of using ICT in the classroom. Some will be familiar with ICT in the classroom, others will have little or no experience of ICT.
The goal is to allow Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and teachers to showcase a wide range of tried-and-tested ICT initiatives and tools. This will be done in an informal ‘Market Place’ environment with a view to inspire teachers to replicate similar activities in their own schools, where possible. IICD and the eBrain Forum of Zambia are co-organising this half-day event, which includes space for an interactive discussion and presentations.
Muzala noted that hosting the conference brings with it, its own benefits as pointing out that it will allow local firms, teachers, schools heads, government officials and other interested parties to see technologies being applied in the area of eLearning through the various organisations that will be exhibiting. He said hosting the eLearning Africa event in Zambia will also help give insight to the country as to cases of eLearning in other countries.
He looked at eLearning not look at eLearning as a technology but a process that is there to help students learn even better and differently.
“I would like to believe that eLearning brings with it several benefits such as reducing some of the costs associated with education if implemented correctly. He said it also allows schools to educate people they could not previously like those working for a living and those people who are geographically dispersed and many other kinds of people.
Muzala also added that studies have shown that students who would not raise a hand in class will be very active in posting to discussion boards showing that they communicate better in a web based environment than in the traditional classroom.
Meanwhile, Muzala who is also Managing Director of Trio Consult/Global Teenager Project (GTP) will be part of a discussion panel to discuss issues of content generated during GTP activities and how best they can be packaged and re-used by other students as referal materials. They will also be looking at the benefits of adopting the concept of Learning Circles used as the core activity of GTP, and how they can be used locally to enable learning among Zambian students.

Remmy Nweke WINS African FOSS Reporter’s Award

2010-05-21T14:33:00.003+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
Senior Reporter and Head of Information and Communications Technology
(ICT) desk at Champion Newspapers Limited, Lagos-Nigeria has bagged
the first-ever African Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) Reporter’s
award.
Recieving the award which was the first of its kind by the Free and Open Source
Foundation for Africa (FOSSFA) and Digital Commons,Remmy said that there was need for Journalists to report on FOSS issues for the development of the African software industry.

The award was presented to him in Accra, Tuesday night, at the weeklong 4TH Idlelo conference organized by FOSSFA, Digital Commons and Deutsche Welle, colourful dinner hosted at the Council of State House, Accra.

Speaking at the ceremony, chairperson, FOSSFA, Nnenna Nwakanma
noted that the award was open to Africans living on the continent,
authors of articles or broadcasts that were published or aired in the
last two years.

Winning entries, she pointed out was an article described as valuable
to an African audience, which showed clarity in communication and
significantly disclosing, explaining, interpreting and reporting the
impact of FOSS on the development of Africa and recognizing
newsworthiness thereof.

Therefore, she said that Nweke’s piece on ‘Open Source as a business
solution’ meant the aforementioned criterion based on the juries
declaration and therefore, was pronounced the best.

She also promised that FOSSFA would continue to support African media
practitioners, even as she solicited for more reportage in African
media.

Nweke is not new to professional recognitions as he had in the
past won the Siemens African Profile Award for 2004 and 2005; thus
becoming the first Nigerian to win such award on excellence in science
and technology reporting twice in addition to a merit awarded him in
2008.

He is also a Highway Africa News Agency (HANA) journalist recently rebranded based at Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa, where he won the second prize in Local Content Application category at the African Information Society Initiative (AISI) awards in 2005 organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
(ECA) based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

In 2006, Nweke was honoured with the Hewlett Packard (HP) Nigeria’s
top prize for Nigerian ICT journalists in technology reporting,
whereas he was the first runner up in the Nigerian IT & Telecom Awards
print category.

Currently, a Master of Arts student of University of Malta in
Contemporary Diplomacy, Nweke was at the Global Knowledge Partnership
(GKP-07) in Malaysia, where he took the second prize in ICT Research
and Innovations category of AISI.

While at the 10th Highway Africa conference-06, he was adjudged the
SABC-HANA Journalist of the Year in recognition and promotion of
creative, innovative and appropriate use of new media technology on
the continent, even as he emerged the Publicity Secretary, Nigeria
Internet Group (NIG) a not-profit organisation.

A founding member of the Joint Action Committee on ICT Awareness
(JACITAD) and focal point for the African ICTMedia for Nigeria,
Nweke, last year was nominated into the International WHO'S WHO of
Professionals in 2009 Edition.

Nweke is also a member of the New Media team a Live Blogging African team English content creator.

eLearning Africa Photo Competion Winners announced

2010-05-21T14:15:00.003+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
Winners of the first eLearning Africa photo competition will be featured in an exhibition at the fifth pan-African conference on Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for Development, Education and Training

In a press release, Kennedy Sinkali, surrounded by a crowd of eager fifth-grade school children, is captured explaining phonics to them in front of a laptop screen. Sinkali is a teacher in a village near Ndola in the Copperbelt province of Zambia and uses the school's only computer, which has to be shared between four classes and three hundred children.

Natasha Bomba, who took the picture while volunteering at the school, was announced as the winner of the first eLearning Africa photo competition. The prize, a digital camera, will be presented during the eLearning Africa conference from May 26th - 28th in Lusaka, Zambia.

The photo which takes the first runner-up prize was taken in Cameroon by Jenny Sanborn from HITIP, a non-profit, community-based organisation. She photographed Karine, a survivor of polio who lives in Douala. Rather than begging, she sells phone credit to make her living.

Mary Ann Hood from South Africa took the picture which was announced by the jury as second runner-up. It shows six-year-old Thandi from Uganda followed by her friends, taking pictures with a mobile phone camera.

To view the top ten entries and the audience favourite, go to
www.elearning-africa.com/picturevoting_home.php

The ten best photos and the audience favourite will be featured in an exhibition at the eLearning Africa conference.

eLearning Africa launched the online photo contest in the run-up to this year's conference to find out how ICTs have changed lives in Africa. The organisers invited people from Africa to submit images that show how they live, learn and work with ICTs.

eLearning Africa is the key networking event for investors, education experts, as well as providers of education and training on the continent. More information can be found at www.elearning-africa.com

The top three photos can be downloaded at: http://www.elearning-africa.com/pdf/press/eLA2010_PhotoCompetition_Top_three_photos.zip

eLearning Africa 2010 to be held in Zambia

2010-04-17T20:11:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
eLearning Africa an international conference on information and communication technologies (ICTs) for development, education and training and the key networking event for investors, education experts, as well as providers of education and training in Africa will be held in Zambia.

Developing sustainable and effective educational infrastructures is one of the goals of the event, the largest pan-African conference in the field of Information Communication technologies (ICT) for education and training in Africa.

The fifth eLearning Africa Conference will take place in Lusaka, Zambia from May 26 – 28, 2010, under the patronage of the Zambian Minister of Education, Ms Dora Siliya.
With a multitude of best-practice examples on display, eLearning Africa presents how and where technology-enhanced learning can boost the Continent’s economies and development. International experts provide participants with solutions on how online education and training can be implemented in corporations and organisations successfully and cost effectively.

Education providers, corporations, decision makers from governments and educational institutions, as well as non-governmental and development organisations from Africa and the rest of the world convene at the annual event.

eLearning Africa will be accompanied by an exhibition and demonstration area where leading international eLearning manufacturers, suppliers and service providers present their latest products and services.

More than 1,500 education professionals from around the world are expected at this year’s eLearning Africa.

ITU rushes to aid of Chile quake and tsunami victims

2010-03-03T13:54:00.002+02:00

Race to restore the communication links essential to humanitarian assistance

By Brenda Zulu

ITU has deployed 25 satellite terminals to help restore vital communication links in the aftermath of the massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake and tsunami that hit Chile on 27 February, killing over 700 people and cutting communications links in the city of Concepción and towns along the coast.

In a press release, ITU indicates that the equipment was airlifted out of Geneva on Monday 1 March, and is expected to be deployed on the ground as early as today, 2 March. ITU is working with emergency communications partner Iridium Communications Inc. to ensure connectivity for satellite handsets, which will be used by local authorities to facilitate humanitarian assistance to disaster victims. ITU is also striving to source additional equipment from El Salvador and Nicaragua, where it had been deployed last year to help those countries restore communications after their own natural disasters.

"Our hearts go out to the government and the people of Chile, who find themselves having to deal with a tragedy similar to that which so recently devastated Haiti," said ITU Secretary-General Dr Hamadoun Touré. "We are proud to be a long-standing leader in coordinating the provision of emergency telecommunications and will continue to actively contribute assistance in partnership with ITU membership."

ITU’s Area Office in Santiago, Chile, is already providing expert on-the-ground support to local authorities, as well as to the local UN Operations Centre, to coordinate the restoration of damaged communication systems and manage spectrum requirements for the wireless systems used by humanitarian agencies.

Sami Al Basheer Al Morshid, Director, ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau, said: "I would like to thank Iridium for supporting ITU on this sad occasion. Communications networks were disrupted by this massive earthquake, hampering rescue operations and the delivery of essential logistics and services. Our assistance will contribute towards the bridging of the current communication gap."

ITU is providing Iridium satellite phones which can use both satellite and GSM networks, as well as delivering accurate GPS positioning coordinates to aid relief and rescue. ITU covers all expenses relating to transportation, deployment and use of equipment, which will be at the disposal of the authorities in Chile for as long as they require it.

UNECA and Microsoft Partner on ICTs

2010-02-15T11:26:00.002+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and Microsoft announced the signing of a partnership agreement to promote development and foster regional cooperation in Africa by leveraging information and communication technology (ICT).

A press release showed that the signing, presided over by the United Nations Under-Secretary General and Executive Secretary of ECA, Mr. Abdoulie Janneh and the Microsoft Africa Chairman (Middle East & Africa), Dr. Cheick Modibo Diarra, took place at the UNECA headquarters in Addis Ababa as a pre-event to the 14th African Union Summit of Heads of State and Government with the theme "Information and Communication technologies in Africa: challenges and prospects for development”.

Through the public-private partnership, UNECA and Microsoft will employ their respective expertise in a number of areas including: access to software and technical support; local software development; capacity building in ICT for socio-economic development; and supporting the development of Africa’s e-government programmes through enhanced use of ICT.

Partnership programmes will support and align closely with the work of UNECA’s Information Technology Centre for Africa (ITCA) to raise awareness and commitment in the use of ICT as a driver of economic opportunities in Africa. Microsoft will assist in technology infrastructure planning for the ITCA and provide curriculum and certification to ITCA trainers so that they can in turn teach ICT skills. The partners will use a “train the trainer” approach to ensure the long-term sustainability and scalability of the centre.

During the ceremony Mr. Abdoulie Janneh emphasized that:
“Technology is a powerful tool to help drive investment competitiveness and growth on the African continent. Through this partnership, we aim to strengthen Africa’s access to ICT tools to build modern economies”.

The partnership will also include collaboration on issues relating to safeguarding intellectual property, security of information systems and networks and minimizing the impact of attacks on citizens and critical infrastructures.

Dr. Cheick Modibo Diarra affirmed that:
“Microsoft is committed to helping provide creative thinking and innovative solutions in areas where the necessary resources and capabilities are often lacking. Our partnership will allow us to use ICT to support UNECA’s broad mandate and apply the potential ICT has in supporting economic development in Africa”.

The collaboration further broadens Microsoft’ overall commitment to Africa and its partnerships with other major international organizations - including the African Union, African Development Bank, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). Microsoft first began operations in Sub-Saharan African in 1992 and has expanded to 13 offices in 9 countries, with more than 600 employees and over 17,000 commercial partners across the region.

LINUX FUND AND FOSSFA TO JOIN FORCES TO PROMOTE OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE IN AFRICA

2009-12-14T17:48:00.003+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

Linux Fund and the Free Software and Open Source Foundation for Africa (FOSSFA) have pledged to work together to promote Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) in Africa.

In a Press Release, Linux Fund and the Free Software and Open Source Foundation of Africa (FOSSFA) have signed a landmark agreement to promote Free Software and Open Source in Africa. This historic engagement between two Foundations speaks to the success of the Community Summit and Foundations face-to-face meeting at this year's Open Source Conference (OSCON) which was held in San Jose in Silicon Valley.

Within the framework of the agreement, David Mandel of Linux Fund emphasizes that "Linux Fund will work to raise money to help fund FOSSFA projects and events that expand the use and development of Open Source software, documentation, data, and education in Africa. Linux Fund will also add information about FOSSFA to promotional fliers and other literature that Linux Fund uses at conferences and for direct appeals to potential donors”.

Nnenna Nwakanma of FOSSFA says she believes that Linux Fund support has come at a good time when FOSSFA has engaged in the ICT@INNOVATION project in South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique and Kenya http://www.ict-innovation.fossfa.net and the FOSSWAY (http://fossway.fossfa.net ) project that sweeps across the whole of West Africa and Central Africa promoting and building FOSS capacities in those 18 countries. She also believes that the upcoming projects of FOSSFA on Policy Support to Governments, Management of Internet Resources, Open Source Certification, Resource/Competence Centers and Open Source Solutions for Governance will also benefit greatly from this collaboration. Finally, she believes the upcoming Fourth African International Conference on Open Source and the Digital Commons (Idlelo 4, Accra, Ghana, May 17 – 21, 2010) will be an important event to showcase results of this partnership.

Both organizations will disseminate information about each other's activities, initiatives, and operations on their web sites, at conferences, meetings and events. FOSSFA and Linux Fund are committed to expanding their partnership beyond funding to include joint projects and events plus strategies for information exchange between their diverse communities. The development of a system that would allow Open Source experts visiting Africa could be linked with speaking opportunities or short volunteer consulting projects during their trips is also under consideration.

About Linux Fund

Linux Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides financial and advisory support to the free and open software community. Linux Fund has given away over $750,000 to open source events and development since its founding in 1999 using funds raised through its line of credit cards and direct donations.

http://www.linuxfund.org/

About FOSSFA

FOSSFA is the premier African FOSS organization, and was founded under the auspices of the Bamako Bureau of the African Information Society Initiative within the mandate given by African Governments in 1995 to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). The Vision of FOSSFA is to promote the use of FOSS and the FOSS model in African development. FOSSFA supports the integration of FOSS in national policies and also coordinates, promotes, and adds value to African FOSS initiatives, creativity, industry, expertise, efforts and activities at all levels. FOSSFA partners with development organizations who share these goals towards a participatory and gender-mainstreamed sustainable development and the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals. The Foundation is already working with the African Union, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the State Information Technology Agenca of South Africa (SITA), the German Capacity Building International (INWENT), the Open Society Initiative of West Africa (OSIWA) and the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Center for Excellence in ICT (AITI-KACE)

Challenges in training farmers in web 2.0

2009-11-19T12:25:00.006+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

Training farmers who have never used computers to embrace web 2.0 tools has been a great challenge for me here in Monze.

The worst thing was that i could not even speak their language Tonga of which i beat that barrier by asking a good Samaritan to translate for me during the workshop.

I was amazed by the zeal these women farmers had when they expressed interest in knowing what web 2.0 tools were and how they could use them as farmers.

The women farmers confessed that they were not going to use web 2.0 tools but however said that they would use mobile phones to send text messages to technical officers an alert them on whatever was happening in the villages.

The issue of language is an issue as these farmers as they would like to blog the internet in Tonga.

Windows 7 launch Welcome

2009-10-29T10:15:00.001+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

Windows Vista was not very well taken in the market by consumers at the official launch of Windows 7 launched after their product review of every 3 to 4 years.

“Windows Vista was not very well taken in the market,” said Andrew Waititu Microsoft License Compliance Manager for East and Southern Africa.

Speaking in a interview, Waititu said Microsoft has had one of the biggest test users on Windows 7 of about more than 8 million people from the market and feels that this is what has built Microsoft.

“I have been using the product for 6 months. The management of power on my laptop is much better and accessing of documents is much easier. The search engine is also very good as it brings up everything in the,” explained Waititu.

Meanwhile a test user of Windows 7, Rex Mumba an IT proffessional found Windows 7 painless to install.

"Out-of-the-box driver support on our test machine was perfect, and it took only half an hour and two quick reboots to begin running a stable desktop environment, though we wondered why Windows 7 created a 200MB partition in addition to its main partition. The 33MB of updates quickly came down the pipe upon loading the desktop," he said.

Mumba explained that Windows 7 power-management technologies has provided the platform and processor efficiencies that reduce power consumption, helping lower energy costs.

In a Press release, Windows 7 for installation on new computers and for purchase was in computer retailers across Zambia. Windows 7 is Microsoft's newest version of its popular Windows desktop operating system, which promises to be the best yet to be distributed by the company.

More than a billion people around the world, of every language and every culture, use Windows every day at work, at home and on the go.

As each version of Windows was released over the years, more features, better ways of working together with team members, staying in touch with friends and family, and general computer usage have been refined and simplified to allow almost anyone to quickly learn how to use a computer.

With Windows 7, Microsoft has taken this level of improvement one step further. A billion Windows users worldwide gave Microsoft a great opportunity to listen and learn. That is how the company developed Windows 7.

"Windows 7 represents years of in-depth listening to our customers and partners around the globe, and is the most well-researched, well-planned Windows release ever," said Louis Otieno, Country Manager for Microsoft East and Southern Africa.

"In fact 91% of Windows 7 Release Candidate testers told us they would recommend Windows 7 - we are incredibly excited and humbled at the response so far," he added.

No matter where users intend utilising Windows 7, it has something for everyone:

For consumers - Microsoft designed Windows 7 to be more reliable, more responsive, and to make the things customers do every day easier.

For small to medium sized businesses - Windows 7 is the best operating system for work, whether people work from their company office, from home or on the go. Windows 7 works the way you want, enables you to get more done and keeps your work safe.
- For enterprises - Windows 7 was designed to meet the rigorous demands of the enterprise. It makes users productive anywhere, delivers enhanced security and control to reduce risk, and streamlines PC manageability to reduce costs.

Microsoft's partners in Zambia who sell and distribute Windows 7 are excited at the opportunities Windows 7 will bring.

Microsoft has developed different versions of Windows 7 to cater to for the different things people want to do with their PC:

Windows 7 Starter and Windows 7 Home Basic - ideal for first-time PC-buyers or those looking to purchase a PC loaded with Windows 7 on a budget.

Tweeting the Media4Dev seminar

2009-10-15T16:39:00.005+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

I am here in Brussels blogging a seminar on the role of the media in development. It has been a good experience. We did a lot of micro blogging, vlogging and we created a few Pod Casts and we had a lot of responses from people who were following the conference online.

It has also been live experince and we have learnt a lot and we are getting better everytime. http://annualseminar2009.cta.int/blog

Dynamic Web site set to benefit all African Non Government Organisations

2009-09-18T11:58:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

Thousands of Non Government Organisations (NGOs) across Africa can now benefit from the expansion of the NGOConnect Africa website and platform. The enhanced site features a new social networking tool that will help all users access technology more efficiently, ultimately allowing them to collaborate and find better solutions to common challenges.

In a press release, NGO Connect Africa, a registered Section 21 non-profit organisation, has kicked off the updated version of its dynamic website and platform. Besides the social networking interface there are many new features designed to increase the knowledge, reach, and impact of non-profit organisations in Africa. The site is a social workspace that brings together technology resources, knowledge-sharing and community-building for non-profit entities and the businesses and organisations that support them.

Incorporating feedback on the first release, this update to the NGOConnect Africa platform makes it easier to access resources and to collaborate. NGOs will be able to create personal and organisational profiles. A new microsite functionality allows for free mini websites for those who don’t have them, and increased visibility and marketing opportunities for those that do. Additionally, members can blog, make friends, share information and attract fresh resources to their projects. They will also be able to get access to technology resources and find networking opportunities with other organisations working on similar projects.

“The challenges facing Africa are complex. NGOs engage on a daily basis to address these challenges, but they typically lack the resources and knowledge to access the technologies that can make them more effective, efficient and sustainable in serving those at the margins of modern life,” said Ntutule Tshenye, the citizenship lead at Microsoft West East and Central Africa, founding sponsors of the project.

“Just as technology has improved efficiency and quality in the business world, NGOs can now experience these same benefits, allowing them to use their limited resources for higher value-add activities in achieving their goals,” continued Tshenye.

Kimber Dodge, the Executive Director of NGOConnect Africa, believes that society has the responsibility to utilize technology to bring necessary resources together and remove barriers. “Sustainable solutions can occur only when all the sectors of society are involved and working together. Technology and NGOConnect Africa’s platform and programmes can facilitate that. And, because of its focus on bi-directional communication and input, it also encourages and enables Africans to share and develop African solutions.”

NGOConnect Africa is also working with the private and public sectors to help them engage more effectively with non-profit organisations. “We are delivering resources and training to technology companies, government, and academia to help them engage more sustainably and effectively with civil society. They are all part of the NGOConnect Africa community,” said Dodge. “Many partners wish to engage with NGOs, but don’t know how. The NGOConnect Africa team is here to help them learn and be successful,” she added.

As an example, NGO’s across South Africa will be introduced to NGOConnect Africa through a collaboration between NGOConnect Africa and Microsoft training provider, CTU Training. Together NGOConnect Africa, CTU will be conducting a series of workshops at various CTU campuses in South Africa. The workshops will be piloted at CTU’s Stellenbosch Campus in October 2009, and then delivered at other branches of the institute across the country.

The new site already has the support of Microsoft’s Chairman of Africa, Dr. Cheick Diarra; South Africa’s Department of Social Development; computer manufacturer Mustek; and several Technology Service Providers including CTU Training, one of South Africa’s largest training organisations.

“NGOConnect Africa offers a vibrant and easy-to-use space for NGO's to communicate with one another and the world at large. Driven by a highly passionate and committed team of experts, NGOConnect Africa offers highly sought-after and practical tools to our sector,” said Friederike Bubenzer, Project Leader, from the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation.

Interested parties can visit www.NGOConnectAfrica.org to get more information and register.

Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship

2009-09-14T11:05:00.001+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

For any interested female candidates in the technical field.

As part of Google’s ongoing commitment to furthering Anita’s vision, Google are pleased to announce The Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship: Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Through the scholarship, Google Anita Borg aim to encourage women to excel in computing and technology, and become active role models and leaders.

Multiple scholarships will be awarded based on the strength of candidates’ academic performance, leadership experience and demonstrated passion for computer science. A group of female Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD student finalists will be chosen from the applicant pool.

The scholarship recipients will each receive a €7,000 (or equivalent) scholarship.

Eligibility requirements

Candidates must:

Be a female student entering her final year of a Bachelor’s degree, or enrolled in an a Master’s or PhD programme (or equivalent), in 2010/2011.

Be enrolled at a University in Europe, the Middle East, or Africa. Citizens, permanent residents, and international students are eligible to apply.

Be studying Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Informatics, or a closely related technical field.

Maintain an excellent academic record (e.g. a First Class Honours degree).

How to apply

Please complete the online application http://google.eresources.com/applications/login.asp and submit all requested documents

Deadline: 1st February each year

IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD IN MAINSTREAMING GENDER IN ICT4D

2009-09-14T10:41:00.004+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
The International Taskforce on Women and ICTs (ITF) congratulates the United Nations Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID) for operationalizing its commitment to gender as one of its key areas in its 2009-2010 Action Plan adopted today at the Global Forum on ICT and Innovation for Education being held in Monterrey, Mexico.

Based in the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), GAID reiterated its commitment to mainstream gender issues across all its activities in adopting the Action Plan. The Global Alliance underlined the importance in its mission for the forthcoming year of mainstreaming gender as a key global challenge in meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The third MDG calls for promotion of "gender equality and empowerment of women" by elimination of gender disparity in all levels of education.

ITF Chair Dr. Gloria Bonder, a member of the GAID’s highest body ¾ the Steering Committee ¾ said “we are very pleased with the inclusive agenda UNDESA-GAID has adopted. This is a significant step forward for women. The International Taskforce for Women and ICT is proud to support UNDESA-GAID and looks forward to working across our global partnerships and regional nodes to advance, engage and mainstream girls and women in the knowledge society. When women are empowered and have the opportunity to develop to their full potential in the knowledge society, communities across the globe benefit”.

ITF is proud of its consultative role as a GAID Community of Expertise working closely with GAID to secure the inclusion of gender and ICT issues in the Action Plan. The Gender Community of Expertise, comprised of ITF and IT for Change, has been among the most active of the Communities collaborating with GAID on the development of the plan.

Among the specific gender-related activities in the plan is mainstreaming ICT into high-level United Nations policy debates on gender. This is particularly important in order to bring the ICT and the gender policy communities together since in the past both have suffered from lack of awareness of the other. In 2010 GAID, assisted by the Community of Expertise of Gender, will organize a panel on ICT and gender at the Economic and Social Council Annual Ministerial Review (AMR), which has chosen gender as its focus, to be held in Geneva in July 2010. ITF expects to work with GAID in the preparatory activities for the meeting and in the preparation of a paper on Gender and ICT for presentation to the AMR.

GAID has also outlined its support to the Communities of Expertise in the Action Plan, including involving the Communities as resources for the preparation of white papers on ICTs and the MDGs and helping the Communities to establish partnerships among each other. This is particularly relevant for the Gender Community, as gender cuts across the other communities.

