Internet

This issue of The Soul Beat shares experiences, publications and opportunities from our network about how the internet is and can be used for development and social change. Share your own experience with using the internet and other ICTS by e-mailing Anja Venth aventh@comminit.com

EXPERIENCES

1. Women's Internet café - Zimbabwe

The café provides women and girls opportunities to use information technology for lobbying, communication, advocacy, networking and strategising on gender and development issues. Women are helped to: find tools and resources on the Internet on specific issues; set up their own email accounts; network with women’s organisations all over the world; learn e-mail and Internet research skills.

Contact ZWRCN Women’s Internet café zwrcn@zwrcn.org.zw

2. Suitcase Radio for "Radio Browsing" Programmes - Mali

Four radio stations in Timbuktu, Mali, received a suitcase radio from UNESCO to encourage the production of programmes using information resources found on the Internet. The suitcase radio is comprised of a complete broadcasting unit and can also be used as a production studio. Presenters browse the Internet, discussing information found online on air, sometimes with a local expert.

Contact Stella Hughes s.hughes@unesco.org

3. Regional Information Society Network for Africa (RINAF) - Africa

UNESCO's Regional Information Society Network for Africa (RINAF) works to bring training in information and communication technologies (ICTs) to rural, isolated, and other disadvantaged communities in Africa. Among other activities, RINAF developed a Virtual Multimedia Academy, held a website design competition and conducted a distance education project to promote ICT-supported distance education.

4. Electronic Distance Learning Project - Rwanda

An ICT network is being established at the Kigali Institute of Education (KIE) and activities are aimed at improving connectivity through KIE Regional Distance Learning Centers. The project also aims to increase technical capacities of KIE academics and to enable administrative staff to improve skills to facilitate better administrative and financial management.

Contact William Wright wwright@edc.org Semra Seifu semra@world-links.org

5. The Telemedicine TeleInViVo Initiative - Uganda

Transportable telemedicine workstations (PC computers with telecommunication capabilities) are connected to light, portable ultrasound stations. The integrated workstation uses the Internet, ISDN, a phone line, and GSM, allowing one physician to collect three-dimensional ultrasound data of a patient and to send this data to another physician who specialises in the particular disease. This is intended to foster communication between the specialists and physicians who work in isolated areas such as islands, rural areas, and crisis situation areas in Uganda. Data transmission can occur online while both doctors are connected, or offline, overnight, through narrowband channels.

Contact Prof. Dr. Georgios Sakas gsakas@igd.fhg.de

6. Kasulu Internet Project (KIP) - Tanzania

This rural development project integrates information and communications technology with advances in appropriate and sustainable power sources. KIP is providing education, health and economic development resources for refugees who have been forcibly displaced as well as for the rural poor in their Tanzanian host community. KIP has established three Community Internet Centers (CICs) - in a secondary school at the Mtabila Refugee Camp, the Kasulu Folk Development College, and the Kasulu Teacher Training College.
Contact info@global-catalyst.org

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Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) of South Africa Database

The MDDA is seeking information for "mentors" who can assist in capacity building of emerging and existing media organisations. The following skills amongst others are needed: Organisational Development; Business Plan Development; Media Skills (radio and print - editing, writing, production, lay-out and design etc); Media Management; Gender awareness; IT training; Participatory research/audience research.

The MDDA is particularly interested in getting details of organisations/individuals who have a background in media and/or in development. Please send a CV and/or organisational profile, detailing your expertise, previous similar experience, average consultancy rates and references to: Farhana Goga, P.O Box 42846 Fordsburg 2033; Fax: 011-492 1198 or email info@mdda.org.za

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STRATEGIC THINKING

7. The Internet in Developing Nations: Grand Challenges

By Larry Press

"This is a call for a "Grand Challenge" project for achieving truly global connectivity. For over a decade, we have hypothesised that the Internet could raise the quality of life in developing nations. We have conducted hundreds of studies of the state of the Internet and "e-readiness," done extensive training of technicians and policy makers, run pilot studies, and held local, regional and global conferences and workshops. After all of this activity, Internet connectivity is nearly non-existent in rural areas of developing nations, and far below that of developed nations in the urban areas of developing nations.

8. E-mail networking in a resource-poor setting: The Nigerian experience

Access to timely, accurate information and sharing of knowledge is vital to the success of any HIV/AIDS intervention. In communities where distance, poor transportation and communication facilities and lack of access to medical journals etc, are common, e-mail presents an effective medium to reach out to HIV/ADS workers at low cost. In December 1998, Journalists Against AIDS, a Nigerian media-based network, began publication of the Nigeria AIDS Bulletin on e-mail. Email networking has proven to be a cheap, effective and reliable strategy for building support and solidarity among AIDS workers and for keeping fieldworkers in remote areas in touch with latest developments.

