[UgaBYTES] E-INDIA THE GREAT CONFERENCE FOR ICT DEVELOPMENT

[ahmed digital]

India is home to one of the largest numbers of ICT4D projects in the world.
Most of them are 'Telecentre' initiatives in rural contexts, based on public
access to technology approach. Telecentre.org is a global community of
people and organizations committed to increasing the social and economic
impact of grassroots Telecentres. The founding investors include the
Canadian' International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Microsoft, the
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SWC) and ugabytes.org.  Between
the 29th and 31st of July 2008 the Indian largest and inclusive ICT event
was held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. Around 4000 participants from around
50 countries representing all continents including 400 speakers   attended
the conference, (eINDIA2008 the fourth annual ICT4D forum). The conference
was organized by Centre for Science, Development and Media Studies (CSDMS).
It is the premier Information and Communication Technology for Development
(ICT4D) event.  The conference objectives are to provide a collaborative
forum to participants to share Development, knowledge and ideas The Indian
Telecentre forum 2008 (ITF 2008), fifth in the series of Telecentre Forums
organized by CSDMS, provided a platform for all key stakeholders
representing the government, the private sector, the civil society, and
funding agencies to join and discuss the achievements, challenges and the
progress in the Telecentre movement. The best thing about this conference
you are attending 7 conferences in one (at the same time)    and we shared
knowledge and experiences with a large group of global ICT practitioners.

 The themes for the Telecentre forum are
• A Close Examination of Telecentre Movement in India
• Demystifying Social Enterprise Model
• Discussions on Achieving Balance between Financial and Social Objectives
• Asian Telecentre Leaders Knowledge Sharing Session
• The Need of New Technologies and Innovations in the Areas of Content and
Connectivity
• Upgrading the Skills of the Grassroots Managers
• Examining the Role of NGOs in Common Services Centers Program.
• Mobile Phones Take Over Telecentres?

on the 31th july  Gedaref digital city organization (GDCO), the Sudanese
organization, has been chosen as the winner of the *Best innovations at the
grassroots Telecentre, in Telecentre* category – e-India 2008 Awards. Mr.
Ahmed Eisa, GDCO chairman, has received the award that has been given to
GDCO as an appreciation to its role played in supporting the global
Telecentre movement. Also because GDCO has recently succeeded in launching
the first Telecentre academy in Africa and Arab World, and the No. 13 in the
globe. Sudan National Telecentre Academy (SuNTA), was born in the 5th EATLF
held in Khartoum last June, in which 17 countries had been represented.

GDCO is going to participate in the  meeting of the International Telecentre
Academies, in Spain, with 2 members representing GDCO and Sudanese
Telecommunications Co. (Sudatel), which is the main supporter of
SuNTA.     Prof.
F. N. Rajasekharan, the Vice Chancellor of Indira  Ghandi national open
University   launched the SuNTA website during in last session of the
Telecentre leaders forum. And, one of the big achievements that accompanied
eINDIA is the announcement of the establishment of the Sudan Telecentre
Network. The announcement is attended by the network partners
Excellency  Bashir
Sahal, Minister of Education in Gedaref State, Sudan; Engineer Ayman Taha,
(Sudanese Society for Information Technology); Dr. Nazar El-Bashir
(International Org. for Telecommunications); Dr. Akram Mohd. Ahmed (Sudanese
Organization for Information Technology); Eng. Mohamed Hassan Babikir (Sudan
Academy for Science) and Eng. Mohamed Omer Elfarouq (HotNet Internet
Services provider and NGOs.).

TC-MENA and east africa telecentre leaders  are fully represented and they
win 3 awards (karim gasim, nabil eid, dalia and ahmed eisa) . GDCO has
participated in the main activities of eINDIA by presenting three papers in
the Telecentre forum:

1. role of Telecentres community Development.

2. Sudan  Telecentres Network.

3. Sudan National Telecentre Academy.

GDCO chairman gave a hat-off to all those who supported GDCO all through the
long path towards the success accomplished.  The award was not GDCO award it
is an award for GDCO partners it the great people of Eindhoven represented
by DSE, Gedaref state community, Gedaref state public water organization for
development, Gedaref government (ministry of education ), Sudan government
represented by NTC, NIC and information supporting fund. Also Sudanese
telecommunication company (Sudatel the supporter of the academy), Gedaref
university, Sudan academy of science, agricultural bank, , Sudanese society
of information technology, Mahgoub awlad (SONS) company, IDRC,
TELECENTRE.ORG, UGABYTES and its partners, our new partner from India
DRITSHE who are doing a great job to Telecentre movement in India,

*IT IS REALLY WONDERFULL AND GREAT CONNFERENCESSSSSSS7 AND I THINK ANY ONE
INTERESTED ICT DEVELOPMENT SHOULD ATTEND IT AND THOSE WHO WORKING ON
TELECENTRE MOVEMENT THERE IS NO WAY ???/ YOU SHOULD ATTEND SEE YOU NEXT YEAR
INSHALLA (IF GOOD WISHES)*

* *


-- 
ahmed mahmoud mohamed eisa
www.gedarefcity.org
Gedaref digital city organization (GDCO) is NGOs established early 2005. It
is a big telecentre in Sudan. It is a non political organization but it has
a partnership with the government, other national & international
organizations, donors and supporters based on the benefit of the community.
It is the first digital city in Sudan . It is the winner of information for
development award (i4d 2007 awards) in e-India august 2007 at new Delhi. It
has strong partnership with the great people of Eindhoven through the
digital city of Eindhoven (DSE).