ITF wishes to express its appreciation to UNDESA-GAID for ensuring the strong participation of the Community of Expertise on Gender in the Monterrey Forum and meeting of the Strategy Council where the Action Plan was adopted. ITF Steering Committee member Dorothy Gordon, a member of the GAID Champions Network and Director-General, of the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT moderated the opening discussion at the Forum on 2 September on the *State of ICT Development – A Global Perspective./ /**Dr. Bonder*, Chair Holder of the Regional UNESCO Chair on Women, Science and Technology in Latin America, opened the plenary session on ICT and intercultural innovations in education. GAID also supported the participation of ITF and IT for Change members from developing countries to the meetings of the Steering Committee and Strategy Council and the Forum and awarded ITF a site in the iMarketPlace, one of the Forum’s parallel events.

The International Taskforce on Women and Information and Communication Technologies is a community of expertise of organizations, institutions, academia, businesses and individuals working to increase economic, social, and educational opportunities for women and girls in the knowledge society in a measurable way. Its vision is an information society for sustainable global development that fosters the potential for success of all its members. Its overarching goal is to ensure women’s full participation in an inclusive information and knowledge-based society as leaders and creators as well as users of ICT.

Cyber security and cyber crime in Zambia

2009-02-21T12:16:00.001+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

Microsoft launches ‘Schools of Government’ in East Africa

2009-01-23T13:25:00.001+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
Effective ICT policy education will overcome challenges in public project rollouts.

In October 2008, Microsoft and the Eastern and Southern African Management Institute (ESAMI) signed a memorandum of understanding to develop and deliver a programme aimed at providing ICT policy training to government officials.

Delivering on this agreement, Microsoft and ESAMI are today launching the first session of the ‘Schools of Government’ initiative in Arusha, Tanzania. The first session will run for five days starting on Monday, 19th January.

Twenty-four trainers will undergo an ICT policy training programme that is based on a curriculum that was piloted in conjunction with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), USC School of Public Policy in California and the Dubai School of Government in the United Arab Emirates.

“Microsoft Corporation has, for the past two years, worked to develop a programme that can be used worldwide to train government officials in IT-related policy and planning issues. We are pleased to announce that this programme has been officially launched in East Africa,” said Dr. Cheick Modibo Diarra, Microsoft’s chairman for Africa.

“Microsoft pioneered this program in Africa from 2007 with the intention to build the capability of African educational institutions by providing them with the tools to equip current and future government leaders, officials and policy makers with a modern education on technology policy trends and policies that enable the success of ICT projects and programs,” he says.

Technology is a key element that can help accelerate Africa’s growth and industrialisation - whether it is technology being used by government agencies to assist with the delivery of better civil services, or technology being used to transform education to benefit the people themselves.

However, World Bank data suggests that 50% of ICT projects in Africa fail and that this is typically due to a combination of poor initial design along with insufficient execution and maintenance capabilities.

“Good policy lays the foundation to overcome such problems - and considers critical factors that underline all infrastructure needs, in order to not only create successful and sustainable individual projects, but also projects which complement each other as part of a broader governmental system,” adds Dr. Diarra.

“The program curriculum is developed in English and the possibility of developing content in Portuguese for subsequent training in Lusophone countries, such as Mozambique and Angola, is being considered,” adds Professor Bonard Mwape, director general for ESAMI.

“The goal of this program is to put the building blocks in place for a sustainable, multi-year government training program on ICT policy for the whole of Africa.”

“This cannot be achieved by providing a limited number of workshops to government officials,” he adds. “Only by creating a structure and capacity within existing training institutions to conduct ongoing programs will this initiative bear the expected positive outcomes.”

The ESAMI programme follows on from a similar, highly-successful memorandum of understanding that was concluded between Microsoft and the Centre Africain d’Etudes Supérieures en Gestion (CESAG) earlier in 2008.

CESAG is an institution specialising in the delivery of government-related training and leadership capacity building across French-speaking Africa.

Along with a number of other citizenship programmes that are operated across Africa, Microsoft believes that this initiative addresses a huge challenge with regard to the reasons that ICT projects very rarely work in Africa.

“The steps to economic prosperity in Africa could almost be considered pieces of a grand puzzle, and effective ICT policy implementation training is one piece of this entire puzzle,” Dr. Diarra says.

“It cannot work on its own. Instead, it requires a number of other pieces in order to complete Microsoft’s vision of how it would like to help the people of Africa meet the economic and social demands of the 21st century.

“Other pieces of the puzzle will fall into place over time as initiatives like the Microsoft Leadership Lecture Series and the ICT Best Practices Forum gain momentum and begin attracting more interest from other African countries.”

New global standard for fully networked

2008-12-15T10:38:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
Industry applauds major breakthrough with revolutionary ITU technology

The first global standard offering an in-home, high-speed network capable of delivering room-to-room HDTV has been agreed by ITU.

In apress release from ITU the standard, published under the G.hn banner, promises high quality multimedia over power, coaxial, phone and other home network wiring. It will give up to 20 times the throughput of existing wireless technologies and three times that of existing wired technologies.

The specifications will be used by chip manufacturers to build transceivers that can be incorporated into set-top boxes, residential gateways, home computers, home audio systems, DVD players, TVs or any other device that might be connected to a network now or in the future. Experts say that silicon companies will immediately start incorporating the specifications into transceivers, implying that G.hn-compliant products could be on the market as early as 2010.

Joyce Putscher, Principal Analyst at market research firm In-Stat, said, "Service operators have been looking for an international standard that encompasses multiple existing-wire mediums for video distribution. G.hn meets that requirement and it seems clear that with significant industry backing from service providers, semiconductor and equipment vendors, and the fast rate at which the process is moving to achieve a standard, we will see first equipment by 2010."

"There’s a clear market need for a unified networking approach," said Malcolm Johnson, Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Standardization Bureau. "With G.hn, every wire in every home around the world can become part of a home entertainment network. This will enable seamless communication between computers, HDTVs and telephones over existing wires. I expect that this exciting new technology will also foster innovations such as energy efficient smart appliances, home automation and telemedicine devices."

Work on G.hn was started at the instigation of service providers looking to extend broadband and video services in the home. As well as its offer of greater speed, it may be bundled as complementary to Wi-Fi where G.hn offers greater coverage, extending, for example, to areas of a house where Wi-Fi does not reach.

The standard has achieved remarkable industry backing even before its publication. An industry group — the HomeGrid Forum — has been formed specifically to back G.hn. The goal of HomeGrid Forum is to market G.hn worldwide and to create a compliance and interoperability programme to ensure that products based on the standard will operate in any home around the world.

Other industry analysts backing the standard include Michael Wolf, Research Director at ABI Research. "If G.hn sees integration into carrier devices by 2010, we expect that some 42 million G.hn-compliant nodes will ship in 2013 in devices such as set-top boxes, residential gateways and other service provider CPE hardware," Wolf said.

"A single, unified technology for multimedia networks over power lines, coaxial cable, and phone lines has the potential to enable simple, easy-to-use networking devices in the home," said Kurt Scherf, analyst with market analyst firm Parks Associates. "We believe ITU’s work is an important step towards eliminating fragmentation in the industry and in achieving the vision of a networked home."

Recommendation ITU-T G.9960 focuses on the physical or PHY layer, giving the data bit rate and quality of service necessary for triple-play residential services as well as business-type services delivered over xDSL, PON, or other access technology. In step with ITU guidelines on new standards development, several power saving modes have been incorporated. Ongoing work is focused on the media access control (MAC) layer.

TWAS, Microsoft, and the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) Announce Funding Programmes to Support Scientists in Africa .

2008-12-05T16:34:00.002+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

TWAS, the academy of sciences of the developing world, Microsoft Research, and the African Academy of Science (AAS) announce the creation of the Microsoft Awards and Grants programme.

Microsoft Research, in partnership with TWAS (the academy of sciences for the developing world) and AAS (the African Academy of Sciences), will support two new programmes designed to recognize and assist scientists working in Africa in the field of computer science.

The Microsoft Award for Young Scientists will recognize young scientists in Africa whose research in computer science promises to have a positive impact in the developing world. Each year, three winners will be selected from different countries on the continent. Scientists who have received their most recent research degree within the past 10 years will be eligible. Each recipient will receive a euro €7,000 cash award.

Nominations may be made by members of national academies and senior academics. Winners will be chosen on the basis of their past achievements. The nomination and selection process will be administered by TWAS in collaboration with AAS.

The first winners of the prize will be announced in 2009. The award ceremonies will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, and organized by TWAS and AAS.

The Microsoft Grant for Scientific Meetings in Developing Countries aims to encourage the organization of international and regional scientific conferences and workshops in Africa. Microsoft will provide support in the form of travel grants for some principal speakers from abroad and/or participants from developing countries other than the country in which the event is held.

Applicants, who may be of any nationality, must be involved in the organization of international or regional scientific meetings to be held in Africa in the field of computer science. Selection will be undertaken by TWAS.

“To achieve the Millennium Development Goals, Africa must create knowledge- and skills-based wealth,” says Dr Cheick Modibo Diarra, Microsoft’s Chairman for Africa. “The prosperity of the continent is dependent on Africa’s small and medium enterprises relying on results from research and development. They can then develop locally relevant solutions and value-added opportunities that will lead to the accelerated industrialisation of Africa.”

Andrew Herbert, Managing Director of Microsoft Research Cambridge, adds: “Computer science has a key role to play in tackling some of the developing world’s greatest challenges, from education to infrastructure, and so it’s vital that we support and encourage the scientists and researchers who are working to address these issues.”

"TWAS and AAS are always eager to work with the private sector for the benefit of the developing world," observes Mohamed H.A. Hassan, executive director of TWAS and president of AAS. "We believe that this initiative will not only mark an important step forward for science in Africa, but will also serve as a valuable model for future partnerships between international organizations and for-profit companies."

more than 55 areas of computing and collaborate with leading academic, government and industry researchers to advance the state of the art in such areas as graphics, speech recognition, user-interface research, natural language processing, programming tools and methodologies, operating systems and networking, and the mathematical sciences. Microsoft Research currently employs more than 800 people in six labs located in Redmond, Wash.; Cambridge, Mass.; Silicon Valley, Calif.; Cambridge, England; Beijing, China; and Bangalore, India. Microsoft Research collaborates openly with colleges and universities worldwide to enhance the teaching and learning experience, inspire technological innovation, and broadly advance the field of computer science.

Metropolitan Fibre Optic in Lusaka

2008-12-05T16:32:00.002+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
There is digging going on in the City of Lusaka in readiness for the Metropolitan fiber optic. Just out of curiosity, I asked one of the diggers if they know what this fibre optic was all about and the answer was that they did not know it.
The Zambia Telecommunication Company (ZAMTEL) developments laying Optic fibre in the Metropolitan City of Lusaka will help to reduce the cost of using satellite. ZAMTEL is the company in Zambia which has signed a memorandum of understanding with the EASSy consortium to link Zambia to the international fibre optic network.
The National ICT Policy notes that in order to leapfrog the existing capacity and technology requirements for overhauling the existing telecommunications infrastructure, thereby laying a solid foundation for delivering current and future services ranging from digital Radio, Television, Internet, data and other multimedia services.
Fibre based Technology provides a comprehensive and reliable network for the country. The possibility of reducing telephone and internet costs can be achieved by interconnecting the proposed national Fibre Optic Network to the undersea cable running along the African coast connecting to Europe and Asia, some of the most active destinations for Zambia.
The ICT policy however says this requires implementation modalities in terms of network licensing, access conditions, management and operation of the backbone in the most optimal and beneficial manner to the entire country.
Zambia has in the recent past seen utility companies such as the Zambia Electricity Company (ZESCO) and the Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) lay and commission the installation of optic fibre in their system to provide quality service.
ZAMTEL is currently installing the fibre network at a total cost of US 48 million while ZESCO spent 13 million to complete the optic fibre network that has covered 1,700 kilo metrs from Sesheke through to Livingstone and Lusaka through to Kabwe and the Copperbelt up to Solwezi.

DIVERSE VOICES THE KEY TO CONTINUED INTERNET DEVELOPMENT

2008-12-05T16:29:00.001+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
As the main United Nations forum for discussing Internet-related issues opens its third annual meeting in Hyderabad, India this week, the head of one of the world's leading Internet organisations has called for ongoing commitment to multistakeholder processes for Internet development.

Speaking on the opening panel session of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), Lynn St.Amour, President and CEO of the Internet Society (ISOC) reminded participants of the proven effectiveness of the existing model of Internet development. The "Internet model", as it is known, is characterised by distributed responsibility; collaborative decision making processes open to interested parties, in a framework of consensus-building practices; and the ability for innovation and evolution to take place at the user level.

"The Internet model underpins the incredible success of the Internet's evolution to date," said Ms St.Amour. "The Internet Society values the opportunity created by the IGF. We are encouraged to see the pursuit of issues in a multistakeholder engagement model. And we maintain that these outcomes would not have been possible in any of the traditional intergovernmental models."

The IGF was formed as an outcome of the World Summit for the Information Society (WSIS). But, as a series of more traditional UN events, issues of accreditation, intergovernmental protocols, and other formalities restricted the range of voices WSIS heard on crucial emerging issues.

In response, the UN Secretary-General established the IGF to run annually from 2006-2010 as a multistakeholder, non-duplicative, non-decision-making forum for dialogue.

At this midpoint for the IGF, Ms St.Amour reflected upon the process so far, saying that it has been "a learning experience for everyone." While the Internet community has always worked in open inclusive processes, this has not been a familiar model for all.

"Governments and intergovernmental organisations should value the IGF as an incredible opportunity," said Ms St.Amour. "Nothing in the IGF either binds governments to implementation in their sovereign territory, nor prevents them from taking the actions they believe are in the interests of their citizens. In fact, participating in IGF enriches their, and their citizens' decisions,"

There is evidence that understanding is building. In June this year, the OECD held a ministerial meeting on the future of the Internet Economy, in which ISOC played a leading role coordinating the inputs of many participants of the technical community, together with representatives of business and civil society.

While some critics have labeled the IGF a "talk-shop", Ms. St.Amour argued that such statements miss the point.

"Without the regular intergovernmental constraints, the IGF has emerged as unique forum where ideas can be explored and tested by stakeholders, on an equal footing, unburdened by the constraints of intergovernmental procedures and negotiations."

"Ideas can be explored and tested by stakeholders, on an equal footing, unburdened by binding decision-making processes and intergovernmental procedures and negotiations," she said.

But Ms St.Amour also cautioned that the value of the IGF remains dependent on the commitment and support of its participants.

"The value comes from those of us here, those who follow remotely, and most importantly those who come away from this meeting and say 'yes, I can use that back home' - that is what makes the IGF worthwhile," she said.

The Third IGF meeting runs from 3-6 December at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre.

IXPs can play a role in developing Internet

2008-12-05T16:16:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

Participants at the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) have been reminded of the crucial role that Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) can play in developing Internet services and bringing a wide range of benefits to industry and users alike.

The IGF is currently holding its third, annual meeting this week, bringing together stakeholders from governments, regulators, business, civil society, and the technical community to discuss a wide-ranging agenda of Internet-related issues. The IGF was established by the United Nations as part of the mandate of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).

During the workshop "The role of Internet Exchange Points in creating Internet capacity and bringing autonomy to developing nations," leading technical experts explained the many technical and policy considerations that surround the formation and impact of IXPs.

Michuki Mwangi, Senior Education Manager at the Internet Society (ISOC) explained how Internet Service Providers can, by participating at exchange point facilities, enjoy immediate and ongoing benefits in network performance, quality of service, better access to all local content, and greatly reduced international transit costs.

International transit costs can be prohibitive barriers to the delivery and expansion of services, particularly in developing countries. But peering at an IXP means that interconnected ISPs can keep all their local Internet traffic within the local networks, avoiding the international fees.

As an example, Sebastian Bellagamba, ISOC's Regional Bureau Manager for Latin America, explained that the experience in Argentina is that "between 35 and 38 percent of the Internet traffic goes through the local links once the IXP is established".

These savings can be substantial, allowing lower cost of access for the local community. The performance benefits from avoiding the lag in international connections also improves most aspects of the Internet experience for users.

ISOC has an active programme of supporting IXP development and, among many activities, has produced a range of information detailing the technical, policy, and regulatory considerations involved in establishing successful IXPs.

African governments provide ICT infrastructure - Microsoft

2008-11-25T13:27:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
African governments need to have a supportive legal environment to eliminate barriers to meaningful use of computers in African schools.
Lack of infrastructure and adequate power supplies, limited Internet connectivity and education resources and the need for more awareness and policy support for education initiatives are all barriers to the meaningful use of computers in African schools.

“To ensure that the ICT industry flourishes and that local populations have access to technology, African governments must have a supportive legal environment in place and appropriate investments in this sector,” said Richard Kiplagat, Global Strategic Accounts Manager for Microsoft West, East, Central Africa & The Indian Ocean in an interview.

He said a national ICT strategy can be developed by identifying priority areas and the bodies responsible for the strategy implementation.

“In some cases, a new Ministry of ICT must be created to reinforce the government structure in these areas. ICT national strategies are most effective when drawn up in line with countries' broader development and poverty reduction goals," he said.

Kiplagat explained that Technology on its own was no guarantee of the desired result of fostering education, and there are a number of factors which limit the use of computers in African schools, however these can be overcome through government action and policies and public-private sector cooperation.

“Through public private partnership we aim to help address these issues where possible. For example, to help address the lack of ICT skills by teachers and in teacher training Microsoft operates the Partners in Learning program. Through 'Train the trainer' workshops, teachers receive ICT training they can in turn give to colleagues to spread the benefits of ICT through tailored curriculum developed by Microsoft,” explained Kiplagat.

He added that Partners in Learning provide grants and reduced software licenses to schools and students. The program is already in place in 15 African countries and to date has trained 200,000 teachers and reached 21 million students, many of whom were able to discover and use ICTs for the first time.

In partnership with governments, local NGOS and development organizations, Microsoft has also aimed to establish programs to address these needs.
In terms of access to PCs, Microsoft worked with the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to establish a local PC refurbishment center in Uganda to make available cheap, quality computers to small businesses. Computers are available for one third of the original price and loaded with full Microsoft Office software. More than 10,000 PCs will be made available in Uganda in 2009 through this refurbisher.

Kiplagat said to address the lack of access to electricity, in Mozambique Microsoft also worked with UNIDO to open in March 2008 the first solar-powered ICT Business Information Center. The Center provides access to ICT resources such as computers and the Internet, as well as training for micro, small and medium sized enterprises while relying solely on renewable energy technologies like solar power.

To ensure relevance of software, Microsoft maintains a language localization program to create its software in local languages, and has already created some in several languages across the continent with assistance from local communities. The local language program has enabled populations to have access to software in their own language. For example, Windows Vista and Office 2007 will be available soon in 12 African languages: Afrikaans, Amharic (Ethiopia), Hausa (Nigeria), Igbo (Nigeria), IsiXhosa (South Africa), IsiZulu (South Africa), Kiswahili (East Africa), Kinyarwanda (Rwanda), Sesotho Sa Leboa (South Africa), Tswana (Botswana, SA), Wolof (Senegal, West Africa), and Yoruba (West Africa).

Kiplagat said "Microsoft was the lead partner in one of the five e-Schools consortiums, as part of a broader program implemented in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and private sector partners Cisco, Intel, Smartboard, Computainer, Fujitsu-Siemens Computers, Mecer, Lexmark, UTI, MRCSA, Mindset, Multichoice Africa, WorldSpace and HNR technologies.

He explained that in the 8 countries allocated to the Microsoft consortium (Kenya, Lesotho, Mauritius, Senegal, Mozambique, Rwanda, Nigeria, and Cameroon), Information and Communication Technology (ICT) solutions were implemented in 25 pilot schools. Together with the other consortiums, it was hoped that the broad impact of a successful NEPAD eSchools initiative would be the application of ICT in Education in the estimated 600,000 schools across Africa.

He said the aim of the project was to enable African schools to participate in the global information society by connecting schools across the continent through a satellite network distributing educational content on a continual basis. Schools receive a computer lab, software, teacher training, networking and connectivity, as well as maintenance and IT support, which are supported by Microsoft in its consortium."

Zambia Schools Get 2000 Computers

2008-11-25T13:12:00.000+02:00

By Kelly Kilpatrick - Guest article
According to news reports, Computer Aid International has donated 2000 computers to the Ministry of Education.

Education Minister Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa said the provision of quality education requires the application of information communication technology (ICT), especially computers.

The growth of ICT is helping facilitate educational opportunities that will promote economic development for the region and strengthen Zambia's infrastructure. Programs such as these make it possible for Zambian students to experience a world outside their own and explore new horizons.

As part of the Fifth National Development Plan, the education ministry adopted the use of ICTs many levels to help facilitate education. The computers improve the quality of education for the students and increase equality and efficiency of the educational experience.

The computers were donated by British Charity Computer Aid International as part of their international efforts to bridge the digital divide. The group believes strongly that information technology skills are crucial to an individual's success (and even survival) in the information age.

While this is another step in the right direction, we've still got a long way to go. According to the International Telecommunication Union, less than 1.5% of the population of Zambia owned a computer and just over 4% had Internet access. Compare that to Namibia or Zimbabwe where more than 10% of households have a computer and you see we still have much work to do.

It's not just about having computers in the classroom. Our teachers still lack their own computer skills. Interestingly, it may be ICTs that help them strengthen their computer skills—through distance learning. ICTs can be used for teacher professional development without requiring they leave their classrooms.

And finally, we must continue to seek foreign investment for our ICT initiatives. Zambia currently still relies too heavily on public finding for its initiatives. Our government simply does not have the money to make the swift progress Zambia needs to increase its educational stamina.

By-line:
This post was contributed by Kelly Kilpatrick, who writes on the subject of high speed internet deals. She invites your feedback at kellykilpatrick24@gmail.com

ZAMPOST “Stay Connected”

2008-10-23T15:52:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

The government has urged the nation of Zambia to stay connected by utilizing modern postal services that are earmarked for lunch soon.

Minister of Communications and Transport Dora Siliya in a speech on the launch of the 2008 World Post Day reminded the nation of the vital link to people’s lives that Zampost plays especially in rural areas.

Siliya said the World Post Day Celebrations theme was “Stay Connected”; to emphasis the pivotal role that communication plays in the social, economic and structural development of the world economy.

“We live in a society where access to information lies at the heart of most human activity. Information about goods and services is increasingly driving global business, and the Postal systems finds itself providing that most important link to the global market as long as we stay connected,” said Siliya.

She observed that some Postal enterprises have realized the importance of the need to reform by using new technologies and have embarked on implementing measures designed to improve the quality of service and to expand the product and service portfolio.

She informed Zambians that Zamposts was implementing the theme for this years and had partnered with the Zambia Telecommunications corporation limited (ZAMTEL) by installing the Wide Area Network (WAN) to link all Posts Offices throughout the country. She said implementation of the project was at an estimated cost of USD 700 000 and that it had already stated and was expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Siliya observed that the Wide Area Network will bring many benefits not only to Zamposts but to the general populance through improved connectivity, wider internet access, automation of counter operations, operational efficiency through better financial monitoring and control, cost reductions and new business opportunities.

She said Zampost was acquiring more computers to ensure that counter services in all Post Offices wre efficient and effective.
“This initiative is expected to greatly improve service delivery and will minimize the long queues we are accustomed to see at post offices,” said Saliya.

She added that Zampost was taking full advantage of WAN comprising of 119 fully fledged post offices, 46 sub post offices and 58 postal agencies to expand its product set with new value added products and services such as more tarck and trace facilities, hybrid mail, post shops, automated teller machines, point of sale devices, banking services and Electronic Post (e-post).

She said the services combine both hardcopy and electronic express mail delivery and that customers will be able to send messages via e mail for physical delivery to post boxes and physical address.

She said her ministry was mandated to ensure that information and communication technology related services such as telecommunications and internet services were available to all the Zambian people including rural areas.

She observed that in this regard Post Offices have been identified as key institutions which will play a major role in achieving that national vision 2030.

“Despite predications of their demise not so long ago, postal services are alive and well and now more relevant than ever. E-mail and the Internet have not replaced them, but have interested created new opportunities. We live at a time where the different means of communication complement each other. The postal sector provides a precious service, not only to anyone who buys or sells online, but also to people not yet able to make full use of the new technologies and for whom a the mail is a vital and inter-regional trade, the development gap between postal services around the world needs to be narrowed so that businesses and individuals can benefit more from them,” said Edouard Dayan, Director general of the UPU.