9. Declaration by the Youth of Ghana at the National Youth Information Society Campaign

"The National Youth Information Campaign in Ghana tagged “New Academic Year ICT School", organised by African Youth Initiative under the auspices of World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) youth caucus in partnership with Ministry of Communication and Technology, took place on October 24-25th. Activities undertaken included the launch of the African Youth Initiative web site for young people, presentation of awards to National Youth ICT Essay Competition winners, and presentation and discussion on the National ICT Policy." Youth drafted this declaration.

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Balancing Act now available in French!

Balancing Act Dernierè produit maintenant une edition mensuelle en langue française de son courriel hebdomodaire sur les telecoms, internet et development informatique en Afrique. Pour s'abonner envoyez un courriel 'Je desire m'abonner' a info@balancingact-africa.com

Pour avoir une idée du genre d¹article qu'on y trouve allez sur: please click here

Pour faire parvenir vos informations aux usagers francophones, veuillez envoyer à: info@balancingact-africa.com

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EVENTS

10. Computer-Aided Journalism Course - July 19-23 2004 - Johannesburg, South Africa

This practical training course is designed for those junior journalists with little or no experience of computer-aided reporting and research (CARR). The course will explore elementary skills for managing information on computers that use the Microsoft Windows operating system. Participants will be taught how to use spreadsheet and database programmes to improve their analysis of information and management of statistics. In addition, they will learn to use Internet search engines, information resources, email, listserves, bulletin boards, and a series of other tools essential for modern journalism.

11. Catalyzing ICT Development Through Active Media Participation Jun 1-2 2004 - Accra, Ghana

AITEC Ghana, the ministry of communications and technology and representatives in West African ICT industry will host the 8th West Africa ICT conference and exhibition to facilitate a knowledge and information sharing platform on the future of ICT in West Africa and its developmental impact. Key conference sessions: ICT Strategic solutions and implementation; interconnectivity - Challenges and Solutions; training and coaching end users.

12. Highway Africa Conference 2004 - Sep 16-18 2004 - Grahamstown, South Africa

The eighth Highway Africa Conference, Media making the Information Society, in September 2004 will have a strong alignment to the unfolding processes of the World Summit on the Information Summit (WSIS). The overarching theme of the Highway Africa Conference 2004 is technology. The conference will seek to address the interface of technology with society, development, policy, access, content and the media. The conference concentrates on new media issues relevant for journalists, encompassing the policy, economics, development and technology questions around Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).

MATERIALS

13. AfricaDotEdu: IT Opportunities & Higher Education in Africa

Edited by Maria A. Beebe, Koffi Magloire, Banji Oyeyinka, and Madanmohan Rao

This book chronicles and analyses the growth of the internet in Africa and highlights the role of the education sector. The compilation of scholarly essays provides comprehensive statistics, analysis and roadmaps for the future of the internet in African education. Topics covered in the 24 chapters range from digital libraries and country case studies to national IT policies and e-learning.

14. Afro@Digital (Film)

Directed by Balufu Bakupa-Kanyinda

Afro@Digital is an African Documentary on the Digital Revolution in Africa. The documentary looks at the promise these new technologies hold for Africa. Mactar Syllar, director of radio and television in Senegal, points out that transportation between African countries is difficult; teleconferences and the internet can make Pan-African communications much simpler for businesses, governments and individuals . Viwers witness a teleconference between students in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Congo and Senegal. The internet may also have a use in tying together students in distance learning courses.

15. African Youth on the Information Highway: Participation & Leadership in Community Development

By Osita Ogbu and Paschal Mihyo

This book describes an initiative, the Youth Leadership Programme for Information and Communication Technologies and Community Development in Africa (ALPID), to promote the involvement of youth in Africa's new information economy. It reviews existing infrastructure, the policy environment and its impact, and the feasibility of increased ICT applications in rural communities. It will appeal to decision-makers and ICT producers and users, as well as to development professionals, academics, students, policymakers, and practitioners in international development and information technology.

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The Soul Beat seeks to cover the full range of communication for development activities. Inclusion of an item does not imply endorsement or support by The Partners.

Please send material for The Soul Beat to the Editor - Anja Venth aventh@comminit.com