[UgaBYTES] Discussion summary: Aren't Internet Cafes a threat to telecentres?

[Sandra Nassali]

This was the most popular discussion for the month of March as it got
44 replies on telecentre.org and 24 replies on UgaBYTES mailing list
within a period of 3 weeks. Most participators argued that Internet
cafes aren't in anyway going to threaten the existence of telecentres
because of the social responsibility role that they play in their
communities by promoting the use of ICT4D.

It was noted, in most contributions that with the issue of
connectivity, telecentres provide an opportunity for accessing and
using appropriate digital technologies to solve problems and to
promote human development for instance by supporting the community's
economic, educational, healthy and social development so as to bridge
the digital divide.

Their main focus is not installing equipment and connections, but
rather organizing a community so that it can resolve its specific
problems, which may vary from one setting to the next.

However, other profit motivated ICT access points like internet cafes
frequently offer basic training on how to use e-mail, how to surf the
web or how to chat so that their customers keep coming back unlike in
community telecentres, where training goes much further and involves
helping users to understand how digital technologies can contribute to
problem solving and to human development.

The same response was got on the UgaBYTES mailing list where the
discussion was also on going.

On my polldaddy application, 89% of the voters were for telecentres
and only 11% were for internet cafes.

Some participates like Sarah Nalwoga Mpagi and me agreed with the
notion that in a way, internet cafes are indeed a threat to
telecentres.

The forum was vibrant, very interesting and engaging. Many thanks to
all who took part both on telecentre.org and UgaBYTES mailing list.

For more information on this, visit URL:
telecentrecommunity.ning.com/forum/topics/are-nt-internet-cafes-bec...

-- 
Sandra Nassali
Community Facilitator
UgaBYTES Initiative (www.ugabytes.org)
Telecentre.org  (www.telecentrecommunity.ning.com)
Plot 2218 Ggaba Road,
2nd Floor Kangave House
P.O. Box 6081 K'la
Email  snassali at ugabytes.org
chat    (skype)- n.sandra.
Tel      +256-414-370163