Citizens have a right to talk about activities

2008-09-08T13:03:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
Telkcom has recognised that democracy requires that citizens have the right to know about activities that affect their lives and the recognition of the importance of their participation within the democratic system to make it work and flourish.
In her welcome address Bintu Petsana, Acting Group Executive: Corporate Communication at the opening of Highway Africa said that it was important to have the right of expression and human rights culture .
Petsan said the precondition was that people could not be regarded as consumers or markets or passive recipients in a multi-directional social dialogue.
“We look at the media to provide the framework for such a discourse and to act as a mechanism that allows citizens to develop their level of awareness,” explained Petsane.
She observed that when one speaks of informed citizens with a heightened level of awareness, one would have to search far to better illustrate the power of the media in the 21st century information society, than the war in Iraq.
Looking at Media Columinist, Stephen glover who writes:
“ As any armchair general will tel l you, the second Gulf war is something else. It is the first media war. This means that we experts, safely ensconced on our sofas, can follow battlefield events almost before they happen. It has never been remotely like this before. The advances of technology allow reporters to stand before a camera in the middle of Iraqi desert an dbring the war into our sitting rooms.”
Petsan observed that since these words were written a few years ago, the proliferation and increasing sophistication of information communication technologies (ICTs) has given the war and other events be it mundane or global importance, an immediacy unparelled in the history of Journalism.
“It is citizen Journalism in action, and it is here to stay. It is driven by ICTs and it will change the way we evaluate information and view the world,” said Petsan

REAL-TIME TEXT AIMS TO IMPROVE INTERNET ACCESSIBILITY FOR THE DEAF

2008-07-30T14:35:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
The blossoming of multimedia content on the Internet in recent years has
revolutionised personal interactions, business communications, and
other online services. But for millions of Internet users with sensory
disabilities, many of the communication tools remain frustratingly out
of their reach.

In a press release, Mr Arnoud van Wijk, Disability Projects Coordinator for the Internet
Society (ISOC), who was born deaf, knows only too well the frustration
Internet users with a disability experience from many current Internet
services.

"During the past few years, the use of the Internet as a modern
replacement for telephony has accelerated," said Mr van Wijk. "The
ability to include more media in calls provides an excellent
opportunity to include people with disabilities in online
conversational services. But too often discriminatory voice telephony
services are simply re-created."

With this motivation, Mr van Wijk and other researchers have
documented a technique for "real-time text"; combining existing
Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standards to enable text
streaming over Internet Protocol networks.

The technique uses Internet telephony protocols to ensure
compatibility with voice, video, and other multimedia services on the
Internet. It allows text to be sent and received on a character by
character basis, with each character sent and displayed immediately
once typed, giving text the same conversational character as voice
communication.

According to Mr van Wijk, "Internet Telephony is rapidly becoming a
major way of staying in touch. But it breaks the traditional text
telephone, which deaf and hard of hearing people used in the past to
call each other. The real-time text technique addresses this problem
and can be integrated with Internet telephony."

Along with fellow technologist Guido Gybels, Director of New
Technologies at RNID (UK), and with contributions from other experts
in communication and accessibility for people with disabilities, Mr
van Wijk edited and co-authored 'Framework for Real-Time Text over IP
Using the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)', which the IETF has just
published as an informational document in its 'Request for Comment'
series as RFC 5194.

To further progress work in this field, this week sees the launch of
the 'Real-Time Text task force' (R3TF), an informal forum for
engineers, motivated individuals, experts, companies and
organisations. The R3TF has received incubation support from ISOC, as
part of its "Enabling Access" initiative, under which ISOC promotes a
diverse range of projects aimed at breaking down the barriers to
Internet access.

Michael Burks, Chairman, and Cynthia Waddell, Vice Chairman of ISOC's
Disability & Special Needs Chapter, welcome the announcement of the
new task force.

"Accessibility for persons with disabilities is critical and must be
maintained in the coming convergence," said Ms Waddell, an
Accessibility Expert to the International Telecommunication Union
(ITU), who is hard of hearing herself. "But it is worth pointing out
that, like many disability projects, this effort has the potential to
provide more options and greater usability for all users in many
situations."

Radio, Cell phone and Television most owned ICT assets

2008-07-18T17:04:00.000+02:00

Brenda Zulu

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) 2006 Living Conditions Monitoring Survey (LCMS IV) results in Zambia indicate that the most owned assets were the radio at 55.6 percent, Cell phones at 24.2 percent and Television at 24 .1 percent while the least owned asset was the internet connection with 0.1 percent.

The CSO June monthly publications shows that the 2006 LCMS IV collected information on information communication and technology (ICTs) facilities which included radios, televisions, video player, land phone, cellular phone, satellite dish and decoder, computer and internet connection.

Analysis by rural and urban shows that, ownership of a radio, cell phone and television was more in urban areas that in rural areas. The proportion of households that owned a radio in urban areas was 65.8 percent compared to 50.1 percent in rural areas while that of those who owned a cell phone was 53 and 8.8 percent in urban and rural areas respectively. The proportion of households that owned a television was 54.6 percent in urban areas compared to 7.8 percent in rural areas.

The survey also revealed that there has been an increase in the proportion of households that own cell phone while those that owned land telephone lines declined. The proportion of household that own a cell phone increased from 10.8 percent in 2004 to 24.2 percent in 2006. The proportion of household that own land telephone line declined from 5.2 percent to 1.2 percent during the same period.

Analysis of ICT assets by sex of household head shows that male headed household own more ICT facilities that female headed households. About 62 percent of male headed households and 35.5 percent of female headed households own a radio. The results also indicate that 26% male headed household owned a cell phone than 18.4 percent female headed households.

ISOC FELLOWSHIPS TO THE IETF BUILD TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP

2008-07-11T12:38:00.000+02:00

The Internet
Society (ISOC) has announced the names of those selected as Fellows to
attend the next two Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) meetings.

As part of its long tradition of helping build technical capacity,
ISOC provides a Fellowship program that enables technologists from
developing regions to attend the IETF, while also pairing them with an
experienced mentor to integrate their participation rapidly.

This fellowship round attracted 70 applications resulting in nine
fellowships awarded. The Fellows come from nine different countries,
including Ethiopia, Pakistan, Fiji, Tuvalu, Congo, Chile, Costa Rica,
India, and Venezuela. Four Fellows will attend IETF 72 in Dublin,
Ireland, from 27 July - 1 August 2008, and five Fellows will attend
IETF 73, in Minneapolis, USA, from 16 - 21 November 2008.

"The ISOC Fellowships to the IETF are a key part of our work to help
build technical leadership and participation in less developed
countries," says Karen Rose, ISOC's Director of Education and
Programs. "The next billion users of the Internet will come
predominantly from the developing world. The Fellowship program helps
ensure that technical experts in these regions have the knowledge and
experience needed to more fully participate in global Internet
standards development."

"ISOC is very pleased to acknowledge Afilias, Google, Intel, and
Microsoft for their investment," notes Drew Dvorshak, Senior Manager
for Organisation Members. "The Fellowship is an important opportunity
for business leaders to benefit from ISOC's global resources by
funding a unique and effective effort to develop the next generation
of technologists. We are actively seeking additional Fellowship
sponsors as the potential for this program is enormous and a key part
of enabling the emergence of 'the next billion' users."

The selected ISOC IETF Fellows are:

IETF 72, Dublin, Ireland

* Tamrat Bayle, Ph.D. (Ethiopia) is an Assistant Professor at the
College of Telecommunications & Information Technology, where he has
been using IETF protocols in his varied research projects.

* Hugo Salgado (Chile) is an application developer at NIC Chile (.CL)
and is interested in Domain Name System Security Extensions and IPv6
issues after having previously followed the Cross Registry Information
Service Protocol mailing lists.

* Alejandro Acosta (Venezuela) is an Internetworking Coordinator for
British Telecom. He has been following the IETF Discussion list for
many years and is interested in the IPv6 Maintenance and TCP
Maintenance & Minor Extensions working groups.

* Kumar Saurabh (India) is currently a Senior Technical Leader at
Sonus Networks. He has specific interest in the Session Initiation
Protocol working group and had contributed to the Media Gateway
Control working group for over four years.

IETF 73, Minneapolis, USA

* Jean Philemon Kissangou (Congo) is currently employed by DRTVnet and
has been following the IETF IPv6 working groups discussions for some
time.

* Hamid Mukhtar (Pakistan) is a graduate student at Ajou University
(South Korea) and has co-authored an Internet Draft for the IPv6 over
Low Power WPAN working group and also follows the Mobility Extensions
for IPv6 working group mailing list.

* Terry Rupeni (Fiji) is the Network Analyst at the University of the
South Pacific where his work is closely aligned with the IETF working
groups in the Internet and Routing areas.

* Tenanoia Veronica Simona (Tuvalu) is employed by Tuvalu
Telecommunication Corporation as an IT Manager. Her interests include
the IP over Cable Data Network, Mobility Extensions for IPv6, and IP
Telephony working groups.

* Ing. Carlos A. Watson Carazo (Costa Rica) is interested in Domain
Name System Operations, Multicast Security, and IPv6 Maintenance
working groups as they directly impact his work at NIC Costa Rica (.CR).

ISOC is very pleased to acknowledge the corporate sponsorship from
Afilias, Google, Intel, and Microsoft in support of these IETF
Fellowships.

Southern Africa Postal Administrators invest in ICTs

2008-06-25T15:27:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
The call by the Zambian government to urge Postal administrators in the Southern African region to invest in Information Communication technologies for them to provide value added products and services to their countries is valid.
Press reports show that Deputy Minister of Communications and Transport, Mubika Mubika said this in Siavonga on Monday June 17 when he opened the Southern African Postal Operators Association annual general meeting. Mubika urged Postal administration to reform their traditional operation led organizations and adopt customer and service led organizations.
For Zambia it should be noted that, in 1994, Parliament enacted the Telecommunications Act, which resulted in the restructuring of the telecommunications sub sector by separating the Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (PTC) into two commercial entities which are the Zambia Telecommunications Limited (ZAMTEL) and the Zambia Postal Services Corporation (ZAMPOST). In additional this included the removal of regulatory functions from the PTC; thus resulting in the establishment of an autonomous regulatory agency, the Communications Authority of Zambia (CAZ). On the other hand regulation of the postal sub sector was still carried out by the Ministry of Communications and Transport through a Licensing committee comprising various stakeholders.
Postal and courier services are mainly provided by ZAMPOST. The Corporation covers the country through a network of about 116 Post offices, 64 Sub Post Offices and 55 Postal agencies.
A large percentage of the 72 districts have an operational post office. In addition, there are private courier services, which are concentrated along Livingstone Copperbelt corridor for delivery of parcels. However, some private courier operators now service provincial centres as well.
In relation to provision of ICTs, ZAMPOST offers a money transfer service called “SWIFT CASH” which has enabled many people within the country to receive and send money. Many Zambians are happy are please with the services as it is an alternative to Western Union a money transfer service which many Zambians now use to receive and send money to people living out of the country.

Southern Africa Telecentre Network underway

2008-06-25T15:24:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
Efforts to set up Southern Africa Telecentre Network (SATNET) are underway with the Zambia Association for Advancement of ICTs (ZAA-ICTs) being the lead network for the project.
ZAA-ICT Executive Coordinator, Dean Mulozi said there was need to have this network to help support the information development of rural telecentres. He said they were facilitating the development of the SATNET.
A visit to Chinyunyu Community Multipurpose Telecentre in rural Zambia showed that when a community is involved in the setting up of a Telecentre the people embrace the centre as their own. Set up in 2006, the centre last year installed solar energy and a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) with the help of UNIDO which has enabled farmers to charge their mobile phone barriers and have access to the internet.
It is important that the centre realizes the money that it pays to the Communications Authority of Zambia as regulators fees and also the monthly subscription for the VSAT connection which is a very big challenge as the centre was in a rural location.
Austin Chilala Head of Kasis Agricultural Training Centre said the centre had received a seven acres of land as a donation to the project from Chief Bunda Bunda. The steering committee now plans to put up demonstration plots for the farmers and housing for stuff.
It is clear that Chinyunyu Telecentre does not need to exist in isolation but needs to learn from other telecentres are sustaining themselves which makes initiatives of setting up SATNET relevant.
There is also need of creating an electronic network before creating a physical network as this is very vital now that telecentres are being encouraged to provide internet services to their communities.
So far feedback from Chinyunyu farmers include that fact that they had learnt how to process chili and expand their fish farming activities as they accessed information from Chinyunyu Telecentre.

Online Language Barrier for networks

2008-06-25T15:14:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
Community Information and Communication Support Centre (CAICC) a joint initiative of national organizations working in the field of community ICTs is still finding it difficult to access information beyond Brazil for its network online because most of the content online was not in Portuguese.

Polly Gaster Eduardo Mondlane University Information Communication Technology for development (ICT4D) Director asked if there were other sources apart from Brazil where they could access relevant content for their network as most online databases where in English and French.

Gaster explained that they get a lot of resources information from Brazilian websites which have been of great help in terms of information provision for their networks.
She explained that equitable access to education and communication and the means to produce and disseminate information were key factors in social-economic development and civic participation. Local activities were reinforced through building horizontal and multi-directional networks- national, regional and international.

Over 50 of Mozambiques’s 128 districts already enjoy the benefits of community radios, community multimedia centres or telecentres and that the number was growing every year. She said they were providing local access to information and communication tools, the opportunity for citizens to acquire new skills, and services for local institutions and civil society.

This factors was discussed during the workshop that was held on Sustainable Rural Telecentres for Africa held in Lusaka last week.

ICT Best Pratices Forum in Burkina Faso

2008-04-20T09:16:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

The level of interest in using technology solutions to address critical development challenges is getting high in Africa. At the same time, there is an essential need to accelerate the penetration and application of technology on the continent, particularly at the public sector level.

Feedback received from various government leaders and international financial institutions on the continent clearly shows that the best way to achieve this objective is to provide the conditions necessary for African governments and advisory institutions to share their own best practices, subsequently creating a roadmap for the future.

In this way, African leaders and the institutions that support them can actively assist in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of public sector institutions through the use of technology and create the capacity for Africa to increase its own competitiveness.

Any institution that provides leadership on this issue would simultaneously achieve a high impact outcome for Africa’s development and an opportunity to distinguish itself from the crowd.

ICT BEST PRACTICES FORUMS

The African ICT Best Practices Forums serve as a practical way for high level officials from across Africa to share their own specific experiences and demonstrate practical examples of successful technology solutions in their respective countries. They also allow for such solutions to be more easily replicated, particularly given the skills shortfall in the region.

Additionally, best practice solutions will be showcased on a new Pan Africa best practices website, undertaken by Microsoft and the Government of Burkina Faso. This website is used to highlight examples discussed at the forums, as well as other ICT4D best practices, hence enabling ongoing peer-to-peer connections and advisory discussions.

The IFC has demonstrated that if all of the IT innovations of various African countries were to be integrated into one single country, it would be the 12th most advanced country in the world with respect to the use of technology. Given this, African nations stand to benefit from successful practices incorporated throughout the region, as well as from other emerging market regions.

THE FIRST ICT BEST PRACTICES FORUM - 2007

The first ICT Best Practices Forum, held in Burkina Faso in June 2007, drew over 350 delegates from across West and Central Africa. The forum was attended by representatives from government, the private sector, civil society (including NGOs and academia), the press, and international financial and government institutions, including more than 120 high level government officials, 3 heads of state and more than 40 ministers of government.

The delegates met in Burkina Faso to discuss strategies and practical solutions that would improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public sector institutions, through the use of information and communications technologies.

More than 20 speakers were given the opportunity to present projects and case studies implemented by their various organisations. In addition to this, a number of organisations made use of the opportunity to showcase their top projects and offerings at the various exhibition stands. Exhibitors and presenters were therefore given the opportunity to increase awareness of the products and services available and create mindshare among the various organisations represented.

In the interest of Best Practice sharing, networking opportunities between the delegates were encouraged and facilitated through our online registration system, enabling those who would wish to organise side meetings to do so in advance, in order to maximise the outcome of their participation.

The Pan African Interactive ICT Best Practice website currently under construction will include all the Best Practice submissions from the series of events, thereby serving as a reference tool for African ICT practitioners.

Some feedback from our customers and stakeholders:
"We should institutionalize this forum for the good of Africa. Well done partners." (Nigerian delegate)
"The opportunities for networking were even more important than the presentations."
"Everything Microsoft seemed to do at this event was outstanding and well organized." (World Bank representative
"Excellent organization – please continue the good work."
"I would not normally have thought of Microsoft as knowing the best things to do in e-government, so I have to give you my congratulations for this initiative which everyone would like to see happen longer/again"

THE SECOND ICT BEST PRACTICES FORUM

Because of the extremely positive feedback received from delegates, we have decided once again to hold the event in Burkina Faso, in April 2008.

This Forum is an initiative of Microsoft, organised in partnership with the Government of Burkina Faso with support from the European Union.

This year we will continue with our overarching theme of e-government while showcasing all new examples of the most innovative projects implemented in the public sector from across Africa, as well as in other emerging market regions. The event, which is now Pan African, will therefore present an impressive display of the novel uses of technology from the African continent and beyond.

The Forum presents a unique opportunity for private sector representatives to meet with top representatives of government, donor organisations, civil society and international governmental organisations in an environment that encourages one-on-one communication, allowing them to discuss potential commercial partnerships.

Given the public sector focus of this event, expected participants include:

* Government leaders (heads of state, ministers of government, IT agency heads)
* International Financial Organizations (such as World Bank, the African Development Bank)
* Bilateral donor organisations (such as USAID, DFID, GTZ, JICA, SIDA, etc), IGOs (such as the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, NEPAD)
* The private sector (including partner technology firms, etc)
* Civil society representatives (e.g. academia and NGOs)

Refugee live in fear of Lightening at Mwange Refugee Camp

2008-02-16T14:22:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu in Mporokoso
Refugees at Mwange Refugee Camp are living in fear of lightning which is a visible electric discharge produced by thunderstorms.

Meanwhile, 20 of the 25 Surge Protectors which were put in the camp to protect the refugees from lightening have since collapsed due to termites eating away the unprotected wooden poles used to holding the protectors.

Surge Protectors were put in the camp to act as lightening arrestors said Alexie Lumbi World Visions Agriculture and Natural Resource Coordinator for Mwange Project.

A refugee Forman on Maintenance and Construction Ngoza Mwimbo said the refugees were in fear of their lives seeing that only five Surge Protectors were left in the Camp because there are no chemicals to protect the wood poles from being eaten by termites. He said wooden poles were used to hold surge protectors because they do not transmit electric charges sent by lightening.

He explained that they decided to put up Surge Protectors because he knew the impact the arrestors have on the people in the Camp that had experienced strikes of lightening which had even led to a couple of deaths in the camp.

He added that the Surge Protectors in the camp are strategically placed at public places such as health centers, schools, distribution centers and churches.

Francis Numbi a refugee at Mwange explained that lightning strikes at Mwange refuge camp have caused burns and death. He said lightening had caused major problems for the refugee camp including damaging critical equipment.

Numbi said that last year lightning produced electrical surges that damaged and even destroyed six 12 volt batteries that give power to a FORGE Computer Lab that has 10 laptops, a printer and a scanner.

Some refugees said that when the rain starts they seek for indoor shelter away from doors and windows. Some refugee officials said when it starts raining they rush to the stay in their cars.

Refugees who have electronic appliances unplug their equipment while most of equipment have in built Surge Protectors.

Over three weeks have passed In Mporokoso District and people have not been watching the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) station following a strike of lightening at the Television Antenna. At Press time The District Officer was reported to be in Kasama.
Meanwhile people in Mporokoso are being entertained to some Tanzanian channels which they are watching free from the use of Free to Air satellite dishes.

The overall risk of lightening at Mwange Refugee Camp is high and it is worth knowing how to reduce the risk if one finds themselves in one of these situations. The exact risk of being struck by lightning is difficult to determine at Mwange Refugee Camp. What was clear was that the refugees were taught by their Environmental Task Force that if they are caught in a lightning storm while outside in an open space, they needed to get indoors.

In any case, refugees at Mwange need awareness on how they can protect themselves from lightening strikes.

Meanwhile, Harvard Health Publication advises not to take a bath or shower during a storm. This is because one can get shocked if one is near pipes or faucets during an electrical storm, so experts recommend that you avoid taking baths or showers when lightning is striking nearby. It also advises on avoiding being near bodies of water if one is outside during a thunderstorm.

The publication also advises on the use of mobile phones during a storm. Using a phone with a cord during a thunderstorm is not a good idea because an electrical shock may be transmitted along the phone cord to you. In fact, the use of any electrical appliance should be avoided. Talking on a cordless phone indoors is not considered a high-risk activity, even during an electrical storm. However, using a cell phone outside should be avoided because the metal in the phone may act as a lightning rod.

There is also need to know how to calculate a storm’s distance. If, after one sees lightning, one can count the seconds until you hear thunder, that amount of time is not equivalent to the number of miles away the storm is. Rather, you should divide the number of seconds by five. For example, if you see a lightning bolt and count 10 seconds before you hear thunder, the source of that bolt is about two miles away.

Seeing that Mwange Refugee Camp is located in a rural area full of trees it is also advised not to take refuge under a tree as tall objects are more likely to attract lightning during a storm.

To avoid being hit by a single bolt of lightening it is advised not too hurdle with others. If one is caught out in a storm, it is best to stay at least some meters apart from others to reduce the chances that any one person will be struck by a bolt of lightning. If people stay close together a number of them can easily be injured by a single bolt.

Sitting on the ground when there is a storm is also discouraged by the Harvard Health Publication. It says that if one is caught out in the open during an electrical storm, sitting or lying down on the ground should be avoided because most lightning that injures people strikes the earth and travels through the ground; for this reason, the less contact you have with the ground the better.

Ideally it says that trees, tall structures and open spaces altogether should be avoided. It asks people to seek shelter in a fully enclosed structure such as a home or a car.

It also observed that if the sky is clear above anyone or the storm is far away, one can still be struck by lightning. Actually, “bolts from the blue” account for a significant proportion of lightning-related injuries. Because lightning may travel more than 20 miles before touching down, a storm can be in the next town and still cause injury or death. For this reason, experts recommend that you go inside when the source of lightning is six miles away or closer (that is, if the interval between lightning and thunder is 30 seconds or less) and wait until 30 minutes have passed since the last lightning or thunder struck before you resume outside activities (this is known as the “30/30 rule”).

The Harvard Health Publication encourages helping lightening victims and opposed to one of the most prominent lightning-related myths that one should not touch a lightning victim or one will also be shocked.

Zambian Ambassador dropped and recalled for article on internet

2008-02-01T13:13:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
President Levy Mwanawasa has with immediate effect dropped and recalled Mbita Chitala as Zambia ambassador to Libya.

According to the Times of Zambia Newspapers, the Presidents action was prompted by Mr Chitala's article in which he was advocating for policies which he termed as being contrary to the Government position on the African Union.

Mr Chitala was not given any authority by the Zambian government to write what he wrote on in The Tripoli Post.

"The article has caused untold embarrassment to his excellency the President and the Government of Zambia and a Foreign minister of a country whose leader was described in very unkind words has intimated that he will send a note of protest to the Zambian Government."

A search on the internet found an opinion piece on the link below which Mr Chitala wrote.

http://www.tripolipost.com/articledetail.asp?c=5&i=1583

Opinion: The Federal Union of African States Must be Established Now
By Ambassador Mbita Chitala
26/01/2008 16:29:00
Introduction

This presentation addresses the subject of the historical necessity and inevitability of the federated African state. The central argument of the article is that continental integration and empowerment can only succeed if the coordination of efforts is at a continental level through first, the formation of one all African State, that is, by way of a political decision and that economic integration shall only be complementary.

This article does not discuss the benefits that will be derived from Africa's political integration (insure peace keeping, combat disease, environmental concerns, poverty, corruption, oversee good governance, equi-distribute Africa’s wealth) as this is already a settled argument nor does it discuss the method and road map for achieving this historical inevitability as this is a detail to be designed by professional managers.

This write up is aimed at imploring African leaders to make the political decision and establish the united one African state as they meet at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 31 January, 2008.

Status of Africa's Unity

Post independence Africa presents a divided and balkanized states, weak, and for more than four decades has continued to be a play ground for unabated abuse, exploitation and oppression of its peoples by other more organized political regions as exemplified by the hegemonic control the Europeans and Americans still hold on Africa.

Africa’s age old yearnings for political and economic integration have been thwarted, of course variously explained by many factors and interest opinions. These factors include the influence of self-seeking, narrow-minded nationalist African leaders who have continued to opt for personal glory and fame at the expense of the larger Africa using the legalistic excuse of sovereignty, the influence of the vestiges of colonial aberrations and neo-colonial psyches and dominion where Africa in the international division of labour has continued to play the role as a supplier of raw materials and net importer of manufactured commodities which in the process condemns Africa to continue being exploited by way of unequal exchange.

In the area of consciousness, cultural imperialism has been ensuring that Africa is divided between two blocs – Anglophone and Francophone – and this division has been sustained by the former colonial powers variously such as establishing institutions like the British Commonwealth with their British Council, and the French Francophone with their Alliance Francais.

These have continued to sew divisions among Africans by false ideologies such as the Christian-Moslem dichotomy, the Arab-African dichotomy and the ethnicity or tribal ideologies that are used to divide and weaken Africans. With globalization, Africa has further deepened its integration to the global finance capital from a weak stand point where it cannot get an equal share of the benefits of globalization.

African countries have attempted to unite the many small post colonial social formations to address this issue of poverty, underdevelopment and insecurity of Africa but often have fallen short because of the above reasons or because they used unsustainable unworkable methods such as desiring to have economic integration before political unity.

The most notable attempt was the Abuja Treaty – Regulation CM/464 of the 26th OAU Council of Ministers who wanted to create five regional communities who would play the role of the future continental common market. The recommendation was based on the realization that integrating 53 differently ruled African States would be unsustainable because of the unripe consciousness, the influence of geography, ecosystems and operational precedence. This attempt failed and more regional communities continued being formed.

In pre-Abuja Treaty, there were 8 Regional Economic Communities (RECs) including SACU, MRU, ECOWAS, CEPAL, ECCAS, IOC, IGAD and UMA. In post Abuja Treaty, more RECs have been established. These include SADC, UEMOA, CEMAC, COMESA, CEN-SAD, EAC.

All these have been set up in spite of duplication of programmes and their multiplicity, cross cutting membership and inefficiencies have compromised African integration. An attempt towards rationalizing them has failed because of lack of political will and resentment and opposition by the established public service supported by entrenched rules and contracts.

It is unacceptable for African leaders to continue procrastinating or making lame selfish excuses of going to consult their peoples and so on such as has been the case in the last ten years. There is no need for these countries to hold referendums as Muammar Gaddaffi challenged his colleagues at the Accra Summit.

The opposition to integration that was exhibited by Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa in Accra is regrettable as it was based on the false assumption that these three countries would on their own develop to be sub imperialist powers.

It is gratifying that Liberia, Senegal, Ethiopia, Chad and Libya came strongly for immediate political unity. The rest remained look warm. It is no wonder the Africans in South Africa and Kenya have already shown their leaders what they think of their acts in Accra. What is required as the first act is to agree on political integration by establishing the Federated Union of African States.

This was the consensus that was reached after the transformation of the OAU into the AU on 9th September, 1999 at Sirte in Libya where all African Leaders committed themselves to the establishment of the United States of Africa.
"Those who want to move on a snails pace or are opposed to Africa’s political integration should be left out for now. Their own nationals will deal with them in due course and compel them to join the bigger good – the Federated United States of Africa."

It was therefore amazing at the meeting in Accra, Ghana in July, 2007 that about 50% of African countries continued to give lame excuses at delaying this historical necessity which has as a result continued the tendency of the marginalization of the continent in global affairs as well as deepened the underdevelopment of its people.

As the leaders go to meet again in Addis Ababa on January, 31st, 2008, all progressive Africans are hoping that the final solution to African Unity and integration will be found. Now, Africa has entered the globalization process from a point of weakness.

New constraints have emerged, particularly with timeframes imposed by initiatives such as the EU, the WTO, China and so on. It is therefore imperative that a new momentum and initiative within a better structured continental framework with improved follow up on both the political leadership and rationalization and implementation of one African economic set up be launched.

Political Integration First, then Economic Integration

Former Zambian President Dr Kenneth Kaunda and former Algerian President Ben Bela are the only two Africans still living who can attest from first hand account the ideals yearned by Africa's founding fathers of a strong and independent one African State that was championed by African heroes such as Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Neyere, Patrice Lumumba, Toure, Gamal Abdul Nasser, Emperor Haile Sellassie, Jomo Kenyatta and other African patriots.

These ideals have been taken up by a few progressive African leaders notably Muammar Gaddafi of Libya, and the Senegalese President Wade who have been trying to persuade fellow African leaders to move forward on this African integration process. In the last ten years, Libya has had to spend a lot of money and effort trying to have the project realized.

Muammar Gaddafi and the leaders of this progressive tendency have been opposed by a conservative fringe whose chief response has been that they are not ready or they must first consult their people or that they are afraid of losing their sovereignty or simply remain non committal. This bloc has been lukewarm and has chosen the road towards Africa's integration by first strengthening regional economic groupings and assumed that the integration process will ripen on its own. The logic of this route is to further divide Africa. This is the route championed by African colonial masters now united as the European Union.

It has been argued by some African leaders and supported by neo colonial think tanks at the secretariats of the Economic Commission for Africa, the African Union and the United Nations that the challenges Africa faces is for the Regional Economic Communities ( RECs) to harmonize their programmes so as to attain convergence and ultimately the African Economic Community.

Even though the REC's are not among the organs of the African Union (AU), it has been argued by these think tanks that they can still be used as building blocks of the African Union government as they were anticipated to be for the African Economic Community under the Abuja Treaty.

It has been obvious from all and sundry that such an approach would forever thwart the advancement of the African confederation and would play in the hands of Africa's enemies who want to continue subjecting the continent to age old disadvantages such as imperialist exploitation and marginalization of the Africans in global affairs.

To the progressive Africans, it must be obvious that this incremental approach is not only unsustainable but must be overthrown and be replaced by a Nkrumah/Nasser and currently Gaddafi/Wade approach that argues for "seek ye the political kingdom first, and all would follow".

The argument that Africa should first rationalize and harmonize the more than fourteen (14) regional economic cooperation groupings and use them as the basis for advancing to Federal Africa is a view point that is against historical experience.

In practice, it is utter mechanistic nonsense and is a road to continued balkanization of the continent, weakening Africa and ensuring that it continues to be a market for imperialist capital. Only political unity can advance the economic integration agenda and break the suffocating tentacles of imperialism which have for the last 200 years constrained Africa’s advancement.

The only Question at Addis Ababa and Africa’s Prayer

It is important that Africans, as they meet at Addis Ababa on 31st January, 2008 realize that unless they create political space in the sense of an all Africa Federal State, all what Africa has always aspired for will be in vain. We will have to wait for another generation to attempt at unity again. What a waste of ten years investment of our time and resources!

At the Accra Summit of the African Union in July, 2007, the decision to establish the federated State of Africa was postponed for six months to allow for further national consultations. About 50% of African States mainly in the CEN-SAD group were for the immediate establishment of the United States of Africa. Another group mainly from the SADC area was lukewarm to the ideal and politely opposed the immediate creation of the African Union State.

They regressed to the outdated Abuja Treaty argument of basing unity on the gradual development of regional groupings.

Today, Africa faces the challenges that Nkrumah and his colleagues faced at the beginning of this argument which resulted in the creation of two blocs – the Casablanca and Monrovia blocs among African leaders. The question then was principally how to advance the decolonization of Africa.

The bloc led by Nkrumah, Nasser, Nyerere, Haile Sellasie, Ben Bella, Kaunda, Toure, Lumumba and others won the day against the African reactionaries who advocated for some regulated independence. Today, there are about 53 politically independent African States – most of them are weak and are simply outposts of imperialist exploitation and subjugation.

It is necessary, nay, a historical inevitability that Africa must first address and achieve political unity under one State for any meaningful progress to be made towards playing any equal role in the global community. The harmonization and rationalization of the REC's will also follow naturally as politics will lead.

The argument which has been advanced by some of our leaders that political unity will only be reached if and when all African States accede to the ideal by way of consensus is obviously, not a useful position. For practical reasons, this 100% unanimity is utopian as some African States are under the hegemony of imperialism or are simply reactionary and/or will never be allowed by their imperialist masters to accede to Africa’s political integration. These countries should not be allowed to hold progress of other Africans. They should no longer delay this movement towards Africa's emancipation and unity.

Those who want to move on a snails pace or are opposed to Africa’s political integration should be left out for now. Their own nationals will deal with them in due course and compel them to join the bigger good – the Federated United States of Africa.

About The Author
Ambassador Mbita Chitala
Ambassador of Zambia to Libya (These are personal views of the author)

Celtel Subscribers demand for an improved Service

2008-01-18T15:39:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
Celtel subscribers would like to see the Mobile Service Provider improve its services especially in the rural areas and also support local artists who are not established become known as they launch a new advertising campaign.
Celtel consumers made a comment to the Celtel advertisement of the campaign in which Celtel international announced a simultaneous launch of its new advertising campaign in 14 countries of operation. The campaign aims at bringing the values and beliefs of Africa closer through one common thread: Music.
A Celtel subscriber based in Mongu acknowledged their presence in the 72 districts adding that as Zambia is part of the information society it was also a human right for the people of Zambia to communicate.
Mukela Liwena said Celtel needs to empower local musician based in the rural districts since noticing that they have only sponsored already known musicians.
“There is so much talent in the rural areas and Celtel should localize the Celtel messages in Zambia’s local language using their own traditional instruments. There is the Chikuni Musical Festival which is the coming together of musicians based in the Southern Province through their songs and he called on Celtel to take advantage of the festival, “said Liwena.
In terms of posters, Liwena asked Celtel to use the faces that are known to Zambia.
The new campaign dubbed “Rock Your World” gives a fresh and interactive feels to the Celtel brand; while preserving the company’s devotion to Africa by highlighting the richness, diversity and warmth of the continent and it’s people. Through this campaign Celtel will locally, regionally and internationally set out to find and promote the best musical talent that exists in Africa.
Meanwhile, some Celtel consumers are wondering why Celtel is particular about service branding and not service provision. The new campaign should be synonymous with the service. What is good is a Mobile Service glamorous outlook if there is no better service? asked Reginald Ntomba.
Rose Kalwani sees the campaign as an opportunity for Celtel to improve the service observing that “many times when am with my mother in the same room and I try to call her I will be told that am out of coverage area which is not true. She pointed out that these were issues which Celtel should try and correct as soon as possible.
Gershom Musonda complained of the mobile top up s facility which he said was most of the time its off. Musonda observed that Celtel was also offloading cheap phones.
“Imagine a handset fully connected at 100pin only. They also used to charge us for checking the balance until they were challenged by other providers. Not long they sold us weak phone models like Nokia 3310 which dropped in price from K800,000. to K100 000. within 5 yrs. This was dumping of the worst order,” he said.

The original and creative advertising campaign follows Celtel’s initial branding that painted the continent red and gave birth to the popular slogan “making Life better” almost three years ago in January 2004. Since the company’s new face the brand has worked hard to empower Africans while creating a common synergy throughout the continent. From the warm sunshine filled beaches of east Africa to the rough waters of West Africa, Celtel has joined the lives of Africans like no other brand to date.
Speaking about the new advertising campaign, Zain Group Chief Officer, Tito Alai commented, “with this new phase of our brand roll-out we have taken a fresh start jump and committed ourselves to promoting and investing in music across the continent. As Africans music is our life blood, it’s in our veins and souls – it brings us together while living our everyday lives. Weather its contemporary jams blasting out of cars in the bustling city or soul stirring rhythm of traditional music in the village, music is core to African lives.”
Alai observed that the company tagline “making life better” continues to stand behind the Celtel brand independent of the phases we enter throughout its life cycle. Ultimately “Celtel strive to deliver the means for people to be better connected, to communicate , to stay closer in touch to share emotions , to get more done , to transact business and to celebrate successes, “ said Alai.
“As a company we also go beyond impacting only our individual consumers, we strive to achieve synergies across the African continent by creating jobs, enhancing skills and developing infrastructures. We are already involved extensively in sponsoring various music initiatives. “
Celtel International connects over 24 million subscribers covering over 40% of the African population. The group’s strategic aim is to become the leading Pan African mobile communications group providing innovative and intergraded communications services across the continent.

Wi-Fi - Today’s Pioneering Broadband Wireless Technology

2008-01-11T15:07:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
All broadband technologies can lead to enormous economic and social benefits for peoples of every development level. The key to success is a combination of favorable regulatory, economic and development strategies that support broadband deployment.

Zambia now offers the ubiquitous ability of a wireless communications network that has been always been thought to be the main advantage of a mobile communications network. Sub-Saharan mobile communications networks have lately grown in capacity, robustness and coverage. What determines the choice of a network now is the value added services and applications that it is able to offer. Most networks have attained their optimum speed in the provision of data services and in GSM, which most, if not all sub-Saharan networks are offering – the maximum data rates can only get up to 9600 kbps. This has to be in a good coverage area.

We have seen that even mobile service providers such as Celtel are offering a wireless internet service which is good for many Internet users as they can access internet anywhere were there is a Celtel network. Even Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have also started offering Wi-fi and Wi-max services. The only problem is that the service which is still elitist is still not affordable for many Zambian internet users. In many cases the setting up of the service plus monthly subscription is over $500US dollars. While some individuals now have internet access at home many customers of the wireless services is still at organisational level. The other problem is that many Zambians still need to buy computers as many still access internet facilities from the Internet cafes, resources centers, libraries and at their working places.

One of the main goals of the current emerging communications technologies has been to offer all the services available in the wired world in the wireless world. The desire is to make the fixed mobile. The goal is to make all the conveniences of a home or office mobile. We want to have our phone calls wherever we are, and at anytime. This has been achieved with ease by means of a wireless mobile communications technology. But this is only the beginning. Now we want to get latest news items anywhere anytime.

Doctors want to know the status of their patients without calling them. Governments want their citizens to get necessary government information without physically visiting the government office. Why, some governments even want their citizens to submit tax returns without visiting the tax office. Hence we have tele medicine, e-government, tele working, distance learning and e-commerce among the many things services that the mobility challenge has given birth to.

However, experience has show that most of these E-services cannot replace the traditional services. Key among these is the Internet. A lot has been done to try and make the internet mobile. This is so because the internet has practically become a part of every literate and medium income African individual. Businesses are actually thriving on the internet for their purchases orders, stock quotes, communication, research, advertising, e.t.c. Since the internet has become so important, the desire now has been to have the internet anytime, everywhere. Technologies such as Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) have been employed in some handsets all in an effort to try and give the internet mobility.

Can you imagine life without a mobile phone or life without the Internet? We want the mobile phone and internet to be always with us. This has been mainly due to mobility and handy nature of the cell phone. But, alas, WAP technology has lamentably failed to provide the Internet as we know it, on the cell phone. The main draw backs have been the limited screen size and the speed. Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) phone user can only go up to 9600 kbps and the Cellular network provider will definitely have a field day on you downloading a huge file. With internet access on the mobile phone, the screen size is a very big constraint to many. People don’t want to see small dark or hazy images in the name of the internet.

The above concerns have given rise to a technology called Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi stands for Wireless Fidelity. Wi-Fi is a wireless technology like a cell phone. Wi-Fi enabled computers send and receive data indoors and out; anywhere within the range of a base station and the best thing of all, it's fast. In fact, it's several times faster than the fastest cable modem connection.

The Wi-Fi technologies
Wi-Fi networks use radio technologies to provide secure, reliable, fast wireless connectivity. A Wi-Fi network can be used to connect computers to each other, to the Internet, and to wired networks. Large corporations and campuses use enterprise-level technology and Wi-Fi CERTIFIED wireless products to extend standard wired Ethernet networks to public areas like meeting rooms, training classrooms and large auditoriums. Many corporations also provide wireless networks to their off-site and telecommuting workers to use at home or in remote offices. Large companies and campuses often use Wi-Fi to connect buildings. Service providers and wireless ISPs are using Wi-Fi technology to distribute Internet connectivity within individual homes and businesses as well as apartments and commercial complexes.

Wi-Fi networks are also found in busy public places like coffee shops, hotels, airport lounges and other locations where large crowds gather. At the Lusaka International Airport there is a free wireless network being offered by Afri-Connect.Wireless Networks for travelers may be the fastest-growing segment of Wi-Fi service, as more and more travelers and mobile professionals clamor for fast and secure Internet access wherever they are. Soon, Wi-Fi networks will be found in urban areas providing coverage throughout the central city, or even lining major highways, enabling traveler’s access anywhere they can pull over and stop.

In the wire less service, Wi-Fi devices "connect" to each other by transmitting and receiving signals on a specific frequency of the radio band. Your components can connect to each other directly (this is called "peer-to-peer") or through a gateway or access point. When you create your Wi-Fi network it will consist of two basic components: Wi-Fi radios and access points or gateways.

Wi-Fi radios are embedded or attached to the desktop computers, laptops and mobile devices in your network. The access points or gateways act as "base stations" — they send and receive signals from the Wi-Fi radios to connect the various components to each other as well as to the Internet. All computers in your Wi-Fi network can then share resources, exchange files and use a single Internet connection.
Distance from the Base Station
One of the factors that affects range and performance of a Wi-Fi network is the distance of the client devices (your Wi-Fi equipment) to your base station (your access point or gateway). In an open area with no walls, furniture or interfering radio devices, you may be able to get a range of 500 feet or more from your base station to your Wi-Fi equipped computer. In fact, you could get a signal from up to a mile away depending on the antennas you use and environmental conditions.
Many base stations can also act as repeater or relay stations for your network. For example, if you locate one Wi-Fi equipped computer 100 feet away from your base station, another Wi-Fi computer 100 feet away in another direction, and then position your base station in the middle, you can create a network with a range of 200 feet from one Wi-Fi computer to the other.
Wi-Fi, or IEEE 802.11b, speed decreases the further you move from the base station. For example, when you are close to the base station, your Wi-Fi computer should be able to get the full 11 Mbps data rate. Move further away, and depending on environment, the data rate will drop to 5.5 Mbps. Move even further, and the data rate will drop to 2 Mbps, and finally to 1 Mbps. But getting just 1 Mbps through put is still a perfectly acceptable performance level. 1 Mbps is faster than most DSL and cable connections, which means it's still a satisfactory high-speed transmission if you're sending and receiving e-mail, cruising the Internet or just performing data entry tasks from a mobile computer.
How Does Wi-Fi Compare to Other Networking Methods?
No other networking technology used to set up a small home or SOHO network provides the convenience or mobility of a Wi-Fi network. That's because other methods, including standard wired Ethernet networks and phone line- and power line-based networks, all require a connection via wire or cable. Wi-Fi uses radio waves that travel through walls and floors and connect you anywhere, indoors or out.
Networks based on phone lines, also called HomePNA, must have a phone jack close to the computer or peripheral that is to be networked with the rest of your system. Unfortunately, most homes have only two or three phone outlets — or even just one! — And these outlets may not be where you want to put your computer, printer or other device. You may have problems with this type of network based on the quality of your phone line installation and especially if you have numerous phone devices plugged into each wall jack.
Networks based on power lines, also called HomePlug, have location problems, too. Of course, there are many more power outlets in a home than there are phone plugs, but power plugs may not be where you need them when you need them, especially outdoors.
Power line networks are often more expensive than Wi-Fi based equipment. Power line networks can experience interference from transformers, large appliances, power strips, surge protectors and even common "wall warts" (DV power supplies). In addition, apartments and condominiums that share power lines may also inadvertently share access to confidential files and information on the computers that are attached to the power line network — even if users think they've established tight security protections.
These technologies don't allow you to just pick up your laptop or PDA and go anywhere in your home or small office and begin working or continue working in another location without losing contact with your network. Working outside on your patio or next to the pool is an impossibility. And since power-line — and phone line-based networks aren't available at "HotSpots" (e.g., airports, hotels and cafes), localized access networks or at the office, they can't be used when traveling or working in a corporate office.
Social and Economic Benefits of Wireless Broadband
Broadband deployment is an ongoing process, not a one-time transition. The introduction of broadband technologies, including but not limited to Wi-Fi, WiMax, DSL, fiber, satellite, and other fixed and mobile wireless, has enabled traditional and new forms of communication to become a reality throughout the world. Because physical infrastructure and geography are vastly different from country to country, technology that works well in one geographic area may not work as well in another. Therefore, it is up to each individual locality – whether it is a village, city, province or country – to determine the technologies that best meet its needs.

However, one fact that cuts across every region is that broadband technologies enable many applications that provide enormous benefits to citizens. It is clear that current generation technologies do not meet the high bandwidth requirements for emerging applications that combine voice, video and data. Because the demand for technological progress is constantly growing, localities that are looking to upgrade their current telecommunications infrastructure or are looking to install new infrastructure should consider the future needs of their citizens when examining the most appropriate systems to install.

Broadband networks can reduce the disadvantages of low population density and physical remoteness from cities. Moreover, with the advent of broadband technologies, myriad applications become possible or are enhanced beyond their current capabilities with dial-up Internet access. Some of the applications made possible or enhanced with broadband include Tele-medicine, Tele-working, E-Government, E-Agriculture, Distance Learning, Public Safety, Small Business Assistance, Information Gathering, Tourism, E-Commerce and Entertainment.

While this is not an exhaustive list, these applications comprise some of the most important and popular applications for which broadband can be used. The applications described above offer only a glimpse of what are currently possible using broadband technologies. With the advent of improvements to existing technologies and the introduction of new technologies in the future, new applications will also be deployed, furthering the opportunities for economic growth and social development internationally.
With links to
reference to www.wi-fi.org/OpenSection and www.tiaonline.org

Zambians fail to communicate on New Year's Day

2008-01-02T14:06:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

Many Zambian Celtel subscribers failed to communicate to anyone on the 2008 New year's day. This failure was also extended to MTN and Zamtel subscribers who wanted to communicate with people on the Celtel Network.

Emelda Yumbe Coordinator of the Zambia Media Women Association(ZAMWA) said that she failed to communicate Celtel subscribers. Yumbe who is an MTN and Zamtel subscriber said she failed to communicate with people on the Celtel Newtork.

Shalom Investments in Mandevu who are retailers of Celtel Mobile Top Up White Nyerenda complained that he had lost business on New Years Day indicating that the money was trapped in the Mobile Top Up facility which was not operational on Christmas day.

He said many of his customers were annoyed because they were unable to top up and make phone calls.

Sally Chiwama a Celtel subscriber said she was very disappointed and upset because failure to communicate was not happening for the first time.She called on celtel to improve the services.

Mary Sathula a Celtel subscriber asked Celtel to be considerate especially during times such as the New years even when many people are known to have been using their facility. "Celtel should be considerate and they should improve their services," said Sathula.

Charles Kachabe another Celtel subscriber said he was very inconvenienced as he really needed to communicate and that this led to failure of some urgent business. He called on Celtel to apologies to the Celtel subscribers as they were robbed of a precious moment to even wish their friends an families a Happy New Year!

Meanwhile, Celtel management has apologized to it’s subscribers for network interruption during the festival season that resulted into clients failing to generated calls and short messages (SMS).

Celtel acting public relations manager Patricia Litiya said in a statement in Lusaka yesterday, the network interruption was as a result of micro-link failure in Mbabala area in Choma District on December 31. 2007 and was rectified on January 1, 2008

Ms Litiya said engineers could not access the site due to heavy rain hence the delay in resolving the problem and that areas affected by the micro-link failure were the entire Southern and Western Province.

She indicated that in Lusaka, Celtel experienced equipment failure on one of its switches and this affected the network performance in Lusaka, Eastern and Central Provinces. The effects could still be felt in some parts of the country until late in the evening of January 1, 2008.

Litiya said Celtel Zambia did not everything possible to ensure network availability and that capacity was adequate to cater for expected traffic during the festival season.
She said generally calls and SMSs were sustained until January 1 when they experienced the equipment failure.

Lack of energy supply in rural areas obstacle to telecommunication infrastructure

2007-12-20T16:25:00.001+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
The lack of main energy supply in many rural and remote areas is a major obstacle to deploying telecommunication infrastructure.

When we look at the theme for the Africa Telecommunications Day whose theme this year is “Applying emerging technologies to empower rural communities towards attainment of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),” we see the digital divide between rural and urban area.

MDG number seven is about ensuring environmental sustainability and according to a United Nations Development Plan (UNDP) report on the status of the environment (2005), Zambia’s forests continue to be under tremendous pressure as a result of a variety of reasons with wood harvesting for fuel wood (mainly charcoal) and timber, and clearance for agriculture and human settlement being the primary ones. The rate of deforestation that has been for decades quoted to be about 300,000 hectares per annum is currently reported to be 800,000 hectares per annum (FAO Resource Assessment, 2000).

According to the 2007 MDG Civil Society report, energy is an important sector that has an impact on all the MDGs. Due to time limitations of collecting sufficient data, the cost estimates of the energy sector are based on the Millennium Project (2004) findings in 5 countries; Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda. In all these countries the cost on energy for meeting the MDGs is close to the education costs in all the 5 countries. Therefore, cost estimates for Zambia, though no simulations have been done, are assumed to range closely to the education costs.

On per capita basis, it is assumed that in 2005, expenditure on energy should be US$5 per capita rising to US$10 per capita in 2015, in line with the education estimates for Zambia. Therefore, the total cost on energy is estimated at US$ 1,113.7 million translating into US$101.2 millions per year on average (Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflections (JCTR): Cost of meeting MDGs, 2005).

The reports adds that Zambia’s energy use has risen sharply over the years. The per capita energy consumption has increased from 22.5 Giga Joules (GJ) in 1990 to 20 GJ in 2000 and 42 GJ in 2003. This increased use of energy is attributed to increased economic activity. The indicator of percentage of population using solid fuels has stagnated at 80 percent for more than six years up to 2003 as the proportion of the population with access to energy has remained constant at 20 percent. This indicator has implications for the achievement of the health MDGs as use of solid fuels has a negative impact on the health of the population, especially women.

In addition it has implications for forest degradation as people indiscriminately access forests for energy. Since the last green house emission inventory in 1994 no new data is available for carbon dioxide emissions. However, given increased economic activity (energy use, agricultural and mining activities, and waste generation) with no corresponding measures to curb emissions, it is most likely carbon dioxide emissions are increasing.

Many government agencies and Non Governmental Organisations are currently working to support broader or massive use of telecommunications and information technology (IT) systems in electrified rural areas. Governments should therefore consider closely linking renewable energy specialist with rural telecommunication and ICT initiatives.

According to a Food Agriculture Organisation (FAO) report the information revolution has completely bypassed many rural poor people in Africa. They constitute the poor people who live on less than a dollar a day.

The advert of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) has served only to widen the gap between them and others who do have access to such technologies. The rural digital divide is most evident when comparing the disparities between urban and rural communities, men and women and between successful farmers and their less successful neighbours.

To bridge the rural digital divide there is need to strengthen human and institutional capacities to harness information and knowledge more effectively. Africa needs to address the following key issues to reduce the digital divide that exists.

When we look at content package on the Internet, it is all in Africa’s foreign languages which are either in English, French, Portuguese, Spanish or Japanese to name but a few. There is need for African communities to locally adapt content and contextualise it. Also there is need for the communities to share content that will build on exiting systems to address diversity.

Rural dwellers however will also need capacity building on the importance of ICTs and how they can benefit from them. It is also important for the rural communities to partner and participate in the World Summit on information Society (WSIS) process.
It is also time for the rural communities to have a realistic approach to technologies and work on the high cost and financial sustainability. Hence, Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Community Based Organisation (CBO) and civil society’s role should also help increased awareness of ICTs in rural Africa.

The fact that globalisation and the new technologies (ICTs) are fast transforming all aspects of development and how information is shared is the problem that makes rural societies in Africa to lag behind. Communication is now a priority for an international community, which makes rural societies in Africa increase the need to improve the flow of information.

Technologies
Problems with installation and maintenance of wire plant have prompted the widespread use of wireless systems in rural areas. Nine types of wireless access systems in rural access systems were identified through the case studies and International Telecommunications Union (ITU) activities, illustrating existing and emerging access options for reaching rural communities. Given the trend towards shared facilities such as tele-centres, University extension centres, Post offices, Info Kiosk, etc as well as the variety of revenue models associated with social services in the health, educational and e-commerce fields, the focus group considered technologies which expanded the number of supportable applications as well as those which demonstrated lower per line costs.

Demand for Internet based telecommunication applications in rural areas, particularly e-mails, has resulted in new applications of old technologies, such as Video Home Frequency (VHF) radio systems and meteor burst communications, for non real time services. In addition, new combinations of existing technologies are extending the reach and flexibility of wireless access systems as well as reducing total coats through the reducing total costs through the integration of shared systems and components. In particular, many rural operators are deploying Very Small Aperture Terminus (VSATs) and point to multipoint terrestrial radio systems integrated with wireless local loop systems based on standards such as PHS and DECT.

Access options on the horizon for rural areas include a number of technologies that are new to the rural marketplace or still under development.

Information technology and multimedia terminals
It is of the utmost importance that International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the Africa Telecommunications Union (ATU) strives to raise awareness of the rural information and communication needs of developing countries within the computing and information technology industry. Unlike the Tecommunication Industry that has been doing business in under developed rural areas for several decades, companies in the Information Technology (IT) sector are generally unfamiliar with the environmental and social requirements of rural areas of developing countries.

It is however recommended that there is promotion of the development of low cost information appliances for rural ICTs. Increase collaboration with micro finance organisations to help develop communication based rural businesses and applications. Conduct pilot projects of packet based wireless access infrastructure for multimedia applications. Maintain and expand the web site, hold a symposium on new technologies for rural applications.

Rural Communities and ICTs in Africa
It therefore follows that the majority of farmers in Africa live in rural communities where farming is the chief activity. It is vital that the agricultural sector in Africa is not left behind in the information revolution. All farming whether large or small scale, requires an array of skills and knowledge. Farmers in Africa are under increased pressure to diversify their output, adopt new farming systems, and complete in national and global markets. Rural service provide also require access to relevant and timely information to support farmers. Information and Communication can bring benefits in all these areas.

Internet access is expensive in Africa. In many countries government’s ministries and public institutions are not yet using electronic media to manage information. A large proportion of the rural poor do not speak a language of international communication, many are illiterate and most have neither electricity nor telephone. Their main problems are food security, safe water and sanitation, health care and education. Is it realistic to talk about providing universal access to ICTs in these circumstances?
Universal access does not mean providing every farmer with a computer, at least not in the foreseeable future. But there is no reason why farmers should not be able to benefit indirectly from digital information and media. Linking existing means of communication and infrastructure to new ICTs can enhance the way people and organisation communicate, exchange knowledge and access information.

It is however possible that the rural communities can organise themselves and exchange information content and to communicate using all the ICTs-short, to reduce and eventually bridge the rural and eventually bridge the rural digital divide.
Farmers can use mobile phones to get information from a local entrepreneur about prices in several local agricultural markets, rather than relying, as they did before, on the word of the middleman.

Government’s ministries in Africa should also establish an electronic rural network to communicate with farmers respectively. Farmers should also utilise radio and present programmes that relate to them. In fact farmers need to develop community radio stations. It is also important for farmers to set rural info kiosks where people can access information that is relevant to them. In this case it is also important for the private sector to extend their services to rural areas on all aspects of agriculture production for village-based agronomists.

Rural women and ICT
In the rural areas where the majority of the world’s hungry live, women and girls produce most of the food consumed locally. Their contribution could be far greater if they had equal access to essential resources and services, including information.
Rural women have even less access to information and new technologies than men and thus are at an advantage when it comes to making informed choices about what to produce and how best to market their products. Lack of information also limits their influence in their communities and their ability to participate in decision-making.
Unless researchers and policymakers give due attention to gender and unless women have a voice in developing available opportunities, the new technologies could serve merely to exacerbate existing inequalities

Rural radio: convergence of new and traditional technologies
For millions of people in rural Africa, radio is the most accessible, economical and popular means of communication. Radio stations targeting the rural communities need to be set up in addition to training broadcasters in reporting on the use of ICTs the need to be provided with fact sheets on food security issues, weather, post-harvest operations, and early warning systems and nutrition.

There is also need for radio stations to be connected to the Internet and train broadcasters to collect and adapt information for their programmes.

Rural or remote areas exhibit one or more of the following characteristics: scarcity or absence of public facilities such as reliable electricity supply, water, access roads and regular transport. Scarcity of technical personnel; difficulty topographical conditions e.g. lakes, rivers, hills, mountains or deserts, which render the construction of wire telecommunication networks very costly, severe climatic conditions that make critical demands on the equipment.

Low level of economic activity mainly based on agriculture, fishing, handcrafts, etc
Low capita income underdeveloped social infrastructures (health, education etc) low population density, very high calling rates per telephone, reflecting the scarcity or telephone services and the fact that large numbers of people rely on a single telephone line. These characteristics make it difficult to provide public telecommunication services of acceptable quality by traditional means at affordable prices, while also achieving commercial viability for the service provider.

Areas of application for Internet and other communication based application include tele-medicine and public health education, coordinating regional food security efforts, making governments sponsored agricultural extension services more effective and accessible to rural farmers, and enabling more rural children, adolescents and post secondary students to receive an education among others.

The need for basic literacy, computer skills and training in the use of ICT applications remains a significant challenge for rural areas. Language barriers and the complexity of Personal Computer (PC) operation have shown to hinder Internet diffusion. Many innovative skills have been devised in rural areas to over come these barriers. Although not widely utilised, techniques such as voice mail, translation of content, and icon based telephones illiteracy are not necessarily barriers to the use of communication needs are comprehended and addressed. Relevant content is extremely critical to the success of any rural application.

Challenges
The 2007 MDG report shows that Zambia has numerous challenges in integrating the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes and reversing the loss of environmental resources. These include the high levels of poverty with a large proportion of the population, especially rural dwellers, depending on natural resources for their livelihoods accompanied by a weak administrative and legal framework and breakdown of traditional values and practices which previously ensured a high degree of social responsibility and equitable sharing of resources within a natural equilibrium.
There is also Lack of coordination between sector policies

Lack of energy supply in rural areas obstacle to telecommunication infrastructure

2007-12-20T16:25:00.000+02:00

Zambia unable to meet MDG on Health but ICTs provide a ray of hope

2007-12-20T16:23:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
Zambia is unlikely to meet the MDG on maternal health as more than 700 women i.e. from pregnancy related complications. This is according to former Health Minister Angela Cifire who bemoans that Zambia’s maternal health is one of the highest in the sub Saharan Africa region with 720 of 1,000 live births resulting in death.
According to the 2007 MDG report, Cifire observes that unlike the latest Hollywood trend where celebrities give birth in an exclusive labour ward especially furnished for the babies’ arrival with video cameras ready to put everything on record and more doctors than necessary at one’s disposal, labour is usually tormenting for most Zambian women especially those in rural areas.
Recently there has been an increase in cases of women even in urban areas delivering in un conducive situations thereby endangering their lives. Most of these women die due to lack of skilled labour, excessive bleedings as well as lack of donated blood. As such the country has to grapple with the challenges of meeting the millennium development goal on reducing maternal mortality by the year 2015. Zambia’s former health Minister Angela Cifire called for collective action to save hundreds of mothers who die from pregnancy related complications.

Women for Change Executive Director Emily Sikazwe says she was saddened by the high number of maternal mortality rates in the country. World health Organisation Country Representative Stella Anyangwe said it was sad that the just launched Vision 2030 does not address maternal health and primary health care like it does on HIV/AIDS. In 2001-2002, 77.2 per cent of the women who had a non-institutional delivery did not receive postnatal check-up.

More such women in rural areas (81 percent) were discharged before receiving the postnatal check-up compared with those in urban (53 percent) who did not receive the postnatal care. Other reasons for increasing Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) include limited access to facilities due to few health facilities; long distance to facilities; non availability or costly transportation facilities; shortage of trained staff; attitude of some health staff; and poor quality of care (untrained staff and lack of surgical and medical supplies). Low postnatal care, prenatal complications, complicated deliveries, postpartum deaths from hemorrhage and infections and post abortion complications also contribute to increased Maternal Mortality Rates (MMR)..
Maternal mortality increased from 649 deaths per 100,000 in 1996 to 729 deaths per 100,000 births during the period 2001 to 2002 (Zambia Demographic and Health Survey) according to the UNDP 2003 MDG report,. The target for maternal mortality ratio in 2015 is 162. The critical indicators in maternal health include access to antenatal, delivery and postnatal care. A total of 95.7 per cent of the women during the 2001-2002 ZDHS received antenatal care; 93.4 per cent from a health professional and 2.3 per cent from a Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs).

The percentage of women receiving antenatal care from a health professional slightly decreased from 96 per cent in 1996 to the 93.4 per cent in 2001-2002 period. One contributing factor to high maternal ratio could be the increase in the number of women delivering at home. During the 2001-2002 ZDHS, 56 per cent of the women delivered at home and fewer of them, 44 percent, at a health facility.

Medical persons are also attending slightly fewer deliveries, while the proportion of births attended by traditional birth attendants (TBAs) increased to the highest record in 2001-2002 since 1992. The proportion of women delivered by a medical person declined, from 51 per cent of births in 1992 to 47 per cent in 1996 and 44 per cent in 2001-2002. The proportion of women delivered by a relative or friend consequently, increased from 33 percent in 1992 to 41 per cent in 1996, though slightly declined to 38 per cent in 2001-2002. Postnatal care is important in detecting complications related to delivery.
Meanwhile, the use of information communication technologies (ICTs) in delivering care to pregnant women and newborns in Lusaka is on the verge of becoming easier and more efficient, thanks to the advent of Tele-health , which is simply the use of information technology to deliver health services and information from one location to another.

Collins Chinyama, former information technologist at the Central Board of Health, describes the concept of tele-medicine as a multimedia system using voice, video and data to deliver medical services remotely. “People may phone their doctors and prescriptions are done either by telephone or fax,” he says.

But the new technology overcomes the limitations of the telephone and fax to ensure that patients are diagnosed from remote locations. Tele-medicine has its advantage and negative sides: though it meets government needs for bringing health care as close to the family as possible, the need for medical workers will also diminish. But it has the potential to bridge the gaps created by Africa’s brain drain as health professionals seek greener pastures in developed nations. “There is need for tele-health in Africa because it has very few doctors and there are increasing health needs and staff constraints in most hospitals,” says Chinyama.

Tele-health works by installing information technology such as digital cameras, camcorders, digital senders and other medical equipment in all health centres. Lusaka women and their babies are the first beneficiaries of new technology in health, with the establishment of an electronic prenatal record system.

It is fitting that this new technological adventure should start at the source of life: many of the basic needs in the care of pregnant women and newborns have largely been unmet in Zambia. This is despite the fact that inadequate resources can literally be a matter of life and death in the maternity situation. Zambia’s maternal and infant mortality indicators are unacceptably high. United Nations statistics show a one in 14 lifetime risk of death in pregnancy for women. The just released demographic and health survey show that these statistics have not improved over the past five years, making this a high priority concern.

Customised software designed by doctors from Lusaka district, the University of Zambia Teaching Hospital and the Central Board of Health will eventually replace the paper records currently in use. Computers in all Lusaka clinics that provide antenatal care will be linked with several wards at the teaching hospital through a high speed wireless network. Patient data will, therefore, be entered just once and not a dozen times. Whether or not a woman goes to the same clinic, the nurse attending her will be able to see all the relevant information about her without having to ask for it and re-entering it again.

Healthcare for pregnant women in Lusaka is a large and complex system. Nearly 50,000 deliveries take place in Lusaka district clinics and the teaching hospital. Most mothers make multiple antenatal and postnatal visits, and many of them go to several sites for health care. Benefiting groups will receive better care because clinicians will have more information and more time to focus on giving care.

Maureen Chitalu, a mother of three, says she hopes the use of information technology will also manage complicated cases. She explains: “I live in Mutendere, where I also go for my antenatal care. During my previous pregnancies, nurses kept on referring me to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), where there are specialists, because I delivered by caesarean section. It was not easy. I had to spend a lot of money on transport and, in the process, wasted a lot of time. With the new system in place this should now be a thing of the past.”

At one time, clinic staff at the teaching hospital could not find her records as they were never kept in an organised manner. But the tele-health project now means clinicians will be able to monitor and track patients, see their entire history at a glance and analyse the outcomes. Health care officials will be able to generate better information about the population.

Tele-health will also ensure security and confidentiality of patient information because it will be more difficult to gain access to patient data. Nurses and doctors will have to enter a password to see individual records. Although officials of the Central Board of Health and the district health management board will be able to see statistical information but only authorised clinicians will have access to personal patient information.

For now, an automated referral system is being written for Lusaka and it will be the first programme that will be used in the computers. It is hoped to be introduced soon.

Chinyama explains that each clinician will receive an individual e-mail address. Telephones will be connected to the computers, allowing phone calls throughout the network and training manuals will be available on the computers. Free computer training is expected to take place through the end of 2003. It will include general computer knowledge, e-mail, filling out web-based forms, refereeing patients using the automated referral system and using Acrobat reader to access training manuals.

The benefits to clinical care will be that training materials will be easily available and there will be better communication between sites and automated checks on care quality. Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) telephone will allow district health management board midwives to speak to teaching hospital midwives or doctors at any time. The health management board midwives will also be able to track their referred patients as the system will allow more accurate monitoring.
It is of great relevancy that Zambia applies emerging technologies to empower rural communities towards the attainment of the MDGs goals as this is the theme of the Africa Telecommunications Day which is observed on December 7 every year.

E-learning can deliver teachers in rural areas

2007-12-20T16:20:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
Education is a major factor in enhancing a country’s social and economic development as it aids in fighting against poverty and hunger. Since 1990 the percentage of pupils reaching grade 7 has improved from 64% in 990 to 82% in 2004. (UNDP 2005) The country has therefore gone beyond the Millenium Development Goals (MDG) requirement of pupils reaching Grade 5. On the other hand literacy rates have shown a decline from 75% in 1990 to 70% in 2004. The potential to achieving Universal Primary Education for boys and girls by 2015 exists.

According to the 2007 MDG Civil Society report education for women has been identified as key to their participation in national development. Education is crucial because it enhances the life opportunities of women, and their families. Girl’s education is critically important not only for harnessing the nation’s human resource for development, but also for raising the self-esteem and confidence, and widening the life choices of females, their access to information and knowledge.

Between the periods 2000-2004 the ratio of boys to girls have remained high but constant in primary schools but has decreased in secondary school and tertiary institutions from 2003-2004. Females still continue to have lower literacy rates 66% as against 79% for males while female literacy rates have steadily been declining between 1990 and 2000.

As we commemorate The Africa Telecommunication Day on December 7, theme “applying emerging technologies to empower rural communities towards attainment of MDGs,” it is important to realise that Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) can deliver teachers in education and also empower women.

21 years Amanda Banda is a Student of Education at Maclom Moffat College in Serenje, which is about 500 Km from Lusaka the capital city of Zambia. She first heard about e-learning at the first National Conference on e-learning in National Development held on March 15-17 March 2007.

“It seems to be a good way of learning but I really think it is too technical, expensive and a lot of work will have to be done.” Given an opportunity Amanda says she would go for an e-learning programme.

“We had internet access at our College but it is disconnected. I now access internet from a cyber café situated in one of the shops but the network is bad. Most of the times when I go there the lines are bad,” explained Amanda who has basic internet skills.

Amanda says that if e-learning has to work in Zambia, designers of e-learning programmes should also consider visually impaired people and those with learning difficulties. Amanda also observed that Internet operators should lower prices.

Amanda says she pays twice what people in Lusaka pay to access internet and this that already it is expensive if e-learning has to be supported in her area which is situated in rural Zambia.

The e-learning national conference held in Zambia from 15-17 March at Mulungushi Conference Center listed e-learning disadvantages as being the high Cost of ICT Products, high Cost of Internet connections, Zambia's Trading arrangements, electricity, lack of computer training, plagiarism, lack of face 2 face interaction with teacher and student and also poverty. The main disadvantage was that there was no Telecom infrastructure that would support everyone in Zambia including people in the rural areas.

Advantages of e-learning included flexibility, convenience, self paced learning, tailor made courses and no strikes which are common in the Zambian education system of learning.

Meanwhile, Pricilla Jere, OneWorld Africa Director, explained that information communication technologies (ICTs) offer the most effective way to access knowledge when she talked about Women’s Empowerment using e-learning.

“Women’s empowerment is building the ability and skills of women to understand those actions and issues in the external environment which influence them and also to give them a voice,” said Jere.

She observed that ICTs transcend usual barriers such as time, distance, language and censorship. She explained that when used in convergence, ICTs allow hitherto left out communities to participate in economic, social and political spheres. ICT not only Internet but other tools used individually or in convergence can help in e-learning.

Convergence technologies include community radios, Internet radio, local area net-works, tele-centres, information kiosks and mobile phones can help in the delivery of e-learning to men and women. It also catalyses the process of change and reduce imbalances in knowledge distribution between rich and poor, educated and uneducated, rural and urban, and men and women.

Jere noted that ICTs have made it possible for women to control their own learning and thus e-learning can even help in implementing goal number three of the MDG which talks about promotion of gender equality and empowerment of women. It has often been said that educating women would mean educating the whole nation as at now many women are still illiterate in Africa.

E-learning would also help women to overcome barriers such as multiple roles by learning in their own homes at their own time and that it has created wider options and choices for women to learn. It was also important to note that e-learning programmes take into account specific needs of women.

In any development of an ICT training program, the peculiar situation of women takes should be taken into account. Africa needs to also focus on cheaper technologies that women can afford, so investment in ICT and rural development is crucial.

It is important that every African government create an atmosphere which will ensure active participation of women in ICT decision-making processes at all levels. Looking at policy issues it should be clear that women must not only be considered in the ICT agenda, they must be actively involved in setting that agenda.

There have been so many pilot projects in Africa which need up scaling and replication so that many women can take part in the information society. All stakeholders must include a gender perspective throughout the process of planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating ICT initiatives, especially ones that seek to address empowerment of women as ICTs is a cross cutting issue.

It should however be noted that in the same way ICTS open up opportunities for women, if poorly planned they have the potential to marginalise women even further. There must be therefore a multi-stakeholder approach that includes partnerships between government, private sector, civil society and donors for effectiveness.

It is important African women embrace ICTs as they offer women the opportunity to be entrepreneurs globally both in rural and urban areas. This includes mobile phone services to tele-centre management as well as e-commerce. There are also eemployment opportunities which have now opened in companies that employ women across borders to work using the internet.

Forum for African Women Educationalists of Zambia (FAWEZA) Rose Banda said e-learning would bridge the gap of shortage of Teachers and Lectures in Zambia’s institutions of learning.

“There are teachers and lecturers shortages in all levels of education. The shortages, especially in rural schools are a glance reality. In some instance, the situation is such that one teacher single-handily attends to several grades which over burdens the teacher and therefore affecting his output and productivity,” said Rose.

It was clear that the result of this needs a new approach to provide education. Rose said her concern was on equitable participation of females in all spheres and levels of national development which includes ensuring that girls and women acquire education for development.

She emphasised on the need for governments, industries and civil society to ensure that by 2015 Educational For All (EFA) goals are attained through use of e-learning.

The main objective of e-learning Africa was to build capacity on ICT for Development, Education and Training explained Leopold Reif, Chairman, Hoffmann & Reif Consultants in Germany based at e-learning Africa in Kenya.

Reif explained that they have been establishing the most relevant and most comprehensive international annual Pan-African capacity building event for all stakeholders engaged in ICT enhanced education and training in partnership with an African government.

University of Zambia Prof. Thomson Sinkala said that an e-learning was possible in Zambia and advised participants to the e-learning national conference to act now. “Let is act now, otherwise if we don’t make a difference with the knowledge and tools at our disposal, we don’t matter to ourselves and our future generation,” said Prof Sinkala.

Evelyn Hone College Lecturer Alexander Museshyo saw challenges of e-learning as being access to the Internet as this form of delivering education requires that an individual must have at least access to a broadband connectivity which is limited in Zambia.

Museshyo observed that there is an issue of cost of acquiring the education itself- its a known fact that over 80% of the Zambia population is living under abject poverty -therefore very few people can afford acquiring education through e-Learning.

He added that there was an obstacle of affordability of computer hardware and software. Another obstacle to e-learning in Zambia was people’s attitude to this form of learning- some people are generally resistance to change and therefore, e-Learning being a new form of delivering education may not be easily accepted as an alternative way of learning

It is a fact that e-Learning can produce a fundamental change in Zambia’s education system by providing alternative ways of learning- from "school house based" models to various forms of "network based" models.

However, many issues have to be taken into consideration before Zambia can fully embrace e-Learning as a form of delivering education.

A member of the E-learning committee in Zambia, Moses Mwale observed that the policy frameworks provide a common understanding as regards direction and enhance development opportunities, but there are challenges that must be considered in order to take advantage of the opportunities that Policy frameworks can provide.

He urged the participants of the e-learning conference to focus on what they want to see in the development process and set priorities as this was a chance to include issues that concerns us in education. He said it was necessary to promote and make understand the issues of ICT (advocacy) and identify the change agents who would include Teachers and Lecturers to be part of the common goal and drive what we think is important such as e-learning.

He said it was a challenge to implement e-learning in Zambia because there was also no support for the process prior to drafting and after drafting policy. He also noticed lack of ICT expertise and knowledge to the policy with regard to new issues such as Open Access and e-Learning specific challenges.

Since the majority of the world population had remained untouched by the IT revolution, concern was expressed that the huge potential of ICT for advancing development of the developing economies has not been fully captured, thus manifesting the “digital divide”. For bridging the digital divide, it is imperative to put ICT firmly in the service of development, for which urgent and concerted action at the national, regional and international levels is required.

Web 2.0 seminar takes place in Zambia

2007-11-16T10:00:00.001+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

Zambian Information Communication Technology for development (ICT4D)partners are today receiving training on Web 2.0 applications at Coldreed Training.

About 30 people who included teachers, social activists, IT personnel, journalists, economics are attending the seminar.

The seminar is one of the first awareness seminar on Web 2.0 tools and it is hoped that from this seminar we have some Zambians who will take up the opportunity to use the Web 2.0 applications.

Web 2.0 seminar takes place in Zambia

2007-11-16T10:00:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

Zambian Information Communication Technology for development (ICT4D)partners are today reciving training on Web 2.0 applications at Coldreed Training.

About 30 people who included teachers, social activicts, IT personnel, journalists, economics are attending the seminar.

The seminar is one of the first awareness seminar on Web 2.0 tools and it is hoped that from this seminar we have some Zambians who will take up the opportunity to use the Web 2.0 applications.

Participatory Web2fordev is a circle

2007-09-27T20:10:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

Participatory Web for Development is circling the point in a spiral formation. This was noted in a key note address delivered by Association for Progressive Communications (APC) Anriette Esterhuysen, Executive Director at the opening of the conference on Web2fordev at the Food Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Rome, Italy which started today and will end on September 28.

She also observed that mainstreaming of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in development was a victory for many of the people who have embraced technology but as with gender mainstreaming, there was a risk that it can be mainstreamed to the extent of being marginalised.

Anriette observed that basic challenges remain in the words of one of the contributors to the Web2fordev d-group discussion that took place before the conference: “As soon as a few rural communities begin understanding the basics of the internet and world wide web, a new tools box with new knowledge emerge. It’s like running a race in which there is no finishing line. If you are a participant in this you can't help but feeling a sense of fatigue,” Charles Dhewa wrote.

She noticed that in her experience working with online databases and email systems in the late 80s the term ICT4D did not exist. APC, which emerged at the same time, called itself a ‘network’, supporting ‘global computer communications for environment, human rights, development and peace’

She added that even the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Networking Programme, which, like APC, and a partnership built early pre-public internet e-mail networks for Universities and development NGOs did not use the term.

She said that the term was associated with the telecom boom of the 1990s, the telecom policy reform process: privatisation, liberalisation, opening of markets to international operators.

“It was this time that various ‘high-level’ initiatives and new buzz-words emerged… the Digital Opportunities Task Force, the United Nations Information Communication Technologies (UN ICT) Task Force, and, the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS),” Anriette said.

She however noticed that there were Pros and Cons to people’s approach to technology.
The tendency to technology-driven hype, notions of “leap-frogging over development challenges.”

She explained that this often diverted attention from investment in more traditional and not mutually exclusive information and communications infrastructure such as libraries, community media, and the people and skills needed to maintain such infrastructure.

She observed that this was in many ways ‘disconnected’ from development. ICT4D experts rarely had experience in development work and many development people were skeptical, even suspicious, of ICT4D efforts.

On the Prons, Anriette says it put the lack of access and infrastructure on the development agenda, and the growing gap between those with access to ICTs and those without and also raised awareness of how not addressing this gap could deepen existing social and economic divides as more and more transactions, decisions took place.

She also noticed that it focused attention on the need for ICT skills and capacity development, but… there was a hidden ‘con’ in this observing the puritanical approach.

“The standard ICT4D approach to capacity building in the use of ICTs in developing countries was quite puritanical,” she said. This she explains was not surprising. “Development is serious work, poverty is real, people’s lives and livelihoods are at risk but, it produced an approach to ICT appropriation and skill development which unintentionally contributed to maintaining the digital divide.”

Anritte explained that for many people from the developing countries, in places like South Africa, Kenya, Ghana with relatively good access, their first introductions to ICTs was through some very ambitious ICT4D project, where, with limited resources and access they had to demonstrate the ‘impact of ICTs on poverty alleviation’. Every project was a pilot, with an uncertain future. Not exactly an environment that was conducive to creative learning.

In contrast, she said people in the developed World appropriated ICTs in more ‘selfish’ ways. Personal, private e-mail, Computer games and in a few years, online shopping and dating, music and TV downloads. She observed that these online actions were still not possible for many people in the developing world because even there is access, there is lack of bandwidth.

But, in the developed world children and teenagers had the opportunity and freedom to explore technology in ways that produced a generation of creative geeks; the geeks behind the development of Web 2.0 and social networking platforms.

Today she noticed that the hype is over following increased access has increased, and new solutions are emerging: mobile phones as handheld internet devices, fuel cells, more effective solar technology, and computers that consume less energy.

She added that there has been a shift away from approaching at ICT4D as a stand alone sector and that a more mature approach has evolved, with the use of ICTs being integrated into development work e.g. in the agricultural sector. “This event, the stories and experience that you will share, will illustrate this.”

She added that the integration or mainstreaming of ICTs in development is a victory for many of the people who have embraced technology. We don’t have to spend quite as much time on the bread vs. computers argument.

Her thought on Web 2.0 was that it was both new, and not new. She observed that social networking was definitely not new, that is what people have been doing with ICTs for as long as they existed and yet it is exciting to learn new skills, play with new tools and concepts. It can be alienating, but it can also encourage new creativity.

She described Web 2.0 as a user driven trend in platforms, tools and approaches that respond to the power and potential of online networking, and to some of the pitfalls.

She said Web 2.0 had a few characteristics which included a user driven attempt to organise the proliferation of online content (tagging; content pooling and aggregation) This means that who the users are matter… and we know that most internet users are not people like us, and the communities we work with.

She explained that Web 2.0 goes much further than the web in removing traditional barriers between producers and users of content (wiki-pedia/blogs) adding that it creates new opportunities for journalists, and it create new journalists (interactive publishing, citizen journalists). It is built on a culture of sharing (social bookmarking; open source; content pooling). It providers easy-to-install and -use web-based applications (adblocks; plug-ins; translation tools).
It assumes stable, permanent internet connections… yet, if used creatively it can work really well for people who don’t have this (sharing bookmarks can cut down online time; so can content aggregration tools).

Working with images, sound, video becomes so much easier and this has enormous potential for use by people who are not literate, for people with impaired sight, and use in cultures or contexts where text is simply not a popular why of interacting (podcasts, video sharing; farmer blogs)

On challenges Arietta explained that the participatory web does challenge us to network in more open ways, to share content, ideas, stories... to be more active in building and organising the information commons. It requires us to trust (in the words of one of the participants in yesterday’s learning sessions)

It is easier to trust if you are organised and approaching social networking from a position of skills, security and knowledge of what you are doing…. We need to make sure we understand the risks of the way of networking, of the extent to which we make personal and institutional information available.

Risks to privacy, and personal security, to distortion and removal of information.
We need to be aware of the ‘business backend’ of social networking platforms, the constant buying and selling that would not be happening if someone was not planning to make lots of money from Web 2.0.commercial uses.

But all these risks do not outweigh the benefits.. And the flexibility of the tools, the fact that many use free software, means we can create our own platforms (and we saw some of these demonstrated yesterday – e.g. MyHeadlines and the Farmer blog from India)

She called on the participants to approach capacity development differently. Learning to use these tools has to be based on experimentation, trial and error, taking risks. In ICT4D we tried to build skills before providing access to tools… now we have to do it the other way round. Access has never been more important.

“We must appropriate the participatory web as individuals (use Facebook if you like it, even if Microsoft has just bought a share in it), but also as networks, institutions, disciplines. We have to confront the fact that it can create new forms of exclusion, and that lack of access to infrastructure remains a huge barrier.

We need to use it in ways that interfaces with existing patterns of communication and information use, with telephony, radio, mp3 players. We need to be wary of the commercialisation and lack of cultural and linguistic diversity of some social networking platforms. We can create our own.

And… remember that social networking for development is ultimately not about people becoming more empowered in the use of ICTs, but become more empowered in their daily lives.

Web2fordev wayforward Vox pops

2007-09-27T20:02:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
I asked people what is the way forward and what they were going to take back home.

Wycliffe Ochieng Arua- Agriculture Commodity Exchange.Kenya
It has been a great conference and the way forward especially if there is a way we could work together to blend the existing web 2 tools that are used in Africa putting in mind our users farmers they would like to access these application.I am looking at mobile telephone and interative voice resposnses an dthe local FM stations in Kenya.
I have taken home a lot of knowledge and I am very much informed now about blogs and wikis and would like to certain up a blog in our organisations especially when we are contributing to a proposal.
I think we used existing network to reach the people CSOs are working with on the grassroot level.

Alec Singh- Chief Technologist, ACP Secretariat.Brussels
The way forward for me on a personal basis is to take time to delve further into some of the tools that we have come across over the past few days. At the end of the day, the main theme is using the web to encourage participation in development issues. Naturally, there are other means of involving participants in the development process, such as phone-ins over the local radios, etc. We need to make sure that we do not only see the technology as an end in itself, but the means to that end - which is the development of billions of humans throughout the world.

We have seen that the technology changes very rapidly, and no doubt, what is "hip" today, will be "passé" in a couple years time. Thus, we have to be willing to adapt, not just for the sake of adapting, but to communicate more effectively.
There is certainly an issue of information overload and maybe trying to get all the various tools and platforms out there to talk to each other, so that they do not duplicate what has already been said on another platform.

Among the lessons I will take home is that I need to spread the word to my other colleagues working in the field of development, that they should try and use more of these tools to communicate further and more effectively.

Louise Clark,NR International
The next step should be to looking out for practical applications in their own location. It is great to know and important for us to be aware of the new technologies. There is however a challenge because I have never heard of Web2.0 but I was using the tools. Our experince in Bolivia is the we do not know the difference between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 otherwise we have been uploading files to the web using Web 2.0 applications.
It was good to about these tools and also to hear about other people’s experinces.

Ethan Zuckerman, Global Voices
I think these international gatherings are good although I feel that we need regional gatherings. There is so much innovation on the African continent and it would be nice to have regional stories. It is expensive to come to Rome were people are torn between seeing the Collossoe and attending the conference. As we have come the end everyone says we are going to do it, I feel there is need to stay in touch with a small group.

Anup Kumar Das,Center for studies in Science policy

I would like to develop some particular blogs related to our idea of activities and will create tags, rss feeds. Already personally, I am using skype and students will introduce learning models on skype so that users may use skype on forth.
On blogging we would like to get feed back from our Policy Makers on policy related issues and other learning tools we can use in our center.

Tim Kulchyski,Hul’qumi’ num
I think to start with there were a number of things that focus on language but also there is need for more time to have interaction of face to face on particular subject areas on what people are doing.
I saw different skills and I was particulary impressed with Ethan Zukerman’s presentation as he said we can benefit from links which i think are effective in blogs as when other people link you the more one can find you using search engine.

Enrico Bertacchini, Creative Commons
I think that this conference is more or less about what people in reality should join. They have to start networking using the tools and that this conference suggests. It is a natural revolution. All the people are willing to use and adopt these tools.
I am taking home the idea that Web2.0 is an emerging concept that many organisations need to embracy in their synergies. A road that we need is trust since these are workable tools. 80% success of these tools is up to human beings to share ideas.

The Future for Africa is mobile- Media

2007-09-27T13:51:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
The future for Africa is Mobile as it has been embraced by more than 200 million people on the continent..

Africa Interactive, the publishers of Africa News www.africanews.com a world wide interactive multimedia platform focused on Africa are piloting a new project called Voice of Africa where journalists use mobile phones to send news video clips to report news.

Elles Van Gelder said the Digital Citizen Indaba (DCI) said the project was launched by the Dutch who said Western media does not represent does not represent Africa and set up the project to show more balanced images of Africa.

She explained that sending video clips using the mobile phone was a new way of creating content. She said journalists who are part of the project are trained to become innovative reporters and how to use the cell phones.

Elles explained that they also looked at the technical side and provided the journalists with small keyboards because the cell phone keys where too small to enable Journalists do their work fast.

She observed that the media focus was on Africa and that this was a revolution as these Journalists will be reporting live in events such as elections in Kenya.

Peter Verweij of the University of Utrecht Netherlands observed that mobile technology brings Journalists back to the streets meaning one does not need to get back to the newsroom to send a news report.

With the GPS facility, editors in the newsrooms will also be in a position to supervise their reporters because they will be able to know where the reporters are and what they are doing.

Verweij said mobile phones will enhance journalists to report from anywhere for web pages and blogs. The content can range from text to Video and noted that for the first time anyone could be a reporter.

He also observed the challenges for Africa as being the level of internet connectivity as the work of Journalists is set to improve dramatically with innovations in mobile GPS technology.

In the same vein, Ndesajo Macha a Sub Saharan Global Voices editor in delivering his key note address at the DCI said the future was mobile. He said text messaging has been delivering news.

He said SMS was also used for social networking as much of the news now is known through SMS before the mainstrem media makes the reports.

The coming of new technologies thus has led to fear of adapting to new ways of doing Journalism.

Capturing the essence of convergence, Arrie Rossouw the editorial Director of Media 24 said there was need for people to stop talking about cries and insecurity and instead strive to move toward integrated newsrooms.

The discussion on convergence noted that in African news rooms remains largely unrecorded. Some newsrooms are marching forward, pod casting news items and music programmes and sending texts to cell phones, others are experimenting with video, sending sports clips and news to wireless services.

Matthew Buckland, the Mail and Guardian Online Manager told delegates attending the Highway Africa Conference 2007 that the Web 2.0 software was an important development for smaller role players.

Buckland noted that Media companies need to develop strategies for using the web 2.0 software for social networking and also to attract advertising.

He pointed out that the web 2.0 has played an important role in the improvement of technology and is also less expansive.

Web 2.0 is a term often applied to perceive ongoing transition of the World Wide Web from a collection of web sites to a full fledged computing platform servicing web application.

Video Blooging a tool for for development

2007-09-27T13:48:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

Creating local language video with a translation in the national language text is important for increasing participation and sharing observed Prince Deh, Ghana Information Network for Knowledge Sharing (GINKS) Assistant Country Director.
Talking about knowledge sharing Web 2.0 participatory tools called video blogging or vlogging, Deh observed that local language was important and this was an area which GINKS was going to explore as all their videos were in English. The term Video blogging or Vlogging may mean making videos and posting them on the Internet with the intention of getting a response from viewers.

Vlogging major challenges were listed as connectivity or access and getting people to share Information and Knowledge and cost of equipment.
From my his own view, Deh said Web 2.0 tools were important and even more important because of the deeper impact the tools would have on marginalized societies, even if these impact are not immediately felt.
He observed that many more rural communities have stories to share with the larger public and voices to amplify and saw Web 2.0 tools as perfect applications to project the voices of the rural poor in the future.

“How do we solve the problem of rural connectivity in order to extend the benefits of Web2.0 tools much wider beyond the scope of the cities?” he asked.
He pointed out that it was important to have knowledge of video editing and innovativeness in order to create story telling videos.

It was interesting to note that vlogs provided an alternative media for presenting an otherwise long stories or presentations in very simple and attractive manner.
Deh explained that short videos have an added advantage in view of the visual component that helps promote deeper understanding of stories, especially for people with less educational background and or for people who do not have a reading habit. He added that they also had the power to reach an unlimited audience with minimal cost as the vlogging process does not require specialised expertise and can be easily controlled by any non-technical person.

“It is technologically simpler and cheaper to maintain than a website. Videos are interactive medium often encouraging readers to comment” said Deh.
The experience of GINKS in using video blog and the importance of the tool in promoting Information and knowledge sharing has informed the network to extend the use of the tool to capture some of the interesting experiences from a two year Research project the network undertook with a community in Rural Ghana in collaboration with the International Development and Research Center (IDRC).

DAY ZERO fever

2007-09-27T13:44:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

I asked people about what they learnt on Day Zero Web 2.0 fordev conference and what they where going to take home.

Prince Deh
GINKS Assistant Network Coordinator
Ghana

I am planning to host local language videos and translate the text in English because I realise that many people get my stories and information from the blog. Video blogging has enhanced my knowledge and sharing skills.
As you see people are attracted by video and they want to see and hear at the same time. I have learnt how to use delicious, wikis and tagging. One thing is that if you don’t tag your work not so many people will read about it.

William Eziniwa Nwangwu
Africa Regional Center for Information Science, Lecture
Nigeria

I have been wondering why Web 2.0? Isn’t it a new word for an old thing?
I have discovered how it is being used and sometimes it worries me as an academician. Some Universities in the USA have banned students giving reference to wikis as one of their sources of researched information. In wikis who is the author? Is the information peer reviewed? In my institution I limit the reference of wiki copies.

Makelesi Gonelevu, Anju Mangal - Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), Fiji

We learnt about the potential of RSS feeds, wikis, tagging, blogging and the most interesting of all was the farmer blogging where farmers shared agricultural knowledge amongst themselves and also between experts. In the Pacific, we at SPC are trying to get farmers to access online agricultural information and have expert’s answers queries from the farmers.
Web 2.0 will enable us to implement the various ways of information sharing and collaboration between farmers and stakeholders. In the Pacific, we have to deal with accessibility issues and one of the main issues that we face is connectivity. Web 2.0 is an amazing tool; however, it may not work in the Pacific if we have accessibility issues. Low bandwidth is an issue and using vlogging can be a problem in terms of accessing online videos. We have discovered a lot on day zero and we hope to fully utilise Web 2.0

www.spc.int/lrd - SPC Land Resources Division website.

Mirjam Schaap, Wageningen International
I learnt about real relevant use of Web 2.0 tools for grassroots people (farmers, traders etc), the potential of bridging gaps between farmers / researchers. It was also interesting to have the impression that some people are concerned about a threat of use of Web 2.0 tools by ‘amateurs’ for the ‘professionals` (concerns about taxonomies, about traditional video professionals etc). I also learnt that some of the names I have come across online, actually are real people …, that they also exist outside cyberspace … Very nice to meet people in real life.
I loved the ‘online presentation’ and desktop sharing from Wageningen, and I got to know some handy tools which are used by others (desktop sharing, good cheap hosts, wordpress plugins etc.)
I really liked the energy during the day, and the willingness of everyone to share experiences.
I am still looking for tips on how to infect my colleagues with the Web 2.0 virus, how to convince my friends to share info using Web 2.0 tools, how to convince my colleagues to not just use text to communicate but also use video and audio. So on how to mainstream Web 2.0 tools use in my organisation and among our partners.
But we’ll have another 3 days of working together, and sharing and learning.

Web 2.0 to increase online learning

2007-09-27T13:40:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
Online learning is here to stay and the increasingly availability of Web 2.0 tools will making e-learning experience more rewarding though some challenges exist.

Making a case for online training of Journalists in Africa, Kwami Ahiabenu II from the International Institute for ICT Journalism (PenPlusBytes) observed that online training was going to become dominant means of training and that there was need to invest time and energy to ensure that it becomes part of a capacity building projects and programmes application.

He noted that though there are costs associated with online training in the long run online training was relatively cheaper and cost effective. An achievement was that online learning provided an opportunity for Journalists to learn about new tools and use them in the process of learning

In overcoming the challenges, Ahiabenu II explained that the course used a group e-mail list as their primary course delivery tool in order to ensure low bandwidth participants are not left out of the course.

Meanwhile, to over come issues of time and commitment, they encouraged the participants to devote more time to the online learning experience in order to derive maximum benefits. They had also developed strategies about coping with change and developing “online” mindset by adapting the course to the learner’s environment via flexibility.

“For example when participants could not participate in a session because his or her internet was down, we modify our time table to take this problem into consideration,” said Ahiabenu.

He explained that the tools of the online course were skype, blogging, yahoo groups, google groups, wiki’s, flicker, like del.icio.us, digg.com, flicker, youtube and myspace to allow for participants to comment on content of the web.

In order to facilitate group communication in real time he explained that they asked participants to create a skype account the unfortunate part was that this was not successful because skype was banned in some of the participants’ countries.

He said the three months online training organised with the help of partners’ course involved research, Web2.0 tools and Knowledge Management for newsrooms.

Some of the online topics included chat forums, reporting ICTs and Content Management System for Journalists.

“Our lecture notes designed for a quick read, straight to the point and written in a narrative format. At the end of each lecture notes reference are provided as well as mandatory further online reading. Links to additional relevant online resources are also provided,” he said.

In additional to online content, the trainers encourage participants to buy relevant books as well by providing them with a list of books. They also pointed out to participants relevant articles in magazines and newspapers as they are publish during the course.

SABC News International to tell the other side of the African story

2007-09-13T16:54:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu and Emily Nyako

SABC News and Current Affairs’ launch of a 24-hour service called SABC News International and establishment of bureaus servicing the rural areas of the continent and the world will tell the other side of Africa .

Speaking during the Highway Africa Awards ceremony in Grahamstown, Dr Shuki Zikalala observed that while much work done by Journalists for networks of high standards and sometimes produced under the most adverse of conditions, overall its narratives are directed by News agenda determined in Atlanta , London , Paris and Doha .

“As such it does not necessarily tell the African story in as much depth and contextual detail as possible, identifying both the successes and reverses so as to reflects what is really happening on the ground,” said Dr Zikalala.

He added that the new channel will tell the story of the people of the continent and their success, aspirations and strength as it goes on air at the beginning of April 2008.

The channel is currently available on Sentech’s Vivid Platform., but discussions are underway to distribute it, either as whole or in part, to other Direct to Home satellite platforms, Free-To-Air broadcasters and Cable Networks. These include domestic, continental, European and North American Operators.

The current schedule offers News Bulletins, both regular 30 minute broadcast and five minute updates on the hour, in depth news and current affairs programming, documentaries and magazines programmes. Not only do these focus on developments in South Africa , but extensive use is being made of the expanding network on International Correspondents.

SABC is guided by corporate goals which include in particular Africa and plays a meaningful role in supporting the African Renaissance and NEPAD.

Highway Africa Awards push the development agenda foward

2007-09-13T16:50:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu and Emily Nyarko

Still reflecting on where Africa has reached in her quest to achieve total independence after 50 years of freedom, journalists on the continent have been urged to focus on issues that would push the development agenda forward.

Speaking at the 11th Highway Africa Conference award ceremony for innovative use of new media in Grahamstown, South Africa, Ms Lyndall Shope-Mafole, Director General of the South African Department of Communications, told the over 500 journalists from across the globe that the continent had experienced some changes and developments but continued to face challenges.

She said questions that needed to be addressed were whether Africa was more at peace with itself and the world today compared to the period when South Africa became democratic or whether Africans were confident their destiny today?

“What are the sentiments that we feel, when we think about our future,” Ms Shope-Mafole asked and noted that the launch of programmes such as the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) had given hope to the continent but also enjoined journalists to rise up to the challenge to develop Africa.

The Director of Highway Africa Conference, Chris Kabwato, said the annual event had made significant strides which were reflected in the increased number of participants from 65 in 1997 when the first conference was held to nearly 600 for the 2007 conference.

He attributed part of the success to supporters including the South African Broadcasting Corporation, the South African Department of Communications and other corporate entities.

Kenya’s Zachary Ochieng emerged the overall winner for his dedication to the goals of the Highway Africa News Agency (HANA). He walked away with a laptop from Siemens and a plaque.

The individual or student category award was won by Ismail Farouk from the South Africa . Kamal Ben, a South African based correspondent to islamonline.net won the non-profit category while Vincent Maya from the Mail and Guardian won the corporate category award.

Mrs Charity Binka from Ghana was adjudged the runner up in the non-profit category for her website ammren.org which aims to promote the prevention of malaria while Lesa Basil came second in the individual category with the Kasoma Media Foundation website.

www.ictfocus.info website came second for the corporate award category.

The Free Software and Open Source in Africa (FOSSFA) announced a new award as part of the new media award to be introduced for the 2008 award programme.

Meanwhile, Mafikizolo, a South African-based band stole the show with their performance bringing the audience at the auditorium of the Settlers’ Monument to their feet when they could not withstand the vibration of the final song.

All the award winners were invited to the stage to dance to the music of the group which coincidentally celebrated its 11th year along with Highway Africa Conference.

Quality and Professionalism in Journalism

2007-09-10T17:43:00.000+02:00

Prof. Fackson Banda, the acting Head of school of
Journalism, Rhodes University spoke to Brenda Zulu and
Zachary Ochieng on the quality and professionalism in
journalism as well as Highway Africa’s achievements
and challenges to date.

Q: This is the eleventh edition of Highway Africa
Conference. What would you say have been the
achievements to date?

A: Highway Africa is now recognised in the entire
media landscape on the continent. Everybody now looks
forward to September. A number of journalists enhance
their work hoping it will be recognised at the Highway
Africa awards ceremony. The conference has also become
more proactive in terms of issues being addressed. It
has become a point of contact where policy makers,
journalists and media managers exchange ideas. This
year’s theme is even more relevant given that the
media is facing a threat of state regulation. Under
the circumstances, the media should adhere to
professionalism and encourage self regulation instead.

Q: What have been the major challenges of organising a
conference of this magnitude?

A: It is very expensive both in terms of money and
time involved. Fortunately for us, the sponsors have
always come in handy. But the problem of linguistic
diversity remains a key challenge. The Francophone
countries have not always been adequately represented.
However, we are making inroads and instantaneous
translations are already taking place.

Q: Where would you like to see Highway Africa in the
next five years?

A: I would like to see it strike a balance between
theory and practice. The academic world has always
accused us of being too practical in our approach. We
would also like to see Highway Africa becoming a truly
pan-African event by including the hitherto
unrepresented countries such as those of the Maghreb.
As we talk of the United States of Africa, the
conference should transcend cultural and linguistic
diversities. Resolutions reached and documents
produced at the conference should be unparalleled.

Q: So far, Highway Africa has relied on the generous
support from donors. What sustainability measures have
you put in place just in case some donors pull out?

A: We have not started addressing the issue of
sustainability. We will continue to rely on the
goodwill of our donors, who include the government as
well as the state broadcaster. However, we are
increasingly being challenged to start generating
income especially for Highway Africa News Agency
(HANA), whose content is still free. But certain
mechanisms have to be put in place before we thing of
commercialising HANA or Highway Africa for that
matter.

Q: Turning to this year’s theme, what do you mean by
quality and professionalism in journalism?

A: Quality and professionalism in journalism means a
set of skills that involve writing, design and
photography. Journalistic practices should encourage
greater participation of people besides being
impartial.

Q: How would you measure quality?

A: The extent to which people adhere to ethical issues
and professionalism and codifying good journalistic
practices is what informs quality.

Q: What kind of technology should be available for an
ideal newsroom?

A: Technology in a newsroom is determined by the
context in which a media house is operating. If it is
an interactive media, high speed Internet connectivity
will be vital. For outside broadcasting, mobile
technology will come in handy.

Gorilla type of broadcasting emerging in Zimbabwe important

2007-09-10T17:41:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu and Thandisizwe Mqolweni

Gorilla type of broadcasting emerging in Zimbabwe is important to change things as they bring in issues which are not covered by the State Media.

Speaking at panel discussion on producing and presenting the radio talk show: the burden of national building, John Masuku Director of The Voice of the People said Africa still need chat shows.

Meanwhile, Alain Foka, Radio International France (RFI) Talk Show host observed that Africa was faced with many critical issues. He said not much of the issues were being discussed and that this turned to be Africa’s downfall. “This is not because people choose not to speak but because they are not able to,” said Foka.

Masuku said that State Media in Zimbabwe was not balancing issues and that as an alternative media this is where they come in to give the people the voice. He explained that usually in Zimbabwe, Talk shows were recorded because of the media situation prevailing in the country at the moment.

Masuku added that a Talk Show host has to be professional. He said it was important to debate the issue for discussion as a group before opening up the airwaves. He advised that Talk show hosts to look at issues that are of a concern to the citizens.

He however noted that a Gorilla type of broadcasting had many challenges especially in terms of the way people would view the broadcast station. “Some people think we are a Pirate Radio Station funded by the West to effect an illegal regime,” said Masuku.

He however said that they had employed Journalists who have been trained and tested. Their challenge was that of people accepting to be interviewed on the show.

“Some people would come and others would refuse,” Musuku said.

He observed that a lot of people who accepted to be on their Talk Shows were those people who have been denied space on the State Media. Who knows who will be entertaining who tomorrow? asked Musuku.

Foka added that the media was the vehicle used to mobilise dialogue in national issues, but this could be a problem where there is no freedom of expression.

He said his talk show was appreciated by 45 million audiences and the debates were open and the expression was free.
“I choose the guests who are in the Talk Shows after I have worked on the theme for the show? said Foka.

Answering a question on the importance of Radio Talk Shows, Foka said the debates should be open and that his Talk Show for the past 14 years have not been influenced by his employers. Foka sees himself as being independent and not confined to please his employers because he confessed that he had sometimes embarrassed some of them who tried to portray a negative image of Africa.

He added that it was time for Africa to speak about its own issues.

5 questions with Anne Taylor, DCI Co-ordinator

2007-09-09T16:57:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

What is the Digital Citizen Indaba on blogging? What issues are you trying to address?

Digital Citizen Indaba (DCI) is for people working in cyberspace: bloggers, cyber activists, citizen journalists, industry experts’ e.t.c The issues are around the Africa blogsphere and how Africans present and represent themselves in the global arena. We are especially interested in the issues around African identity.

What is the current state of African blogging and what does the future look like?
There is a lot happening out there! Much more than most of us realise. DCI is also about raising awareness and what is happening in the continent.
The future is very exiting-possible lines are opening and increasing all the time. It’s a revolution and it is growing momentum as more people add their voices.

This is the second DCI, what did you learn from the last conference and how has it been implemented?
There was a lot of criticism last year about an African conference being held in South Africa. We tried to make the focus on African identity and find out what to do better. We have got a lot of people from all over the continent and have tried to include as many voices as possible.

Where does the DCI and the Highway Africa Conference meet?
The boundaries are blurred, if not non existent. You will see a lot of blogging discussions in Highway programme. As journalism and blogging merge, then so do the Highway Africa Conference and DCI.

What is your vision for the DCI and what have been your challenges?
For it to become bigger we need at least two days! As many voices may continue throughout one year, talking about the issues raised at the indaba.
Challenges are really to bring all of Africa’s countries into the debate and find the common ground.

Reporting e-health challenges for media

2007-08-31T14:03:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

Reporting on information communication technologies (ICTs) is not on the agenda of many news rooms in Africa and thus e-health stories are never reported in the mainstream media.

Reality

Journalists in Africa have not specialised in reporting on ICTs and therefore find e-health, ICT stories to be difficult to follow and cover. Political stories still overtake ICT stories in the media. Editors feel ICT stories do not make news. At the end of the day we have Journalists and editors both being gatekeepers for not allowing e-health stories to be reported in the media.

Journalists need to get ICT training and specialise in the subject area of e-health reporting. This will enable them to wear e-lens which will make them be able to analyse ICT issues and share knowledge, amplifying marginalised voices, organise political action, empower participation and sustainability and celebrate cultural and intellectual diversity.

Challenges to media

These include the following: E-health is a new thing in Africa and this also has resulted in a few e-health professionals most of them being men. It is therefore difficult to have a woman’s voice on e-health unless when e-health benefits the women e.g. in the area of reproductive health. The media also lacks active ICT Media networks, specialised ICT publications and lack of e-conferences where stories stand a chance of being reported in the media after a presentation which is usually in written form.

Challenges in e-health delivery

These include:
Inadequate human resource, lack of expertise on health information system Technology resistance (Community), infrastructure-lack of Telecom facilities and power. Also lack ofcoordination and intersectoral collaboration caused by lack of awareness and sensitisation by decision makers, Journalists and health officials.

E-health publicity

There is need to popularise this new initiative especially among Journalists and also demystify e-health issues as it is the answer to Africa a rural continent. This is a fact in that Africa has suffered brain drain especially in the field of health. There is need for a media campaign on e-health issues which would include production of visual printed materials in comprehensible languages that share information on issues that affect man and even women’s daily lives.

Constraints

Many rural areas and towns in Africa do not have electricity. Electricity supply is not stable because of frequent power cuts. The equipment for Tele health is expensive Health official always need to get clearance from their bosses before talking to Journalists._E-health initiative in Africa are mainly at project level and ICT policies are still in draft form.

The consumer’s involvement

Journalists reporting an e-health story should include the voices of the consumers (women and men). Gender issues also need to be incorporated in e-health reporting e.g. Reproductive health. In many cases new technologies should not be imposed on a community because many times there is resistance. For this we need to make the consumer aware of e-health which is new.

Global e-conferences

There is need for Journalists to be invited so that they apart from covering the event they also learn about e-health issues. They need to be involved from the beginning so that they understand the issues as they evolve and you all know technology keeps on changing. There is also need to identify Journalists who are interested in reporting on ICTs and let them cover such events. E-conferences such as this one should also have a platformwhere Media people should exchange ideas and also learn about reporting e-health issues. More importantly after such a fora there is need to also form a d-group even a blog or wiki where Journalists in collaboration with Health personnel in e-health can exchange questions and share knowledge and information about e-health.

Limitations in the information Society

These include:
• Access to the Internet
• Infrastructure • Language
• Lack of ICT tools and equipment
• Politics rule at the end of the day
• Lack of knowledge especially on e-health

Conclusion

The media has a role to play in e-health reporting by educating and informing the public on e-health issues. Health personnel need to partner with media and educate and informthem on e-health issues and developments at national, regional and global levels. Journalists need to be trained in order to demystify e-health issues in their writing so that the ordinary person can understand what e-health means as these technological terms simply put off readers who are consumers of e-health. There is need to develop an e-health tool kit for both print and electronic media which can be given to media houses for production stories, radio programmes and Television programmes. Media also needs to develop a resource on the internet where they can get info on e-health reporting as currently we have very few materials

How can African Journalists benefit from Web2.0 revolution?

2007-08-30T12:25:00.000+02:00

Brenda Zulu

African Journalists need to embrace the new revolution of Web 2.0 tools if they are to catch up in this globalised World. Below find an interview on Web 2.0 with Matongo Maumbi a journalist from Zambia whose blog matongo.blogspot.com

Maumbi recently attended an online training focusing on Web2.0 tools organized by PenPlusBytes, the International Institute for Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) Journalism. In 2006, PenPlusBytes launched an online course on ICT Journalism in Africa and it attracted about forty three participants from nine countries spread across Africa, Europe and Asia. You were one of these fortunate students.

Why did you want to engage in such a course? What were your needs?

Matongo: I engaged in the course because I have an interest in exploiting ICTs at personal level and also professionally. I have been working as a broadcast journalist since 2002 and I was lucky to have been exposed to the computer and internet right from the early days of my career. My ICT knowledge is driven by personal interest and enthusiasm. I needed some professional guidance on using ICTs in my career as well as how I would fully utilize them. I needed to know the pros and cons of using ICTs . The limits, the potential benefits the fun of using the internet and how to explore it better.

What did you learn? What did you prefer (e.g.,. learning about new tools, engaging with other journalists, sharing your ideas and knowledge with others, working together on a common article, networking and interacting…)?

Matongo: I leant quite a number of things. I initially only took blogging as an adventure. Writing whatever came to my mind without any real set objective or target. I guess this was because I did it just out of interest and curiosity. I learnt how to conduct better online research for background information. How to source documents, how to set good parameters for searching. My knowledge on Web 2.0 was improved. Blogging is a good place to express oneself freely without the censorship of your editor or superiors on your work.

How does, what your learnt, influence your current journalism practice? How did it modify your way of working? How did it nurture your work (if so)? How do you apply what you learnt?

Matongo: I preferred learning new tools and also interacting with other journalists from across the continent and globe. As curiosity satisfaction was among my needs, I was really looking forward to learning new tools on ICTs. My mind was more set on learning new tools from what I already taught myself. I guess from the many things I learnt, I now spend less time on the internet. I spend less time because I know better how to conduct my online research with in the shortest possible time but with maximum information. As I am now working better with internet, it has encouraged me to continue getting a local touch to what I read on the internet. During the course I found my self working on fewer but better researched programmes that are of great relevance to our catchments community.

You created your own blog. How do you use this blog? What is the main purpose (PR, information sharing, interacting….?). Did you reach your goal? What are the strength and the weakness of such an exercise?

Matongo: Initially had a website aimed at doing radical campaigns online on things that affect Zambia. Time and resources could not allow me to continue and my site died out. Then I though of creating blog with a similar aim. I basically transferred what my site to the blog. I use the blog to make and achieve my thoughts online. As my blog is more of expressing my self, I have not yet set a good objective. In a small way I have reached my goal of transferring my thoughts online. The greatest strength is that you are your own editor and can write anything you fell is morally right at your own pace and space. You get unlimited freedom besides that fact that you have sensitive stories. Weakness comes in as most of the time I only write about my thoughts without backup professional thoughts. This creates a sense of non credibility from readers. Updates are seldom coming on the blog as I use company equipment and internet to do the updates.

What are the main challenges for African journalists to use Web2.0 tools? Do you think that most journalists have already a “mindset” for Web2 tools? What would the African Media community gain by using Web2.0?

Matongo: The main challenges of African journalists using web 2.0 tools is that we do not have our own working space. We have to rely on computers and internet from our offices. How on earth could one fully use web 2.0 tools when one does not have their own resources? The mindset for most journalists is there but a mindset with out resources is meaningless. Internet connection and access is very expensive for most journalists and even when it is affordable it is very slow. There is plenty to gain such as information sharing, unlimited power to express oneself (group) without the trouble of going through the censoring editors and managers.

Do you think that web2.0 applications - if well used by African journalists - can make the Internet more “relevant”? How so?

Matongo: I think Web 2.0 tools if properly used can make it more relevant. There is a lot of information that African Journalists have but because they have to go through editors, such info is suppressed. Mostly it is as a result of editors, managers not appreciating the role of ICTS tools.

Have you advertised your blog. If yes to whom and how?

Matongo: I think my blog is an isolated one. I have not advertised it. The only people that know about are my friends. I never thought of advertising it mainly because I think I do not update it regularly.

Are you making money from your blog?

Matongo: I am not in any way making money from my blog . I still do not fully know how I can tap into that potential. I do not really see how I can make money. I guess this is something I have to learn next. I know I have what it takes; I just do not have the right guidance.

Have you taught other about blogging?

Matongo: I have not taught any of my close friends’ blogging and taking full advantage of the internet besides e-mail messaging. Training for African Journalists in necessary on new web tools because these are new things which are not taught in Journalism. It is also important to note that a blog helps to store content online for African Journalists which has been for a long time been stored in paper form. The content put on a blog is shared and people learn from that kind of content.

ICT best practices forum opens in Burkina Faso

2007-06-07T18:19:00.001+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

The West and Central African ICT Best Practices 2007 Forum opens today in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso with some 1000 participants drawn from African government, private sector, the bilateral and multilateral organisations, civil society and academia.

The forum is expected to provide for a fruitful discussion reflecting variety perspectives on Africa’s Information and Knowledge Society. The concept for the Forum was derived from the recommendations made to the African decision makers by Ouagadougou Forum, a think tank established in 2005 and looking for ways to accelerate Africa’s development.

The event, which focuses on technology in government, is the first in series of regional African events dedicated to sharing the best ideas in the use of technology in the public African sub-regional Forum ICT Best Practice. The Government of Burkina Faso, African Development Bank and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa are organising the event.

His Excellency President of Burkina Faso Blaise Compaore said that he would like the forum to be an occasion for African governments, their advisory institutions and ICT experts to share their experiences so that “we can build an inclusive information society to serve the sustainable development of our countries.”

“In the face of the digital divide that threatens to increase the marginalization of developing countries, we must step up the introduction of electronic communication infrastructures to seize the opportunities offered by new technologies,” President Compaore added.

In agreement with the President, Dr. Cheick Modibo Diarra, Microsoft Chairman of Africa noted, “At Microsoft, we believe that information and communication technologies (ICTs) penetration in government impacts positively the economic advancement of a country.”

Emphasising the special importance the African Development Bank attaches to the role of ICTs in development, Dr. Donald Kaberuka, president of the Bank said, “ICTs enable organisations to be more productive, thereby spurring economic growth and increasing competitiveness.”

Calling ICT “a cross cutting enabler”, Dr. Kaberuka noted that the reach and effectiveness of social development projects’ important related yields are already visible in such areas as health care, education, agriculture and environmental preservation.

On his part, Executive Secretary of UNECA, Mr. Abdoulie Janneh, commended the strong interest among African individuals and organisation in the potential of ICTs in transforming Africa as has been witness by the high attendance to the Forum.

“We are the forefront of tremendous and unique opportunities for using information and knowledge for socio-economic transformation of our continent to enhance our global competitiveness, create wealth and eradicate poverty while improving on the lives of our citizens,” Mr. Abdoulie Janneh said.

The forum is one of four sub-regional event leading up to the Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) conference to be held from 11-13 December 2007 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Gbenga Sesan –Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN) Nigeria expects the ICT Best practices forum to kick start a process of documenting Africa’s ICT best practices.

Lucy Githaga Mathai from Kenya wants to see any best practices and relate it to her country and use this to see where we are in terms of ICT best practices.

Leopold Armah Office of the President from Ghana expects the forum to encourage African ICT entrepreneurs to be more practical and not be theoretical.

Mathaven Shalini National Productiveness Council (NPPC), Mauritius expects to bring the ICT best practices to Mauritius and also share my knowledge and experiences in best practices.

The forum integrates well with Microsft's Unlimited Potential programme a long term commitment to use technology, training and partnerships to transform education, foster local innovation, and enable jobs and opportunities.

ICT best practices forum opens in Burkina Faso

2007-06-07T18:19:00.000+02:00

Generalisation of IPR a threat to Africa

2007-06-07T18:13:00.001+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

Africa faces the threat of generalisation of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) which is a very important stake as the continent is a producer of knowledge which is also classified as public good.

Outlining the concept of global public goods and the notion of knowledge as a global public good, challenges and policy implications, Dr Abdoul Alpha Dia Docteure en economie et chef del’ Unite de formation Science et gestion de l’ University de Bambey explained at the GKP Africa regional preparatory meeting to GK lll on knowledge and access in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso yesterday.

Dr Alpha indicated that Africa should not exclude a third of its population which was using and producing knowledge as a public good and wondered what role the state and governments are playing and what role they would play in determining the public authority.

He said that governments should be involved in the restriction and privitisation of knowledge and also facilitate the assimilation of knowledge of the people. He advised that it was important to adopt rules and not reject copyright.

He added that while a priority problem would be in the health research it was important to disseminate knowledge publicly and find problems of opportunist behaviour. He noted that production of knowledge in Africa does not meet a matter of coherence.

Anthony Mugeree Programe Officer, CIPESA said positive protection of traditional knowledge was important to Africa when he talked about language, cultural perspectives and traditional knowledge. He observed that Africa had various interventions on application of Web.2 technologies such as bogging in local language but wondered what type of content was being generated and if this content was helping Africa’s knowledge societies.

He added that many Africans were still holding on to information which they were not ready to share and that this was not helping Africa to part of a Knowledge economy .
He pointed out those African communities’ shares in value of knowledge they hold as groups because there is no single creator or discoverer of the information. Communities hold indigenous knowledge which is information and wisdom that is locally held and unique to an African culture or community.

Mugree emphasised the need for African countries to accept global intellectual property rights and also understand copyright and laws. He observed that lack of copyright and laws has lead to the unfair appropriation of traditional knowledge and biological resources by Western corporations and scientists, with little sharing of any benefits that arise.

Sylvie Niombo, Project Officer AZUR Developpement, Congo Brazzaville observed that African talks on intellectual property must not sideline Indigenous Communities like the Pigmies present in Central and East Africa. She observed that there was lack of documentation of the traditional knowledge of the Pigmies and noted that most of this knowledge actually dies each day a Pigmie dies.

She wondered if there was any Civil Society organisation that had taken a new approach to intellectual property rights to reflect the needs, customs and views of indigenous communities in Central Africa by documenting their traditional knowledge.

Unless indigenous and local communities become central to the decision-making process, the policy response is unlikely to be relevant to their needs, and could do more to undermine their rights and knowledge systems than protect them, said Sylvie.

There was also an interest in role of Africans in the Diaspora on how they can become producers of knowledge.

Dr Alpha also observed that digitalisation was also a major issue bringing about other rights under privitisation of knowledge.

Moubarak Lo, Emergence Consulting Groups from Senegal said there was need to promote and support formal and traditional knowledge marketisation. He said Africa suffered the problem of innovation indentification as it was the exploitation for commercial purpose.

He explained that it was still possible to catch and adapt and use existing innovations without big investments in rural development for instance if Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) applications are to be used.

He observed that there was a tremendous indigenous knowledge available in the local communities that could be trasnformed into marketable goods and services.

Michael Thatcher, Regional Technology Officer Microsoft Middle-East and Africa presenting a paper on enabling environments focused on governments has urged Africans to think about indigenous knowledge and how it is taken away and how it was protected. He pointed out there are trade secrets in Africa in the area of knowledge and access in an effort to protect and also empower the local communities.

He added that there was something unique about each African country which made it different from the other and therefore that is what is supposed to be the strengths to help leverage and develop these strengths as we build capacity across all sectors.

He observed that in the information society there is need to consult balancing of the rights of intellectual property right owners and the need to develop an enabling environment necessary for protection against misappropriation of traditional knowledge belonging to an indigenous group or local community.

He said it was important that government must lead important IT developments as they were enablers of improved service delivery and effectiveness. Thatcher said Government use of IT can drive private sector adoption and capacity building.

He added that the effective use of IT drives in local market for IT skills and service provision was that government’s was the largest and most sophisticated user of IT in many countries in Africa.

Generalisation of IPR a threat to Africa

2007-06-07T18:13:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

Africa faces the threat of generalisation of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) which is a very important stake as the continent is a producer of knowledge which is also classified as public good.

Outlining the concept of global public goods and the notion of knowledge as a global public good, challenges and policy implications, Dr Abdoul Alpha Dia Docteure en economie et chef del’ Unite de formation Science et gestion de l’ University de Bambey explained at the GKP Africa regional preparatory meeting to GK lll on knowledge and access in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso yesterday.

Dr Alpha indicated that Africa should not exclude a third of its population which was using and producing knowledge as a public good and wondered what role the state and governments are playing and what role they would play in determining the public authority.

He said that governments should be involved in the restriction and privitisation of knowledge and also facilitate the assimilation of knowledge of the people. He advised that it was important to adopt rules and not reject copyright.

He added that while a priority problem would be in the health research it was important to disseminate knowledge publicly and find problems of opportunist behaviour. He noted that production of knowledge in Africa does not meet a matter of coherence.

Anthony Mugeree Programe Officer, CIPESA said positive protection of traditional knowledge was important to Africa when he talked about language, cultural perspectives and traditional knowledge. He observed that Africa had various interventions on application of Web.2 technologies such as bogging in local language but wondered what type of content was being generated and if this content was helping Africa’s knowledge societies.

He added that many Africans were still holding on to information which they were not ready to share and that this was not helping Africa to part of a Knowledge economy .
He pointed out those African communities’ shares in value of knowledge they hold as groups because there is no single creator or discoverer of the information. Communities hold indigenous knowledge which is information and wisdom that is locally held and unique to an African culture or community.

Mugree emphasised the need for African countries to accept global intellectual property rights and also understand copyright and laws. He observed that lack of copyright and laws has lead to the unfair appropriation of traditional knowledge and biological resources by Western corporations and scientists, with little sharing of any benefits that arise.

Sylvie Niombo, Project Officer AZUR Developpement, Congo Brazzaville observed that African talks on intellectual property must not sideline Indigenous Communities like the Pigmies present in Central and East Africa. She observed that there was lack of documentation of the traditional knowledge of the Pigmies and noted that most of this knowledge actually dies each day a Pigmie dies.

She wondered if there was any Civil Society organisation that had taken a new approach to intellectual property rights to reflect the needs, customs and views of indigenous communities in Central Africa by documenting their traditional knowledge.

Unless indigenous and local communities become central to the decision-making process, the policy response is unlikely to be relevant to their needs, and could do more to undermine their rights and knowledge systems than protect them, said Sylvie.

There was also an intereste in role of Africans in the Diaspora on how they can become producers of knowledge.

Dr Alpha also observed that digitalisation was also a major issue bringing about other rights under privitisation of knowledge.

Moubarak Lo, Emergence Consulting Groups from Senegal said there was need to promote and support formal and traditional knowledge marketisation. He said Africa suffered the problem of innovation indentification as it was the exploitation for commercial purpose.

He explained that it was still possible to catch and adapt and use existing innovations without big investments in rural development for instance if Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) applications are to be used.

He observed that there was a tremendous indigenous knowledge available in the local communities that could be trasnformed into marketable goods and services.

Michael Thatcher, Regional Technology Officer Microsoft Middle-East and Africa presenting a paper on enabling environments focused on governments has urged Africans to think about indigenous knowledge and how it is taken away and how it was protected. He pointed out there are trade secrets in Africa in the area of knowledge and access in an effort to protect and also empower the local communities.

He added that there was something unique about each African country which made it different from the other and therefore that is what is supposed to be the strengths to help leverage and develop these strengths as we build capacity across all sectors.

He observed that in the information society there is need to consult balancing of the rights of intellectual property right owners and the need to develop an enabling environment necessary for protection against misappropriation of traditional knowledge belonging to an indigenous group or local community.

He said it was important that government must lead important IT developments as they were enablers of improved service delivery and effectiveness. Thatcher said Government use of IT can drive private sector adoption and capacity building.

He added that the effective use of IT drives in local market for IT skills and service provision was that government’s was the largest and most sophisticated user of IT in many countries in Africa.

Africa! Promote educational for all

2007-06-07T18:12:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

Africa should promote educational for all and enhance creativity if it has to help community development prospectus in emerging markets.

Speaking at the Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) Africa preparatory meeting to GK III on Knowledge and Access in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso from 5-6 June, 2007, Moubarak Lo, from the Emergence Consulting Group from Senegal said the priority should be to secondary, technical, professional and non formal education.

“Education is important as a matter of priority,” said Lo.

He advised African countries to draw up a master plan adding that the issue of Universal Access to provide high speed internet connection was also a key factor of success.

He observed that there was need to promote and support formal and traditional knowledge marketisation. He said Africa suffered the problem of innovation identification which he said was the exploitation for commercial purpose.

He explained that it was still a possible to catch and adapt and use existing innovations without big investments in rural development for instance if Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) were used.

He pointed out that there was a tremendous indigenous knowledge available in the local communities that could be transformed into marketable goods and services.

For strategies to make the African local communities benefit from the emerging markets and jobs, Lo said this should include every segment of the population in the economy and also the need to coordinate ICT and knowledge promotion with reduction strategies.

“What is missing in Africa is a strategy as people don’t know where to invest and also there is lack of funding,” said Lo.

He outlined constraints as being low connectivity in the rural areas, high literacy, high internet costs and inexistence of not enough electricity or transport.

For factors of success in the knowledge economy success, Lo linked the intensity of usage of all or at least to one of the following factors which included research and development, investment in ICT and human capital with high qualifications.

Lo presented an African community development prospect in emerging markets challenges and opportunities as knowledge and innovation which were emerging factors of competitiveness and wealth knowledge economy.

He explained that the knowledge economy was always a competitive advantage which demanded human capital development, acceleration of scientific discoveries and inventions, globalisation and liberalisation of exchanges and production and use of ICT.

Lo cited the “Trade Point” in Senegal which is a website that brings e-commerce opportunities to small business or the community which is visible through the general web site. He explained that the web site gives continuous support to small entrepreneurs or community for 6 to 12 months.

Fragmentation of initiatives a challenge for Africa’s learning institutions

2007-06-07T18:10:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

Africa’s main challenge for its Learning Institutions is overcoming fragmentation of their initiatives; ego centric interests, lack of funding, resistance to changes and isolation.

Outlining challenges for Africa’s Learning and knowledge Institutions in a Global Market, Prof. Olivier Nana Nzepa observed that knowledge economy and globalisations was pushing towards regional perspective instead of national centric.

He said this at the Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) Africa regional preparatory meeting to Global Knowledge (GK) III on knowledge and access, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso that many of the information communication technologies (ICT) projects were uncoordinated, contradictory, fragmented, under financed and that most of Africa’s Learning projects were externally driven.

“Wealth creation imposes a close tie between Institutions, private sector and civil society,” said Prof.Nana.

He gave an example of Bill Gates whose application is mostly used in the world as the knowledge to use the application is what has made him rich. He also gave an example of the how other applications on the Internet such as the “google search engine” is also making money.

He emphasised the need for African learning institutions to have the chemistry between government and learning institutions if they were to prosper.

He said the role of African Learning institutions was that the economic and producing power of modern nations lies more in their intellectual and systems capabilities than in their hard assets.

“Intellectual and information processes create most of the value-added. In the case of the USA, by example, it provides 79 per cent of all jobs and 76 per cent of US GNP.”

This therefore expects to inspire the building of information user-driven and demand oriented societies and enable policies able to enable the use of technology in the knowledge society, such as skill base for managing complexes global, regional and ICT issues.

It would also help policy makers overcome resistances to changes and also forge regional perspective and international cooperation.

He shared Africa’s best practices as the Research ICT Africa (RIA) which is a network of 20 African Institutions that seeks to fulfil a strategic gap in the development of a sustainable information society and knowledge economy on the African continent.

He explained that RIA was doing this by building information communication technology (ICT) policy and regulatory research capacity in Africa needed to inform effective governance.
RIA was also generating the information and analysis needed to inform appropriate but visionary policy formulation and effective regulation of ICTs across Africa.

He added that RIA was leading sustained and rigorous research to provide decision-makers with the data and analysis to make informed decisions in the public interest.

He explained that Networks and organizations such as the Economic Commission for Africa, WBI, Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP), and Research ICT Africa could play a leading role in giving the direction and shaping the vision.

Concerns from participants on the subejct matter included the fact that most of African academic papers were gathering dust in Arican Universities each year student’s innovations are not exploited which was a challenge in academia.

2007-05-31T16:15:00.000+02:00

Projects for AAW Zambia members

2007-05-19T16:25:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

From the meeting it was agreed that Zambia should first profile it's members and also think of setting up a tele center for rural women who have little or no access to ICTs.

More will be added when other AAW members send their input.

Regards
Brenda Zulu

AAW Zambia meeting

2007-05-19T15:23:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

Today Africa APC women in Zambia met to discuss ideas around
1. Sharing the work that members do on women and ICTs
2. Sharing what they want to get from being an AAW member
3. Sharing what they can give to the AAW network and other members
4. Ideas for the AAW network for projects, activities etc
5. Documenting the meeting and sending to the AAW mailing list6. Taking photo's so we can upload to the website.

The meeting was attended by Brenda Nglazi Zulu and Beatrice Simwapenga Hamusonde who met at Manda Hill's Kilimajaro cafe.

FOSS tools for media great innovations

2007-05-04T11:31:00.000+02:00

Brenda Zulu

It was great to learn about new media tools such as Campcaster a complete system for managing radio broadcasts. it includes a number of features that improve teh quality of broadcasts, archieves and program exchange.

This session during the Ghana FOSSFA event provided a hadns on introduction to campcaster including experimental radio live broadcasts from the training room. It was amazing and i wish i can set an Internet Radio Station for Africa using this tool.

I was also pleased to learn about Audacity which is a free and open source software that allows one to convent numeric sounds between differnt sound formats like MP3, WAV etc

it was interesting at the end of this session to record sound on my laptop computer an dapply them to some effect, cut and paste and make all teh necesary modifications to the sound.

Challenges of of ICT utilisation in Africa

2007-03-15T18:49:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
Promoting ICT utilisation in all sectors of economy is a standard prescription now for economic growth and is not a panacea either.

When reviewing the draft technical publication commissioned by UNECA with the view to improving the publication but most importantly bringing in new perspectives on the “The Role of Development Information in the Economy,” the Ad Hoc Expert Group Meeting (AEGM) held in Lusaka on March 12-13, 2007 also looked at the challenges that Africa faces in promoting ICT utilisation.

It was seen that utilisation was supposed to be coupled with a package of e-readness that necessitates the formation of critical mass of ICTs applications in the economy. There was also need to create an enabling environment for ICTs in order to extend and reach the majority of African countries. At national level the promotion and facilitation of the adoption of ICTs by the local business community should be encouraged.

Challenges noticed by the AEGM included those faced by the African private sector, especially SMSs which include the use of ICTs for business development, aspects such as awareness, skills-building, access to finance for investment in ICTs and obstacles associated with the utilisation of online payments facilities.

These challenges also include the limited avaialability of infrastructure especially telecommunication networks and services, which required development and expanssion. An OECD study reitrated that the rollout and use of quality and affordable services should be available and affordable to individuals and business as a prerequist to their entry into the information society. The infrastructural development includes not only physical but also legal, technical and commercial aspects so as to create a sustainable and reliable environment to create and disseminate infromation. The high costs of teclecommunciations services could also be reduced by the development of an Africa satellite.

Financing the development of the infrastructure and ICT initiavities needs extensive efforts not only to extend and develop the existing infrastructure but also to maintain and upgrade the same considering the dynamism in the sector. The basic infrastructure development and maintenance is typically a capital expensive exercise. Cooperation and partnership with international organisations and private sector investors was necessary especially in the development phases. It was of paramount importance that governements played proactive roles in creating a conducive environment for various financing mechanism.

Enabling ICT policy frameworks were a must in shaping economic growth, productivity, employment and business performance as well as ensuring that benefits were widely shared. This called for the adoption of strategies for developing dynamic and coordinated national ICT policies, standards and guildlines and crafting investment incentives. The strategies could also target universal access policies and models at the national level, institutional collaboration and harmonisations at sub regional level.

Legal and regulatory frameworks need to be conducive to sustainable ‘multi-stakeholders’ partnership promote competition. Local and foreign direct investment in ICT, are required as a result of the recocognition that now one sector on its won could overcome the challenges of harnessing information for socio-economic development. The framework should also address the management of interlectual property rights.

It was clear that promoting regional intergration would create a market and help attarct investments. Improving information flow and communication on statistical activities in Africa by increasing the use of ICTs and publishing Regional Statistical Newsletter, among other technical publications, would be a starting point. Harmonisation would assist in bridging varying legislative, legal policy frameworks to provide for cross jurisdictional acceptance of authention service and for legal effect of electronic signatures in the case of e-commerce and environmental concerns.

Human capital was another key policy area in the infroamtion economy as new types of workforces were required for innovation and growth. It has beoame necessary therefore to monitor the supply, demand and development of ICT skills and human resources. This is of paramount importance especially bearing in mind that unlike the cureent technological revolution in India, our societital organisational ability to adapt to new technologies could not keep up with the pace at which the technology was introduced. Similary, It would be necessary to develop targeted curicular and tarining gered towards Africa needs and capacities.

It is also a challenge to asses the precise economic impacts and identify startegies to build individual and intitutional capacity to meet new and emerging challenges of the information economy. The analyis and assesment should take into account gender perspectives and how information impacts on gender specif issues.

There is need for Africa to encourage local content creation through strentherning digital and virtual libraries with a view to responding to data needs emerging from new development farmeworks and initiatives such as the New Partnerships for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the Poverty Reduction Startegy Papers (PRSPs) and the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs). For instance, the Business Process Outsourcing could be harnessed given the terends of increased outsourcing.

The private sector has played a big role in terms of industrialisation, trade and even as an infrastructure investor. It could be facilitated through the establishment of technoparks and incubators. The private sector also appreciates the political stablibility and commitment to agreed engagements as a strong ICT industry sector is a driving force for the information economy.

Important in the information society are ICT security, privacy and confidentiality related issues. These requirements should be included in policies when the enabling environment is created while at the same time create public confindenece and trust for e-society, information tarnsperacy and process openness should be balanced with the needs for information security and privacy.

Libraries should not charge for Internet Access?

2007-03-15T18:47:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

“A library will not charge for internet access if the library core duty is to serve and provide access to information and knowledge for economic development,” said Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)Abraham Azubuike Chief Librarian If it does charge then it will be minimal amount that could be used to service computers.

Speaking during the Ad hoc expert group meeting on the role of Development Information in the economy Abraham Azubuike from UNECA secretariat presented Issues and Policy Dimensions Related to knowledge which libraries and information services was a sine qua non for sustainable economic.

It was clear from his presentation that no libraries meant failed education from poor learning, more ignorance, no innovation, no capacity and no development. He explained that adequately resourced libraries: catalysts add value and save cost up to 8.5 folds and that it harnesses information and knowledge for empowerment, productivity and discovery. He added that Libraries were Intellectual capital invested for long-term gains for all, bridging digital and knowledge divides along with economic divide.

He observed that effective libraries are very critical in ensuring the achievement of regional and global development strategies such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), but the quality of library service available to the average African is grossly inadequate, ranging from barely adequate in to woefully deficient.

“Our libraries are in shambles and in Africa we must catch up because the idea of leap frogging can’t happen,” he said.

He added that the recommendations of WSIS provide a clear blueprint for future steps to be taken to revamp the library sector to enable it provide effective access to information and knowledge for development.

Responding to a question on the importance of local language documentation of libraries, Azubuike said it was very relevant to Africa because it would increase access to information.

He added that it was also very important to promote entrepreneurship in ICT technology in software development. He observed that there was lack of creativity among Information Technology (IT) experts in that African users are just using what is made available to them and that there was need for Technology developers to think out of the box.

Thabsile Mlangeni from MOF said it was important to convert information to knowledge and that there was need to instil a culture of reading in people. She observed that Africans do not read and that the bottom line was education.

Jennifer Kargbo, Director ECA Sub-Regional Office for Southern Africa in an attempt to answer a question on patented information and if there was a limit as to it being a public good said that in a sense of information being a public good, some you pay for it and other is free as long as one acknowledges the source.

Azubuike observed that secrecy was the worst destroyer of knowledge and said that were there is a rule to publisher what you know it is either the second person will acknowledge you or pay you if it has a commercial value. On intellectual property and open source technology he observed that there was need to ensure efficient knowledge based development through maintenance of optimum balance between private appropriation of innovation and assurance that fundamental knowledge was made available freely for further innovation and discovery.

Southern African Research and Documentation Center (SARDC) Head of Programme, Barbara Lopi observed that many Africans do not access Libraries because of their poor state and poor service to their communities.

Southern African Regional Poverty Network (SARPN) Economic Dimensions Programme Manager Jack Jones Zulu added that Africa still have to solve the problem of food security at household level if the children have to develop the culture of reading.

University of Swaziland, Senior Librarian Marion Chibambo said the Libraries should implement programmes that will instil the reading culture target programmes right from primary school. She observed that right now people were only reading to pass exams.

Azubuike observed that Africa had double negatives in that it does not have enough resources and that the few that are there are not used. Is Africa on the wrong gear or reverse gear? asked Azubuike.

He explained that information revolution was creating the benefits of externalities that are borderless in their effect. He wondered weather Africa could achieve the MDGs without changing its attitude. Looking at the educational goal on the MDGs, he said “Schools without Libraries were worse than no schools.”

He advised governments to take up action on the rrights-based access to information, knowledge and ICT as public goods through the provision of community access points.
This includes creation of digital public library and archive services, as well as digitization, and long-term preservation of intellectual and cultural goods.

ICT increase to improve statistical dissemination

2007-03-15T18:46:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

There should be better information flow and communication on statistical activities in Africa by increasing the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and publishing regional statistical newsletters and other technical publications so as to avoid duplication of efforts.

Presenting a paper on the Role of statistical information in the economy at the Ad hoc expert group meeting held in Lusaka from 12 to 13 March 2007, Bakary Dosso of the African Center for Statistics (ACS) based at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in Addis Ababa, said one key reason for a lack of progress in statistical development was that past efforts had been undertaken in an uncoordinated and unsustainable way.

“African countries should be encouraged to participate in the work of the United Nations Statistical Commission coordination meetings on statistical development in Africa at all levels and in the work of various task forces and workshops on statistical development,” said Dosso.

Responding to a question on who should be trusted to be giving real statistics as there are many efforts institutions and agencies involved in statistical development work in Africa, Dossa said it was crucial that their efforts were coordinated in order to achieve synergy and avoid working as cross purposes.

He observed that there was lack of coordination and a collaborative framework as stakeholders do not coordinate, network and share enough information at national, sub regional and regional levels as those delivering National Statistical System (NSS) should promote coordination and synergy among institutions involved in statistical activities.

He explained that a component aimed at promoting coordination of statistical development and a number of activities to generate the most impact would include among others partnership building for implementation of Reference Regional Strategic Framework for Statistical capacity building in Africa (RRSF) and National Strategies for Development of Statistics (NSDS).

He admitted that there were many issues and challenges to develop capacity for good official statistics in Africa and that tackling them would be according to priorities. He explained that there was a weak political commitment to statistical production especially at national level with the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) often relegated low status in government hierarchies.

He added that weak institutional capacities including limited human and other resources to produce statistics, limited responses to the increase in demand for statistics needed to inform national and international development agenda and the inability to comply with current conceptual frameworks such as the 1993 System of National Accounts (1993 SNA) were all Africa’s challenges.

He said that demand for statistics in Africa had seen unprecedented increase as Policy makers and others sought to be informed on national and international development progress in the current and previous decades.

He said good official statistics were characterised by their quality, accessibility and efficiency as well as weather they were up to date. “How well they met the needs of the users was the main criterion to judge weather they were good or not,” said Dossa.

Initiatives such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Poverty reduction strategy (PRSs) and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) increased massively the demand for statistics. Statistics were used to design national development strategies and monitoring progress towards the MDGs and so wider variety of social statistics were needed.

ICT enabled services increase new opportunities for business in Africa

2007-03-15T18:44:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

Information communication technologies (ICTs) have increased during the past few years and the supply in that is already creating many new opportunities led by the spill over effects of ICT.

A United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) draft technical report on the “Role of Development information in African Economies” reviewed in Lusaka on March 12- 13, 2007, shows that ICT enabled services include faster production, diffusion and sharing of knowledge, faster pace of innovation, and changes in business models and increased investments in human capital.

It explains that the powerful presence the internet is providing the impetus for online transactions and current revolutionary transformations in business processes are embodied in the advert of e-commerce presenting a new model for trade and business. Economic transaction of business has redefined the concepts of market seller and buyers, as they all converge in the electronic space namely, the internet.

These developments present African countries with unprecedented opportunities for increasing economic development in the creation of new industries, rural development and tourism promotion.

Over the past five years, the dynamic growth of the internet, e-commerce and e-business has continued, with the total worldwide e-business market reaching $1.7 trillion in 2004. The process of economy wide innovations, driven by supply chain transactions, accordingly, has widened and intensified in every major economy.

The vibrant in Africa has led to conducting of business phones, paving the way for commerce which is mobile commerce or mobile electronic means of selling goods and electronic mobile a future in Africa. The nature of African mobile markets has led to innovative ways using the mobile for m-commerce. M-commerce which is the buying services through devices and has cash-centric societies based on a mixture of formal and non formal economies has provided the upsurge of m-commerce on the continent. Approximately 0.03% of Africans own bank accounts compared to 6% of Africans who have access to mobile telephony.

Even though the number of phones per 100 people in poor countries is much lower than in the developed world, they can have a dramatic impact: reducing transaction costs, broadening trade networks and reducing the need to travel, which is of particular value for people looking at work. In Africa mobile technology is the greatest with the greatest impact on development and can reduce transaction costs, broaden trade networks and substitute for costly physical transport. In addition, subscriber growth in several sub Saharan African countries exceeded 150% last year and there are now eight mobile phone for every 100 people in Africa, up from three in 2003.

In this increasingly global ICT driven market place, low-end data processing jobs were being gradually migrated to low wage countries, Based on current estimates, the offshore outsourcing market would likely balloon to about $35 billion by 2008.

Business process outsourcing was becoming a key generator of employment in countries such as Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia. However, in this sector, which relies heavily on the outsourcing of activities from North to the South, wages were relatively low and more importantly, there was a high degree of dependence on the market of intermediate agents. As a result, there is a real risk of such activities disappearing overnight as a consequence of their market of their transfer to other countries that offered better comparative advantages or an appropriate legal and regulatory environment.

Elsewhere in Africa, Ghana, Uganda, Senegal and South Africa are becoming increasingly popular destinations and inward investments are getting bigger and bolder. Affiliated Computer Services, a Dallas Headquartered outsourcing company, for example, is building a new data input center in Accra, Ghana that will employ 2000 workers.

ICTs have also served the community by providing the poorest population segments with improved access to information. In the transport sector which is the world’s largest and most pervasive industries, the travel and tourism sector was as exposed as any other to forces of change and attendant benefits that were being brought about by ongoing developments in the ICT arena.

The internet has been used to provide multimedia information about destinations to prospective traveller. It also affected auxiliary industries such as the transport sector which play a bigger role in tourism. The International Air transport Association (IATA), an industry body coordinating aviation rules and standards, had commenced introducing e-tickets whose issuance costs $1 and compared to $10 for a paper ticket. This was the industry could serve over $2.7 billion a year.

One of the key challenges facing many African countries was how they could introduce ICTs to enhance government efficiency. E-government included electronic interaction of three types: government to government (G2G); government to business (G2B) and its reverse and also government to consumer or citizen (G2C) and its reverse. Many rural people in Africa still travel long distance to look for services such as application for licences, birth and death certificates, obtaining public records or requesting for information on land, health and agriculture prices e.t.c

The availability of accessible e-Government services could reduce this greater access to government information, promoting civic engagement by enabling the public to interact with Government officials ensuring government accountability by making it’s operations more transparent and thus reducing the opportunities for corruption and delivering services online, saving time and reducing costs thus benefiting rural and traditionally underserved communities.

An example of e-government would be the Cameroon Single Processing Window for external trade which was launched in August 2000 as a project aimed at primarily reducing the processing time and improving service quality at Douala port. This two phased project cost about US1.5million. The first phase consisted of establishing a physical one stop office for all customs related services at Douala port. The various actors of foreign trade were such as the Douala port, banks, customs and national treasury that were dispersed in the city were successfully housed in one office.

The challenge of the second phase was to computerise the activities of the one stop office. In particular, the government wanted to ensure that the computer links between the tax and the customs information systems were operational, so as to facilitate the exchange of data between the two information systems were operations, so as to facilitate the exchange of data between the two information systems.

After the three year operation, The Cameroon’s single processing window for external trade had yielded some positive results. Although there had been no particular increase in trade so far at Douala port, the system had significantly curtailed time costs. Post authorities reported that overall import and export operations typically took 15 days prior to computerisation. By 2001, this had been reduced to three days and to two days by 2002. Processing time reductions were experienced in the areas of customs service reports, revenue collections and banking.

Commitment to promoting access and use is ICTs is a key ingredient to successful development. The United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development report of 1997 concluded that developing countries needed to intervene strategically if they were to successfully integrate ICTs and sustainable development. This intervention should be in forma of effective national ICT policies, which should support the introduction of the new regulatory framework, promote the organisational change in line with development goals. ICT strategies need and policies linked to development objectives needed to redefine sectoral policies, institutions and regulations, taking into account the need to be responsive to the issues of convergence.

ICTs allow faster distribution and sharing of knowledge

2007-03-15T18:42:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu

The fact that Africa lags behind the Digital Divide makes clear the need to focus on development information as a first priority as new technologies allow for a faster distribution and sharing of knowledge.

Director Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Sub regional Office for Southern Africa, Jennifer Kargbo said that Development Information was an important driver of modern economy when she opened a session of the Ad-hoc Expert Group Meeting on the “Role of Development Information in the Economy” in Lusaka, Zambia on 12th March 2007.

She said Development Information was an important driver of modern economy and that it was strategic for development and planning, policy making and underpins innovation and creativity across the whole spectrum of the economy by acting as the main driver of production growth in modern economy.

She explained that Development Information also helps in understanding challenges such as population growth, unemployment as well the threats and opportunities presented by liberalisation and globalisation. She added that the emerging knowledge economy was information based and heavily dependent on labour force with ICT skills.

She outlined the challenges posed by an inefficient information system in Africa which included the challenge of politics involving control over information. While all governments see it in their interest to provide services, information, information on the quantity and quality of such services like number of schools, and hospitals, state of road networks, which might expose governments effectiveness are usually not sufficiently given adequate attention.

Kargbo also observed awareness as a challenge in harnessing development information for economic growth requires awareness raising and constituency building across all actors’ producers, facilitators, clearing houses and users alike.

She added the challenge of access to the application of information technology becomes very important.

Also the challenge of relevant Development Information and meaningful use the challenge was to produce relevant information. She observed that the supply of information sectors, agriculture with a resource allocated for the address the downstream socio economic effects of these on the economy.

Kargbo also added the challenge posed by technological limitations and weak human and institutional capacities. The state of many of Africa’s library was among the users of information for enabling and empowering.

The other challenge was that of coordination among the various Development Information actors involved in producing facilitating information sharing and exchange as well as among the users of information for enabling and empowering.

The objective of the meeting was to review the draft Technical Publication commissioned by UNECA with a view to improving the publication but most importantly bringing in new perspectives on the Role of Development Information in the Economy.

Geo information perspective on the role of development information in economy

2007-03-15T18:39:00.000+02:00

By Brenda Zulu
The promotion of information communication technologies (ICTs) should not be a substitute for the efforts to ensure the development and modernisation of basic sectors of the economy, but should compliment and enhance these efforts.

The potential of ICTs to foster sustainable development, empower people, including women and youth, build their capacities and skills, assist small and medium sized enterprises reduce poverty, reinforce popular participation and enhance informed decision making at all levels was enormous.

Presenting a Geoinformation perspective to the Role of Development Information in African Economies, Andre Nonguierma a Geographic Information Systems Officer from the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) said in Lusaka on March 12, 2007 to the Ad hoc expect meeting that this required concerted efforts at national, regional and international levels to create conducive environment for the development, deployment and exploitation of ICTs within the economy and society.

“In this content special attention should be paid to those countries that lack the capacity to effectively participate in the Information Society.”

Nonguirma said Geoinformation was becoming known worldwide as an Information Development tool in the economy of which it is now a critical factor of production, distribution and consumption of goods and services, as well as the management of natural resources, labour, capital and entrepreneurship.

He explained that Geoinfromation was an advanced technology which had recently gained visibility particularly in developing countries and that in the information systems for Africa, it goes beyond the cover of priority areas such as environment monitoring, water resource management and optimal site planning of human development, in particular industrialisation.

He added that satellite remote sensing has become a common tool of investigation, prediction and forecast of environmental change and scenarios through the development of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) based models and decision support instruments that have further enhanced and considerably supported decision making as part of information development. He explained that with the advert of new high spatial and spectral resolution satellite and aircraft imaginary, new applications for processing mapping and accurate monitoring of statistical of a considerable amount data analysis have become feasible.

He said the integration of multi-source geo-referenced spatial data within a real spatial database, allows a synergistic processing of a considerable amount of information, the standardisation of data and elaboration of digital maps that are the basis of decision making.

He explained that the geo information in economy development have influenced decision support systems strongly in evaluating alternatives to enhance decisions and to achieve specific objectives. He added that Geo information technologies enable the collection and processing of land related data efficiently, rapidly and cost effectively using global positioning systems, computer mapping, remote sensing and GIS making it possible to relate economic and development decisions to specific locations or markets.

He observed that today there is an increase awareness of African governments and other sectors of society on importance of Geoinformation in socio-economic development as a tool to facilitate spatial data collection, access and use in the decision making process, both nationally and regularly, through a participatory approach. Emphasis is therefore placed on the whole structure for the acquisition, management and use of spatial data and not only on the technology.

He pointed out that the main geoinformation technology components consist of hard and sort wares. Global Positioning System (GPS), Total station, photogrammetric workstations, satellite imagery, and software packages that are capable of integrating spatial and non spatial data to yield the spatial information that is used in decision making. They are computer based equipment, procedures and techniques for manipulating spatial or map data.

He explained that the role of government was to provide basic infrastructure for achieving up to date Geoinformation on the nations land area, including these surface and bottom and the relative positions, nature and status of all her natural and marine resources. He advised governments to set up a national mapping agency, create national topographical databases and fund surveying and mapping in accordance with the United Nations’ of which they are signatories, that each member nation should set aside 2% of its annual budget for surveying and mapping.

He pointed out that e-Government introduces applications to support various dimensions and ramifications of government and has the delivery of public services, where there is an online, Internet-based, or electronic aspect to the delivery of the services.

Challenges include a major imperative in each African country to deliver relevant information that could promote and sustain economic growth and wide dissemination of data to collection to help facilitate better government as comminities have access to location and getting involved in decisions affecting them.

Geo information perspective on the role of development information in economy

2007-03-15T18:29:00.000+02:00