[UgaBYTES] [tc-mena] "creating a local digital divide"!!!

[Mwathi Francis]

Koda-Traoré has raised a very intersting point--that telecentres
cannot go into  addressing digital devide alone (local or not). The
concept is simply too wide.The construction of an integrating
Information Society requires new modalities of solidarity,
association, and cooperation between governments and other interested
parties, that is the private sector, civil society, and of course
international organizations .

As information and communication technologies have become the backbone
of the global information economy and given rise to the information
society, more attention has been focused on the gap in access to ICTs,

1. between developed and developing countries and
2. and in our case here Local digital devide (drawbacks posed by the
possible unequal distribution of the ICT projects benefits at local
community level)  .


On 8/6/09, Mwathi Francis <mfrancis at ugabytes.org> wrote:
> Koda-Traoré has raised a very intersting point--that telecentres
> cannot go into  addressing digital devide alone (local or not). The
> concept is simply too wide.The construction of an integrating
> Information Society requires new modalities of solidarity,
> association, and cooperation between governments and other interested
> parties, that is the private sector, civil society, and of course
> international organizations .
>
> As information and communication technologies have become the backbone
> of the global information economy and given rise to the information
> society, more attention has been focused on the gap in access to ICTs,
> 1. between developed and developing countries and
> 2. and in our case here Local digital devide (drawbacks posed by the
> possible unequal distribution of the ICT projects benefits at local
> community level)  .
>
>
>
>
> On 8/5/09, Koda-Traoré, A. <traore at cta.int> wrote:
>> Dear all,
>>
>> Thank you all for the interesting discussions which I follow regularly
>> but
>> do not always have time to join. Regarding the issue of digital divide
>> introduced by Kareem, whether it is local or not, this goes, I believe,
>> beyond the mandate of telecentres.
>>
>> Digital divide is often seen from a technology perspective whereas but
>> the
>> underlying problems often stem from the bedrock of any community: its
>> culture and traditions. Telecentres alone cannot address this but should
>> integrate this dimension in the way services are provided and organised.
>>
>> What can be done?
>>
>> General considerations
>> As for any development interventions, telecentres should be part of a
>> general rural/community development framework which combines extension
>> systems, market linkages, health, data centres...etc. They should benefit
>> from the inputs of all these different layers to play an effective and
>> sustainable role in providing shared access to information and
>> information
>> related services.
>>
>> How to reduce marginalisation?
>>
>> Unfortunately it can only be reduced!
>>
>> First, maintain the "public good" spirit although telecentres can still
>> make
>> profits. Governments should continue to play a key role in subsidising
>> part
>> of the facilities: bringing the ICTs to the last miles and sponsoring the
>> cost related to connectivity, ensuring free or low-cost access (what is
>> low?) for primary and secondary education, providing power cuts and .....
>>
>> Secondly, bring in the private sector management attitude and train the
>> telecentre owners and managers how to run telecentre as a business with
>> proper market analysis (the community), activities monitoring and
>> evaluation
>> (including financial)
>>
>> Koda
>> www.kodatraore.blogspot.com
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org
>> [mailto:ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org] On Behalf Of Reem N Bsaiso
>> Sent: mercredi 5 août 2009 01:29
>> To: 'Telecentre Discussion List for North Africa and the Middle East'
>> Cc: ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org; tc-network-leaders at dgroups.idrc.ca
>> Subject: Re: [UgaBYTES] [tc-mena] "creating a local digital divide"!!!
>>
>> Exactly my point Karim..we are ready for the solution
>>
>>
>>
>> From: kareem kasim [mailto:kkasim at mcit.gov.eg]
>> Sent: Monday, August 03, 2009 12:51 AM
>> To: Telecentre Discussion List for North Africa and the Middle East
>> Cc: tc-network-leaders at dgroups.idrc.ca; ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org
>> Subject: [tc-mena] "creating a local digital divide"!!!
>>
>>
>>
>> "Greater clarity is required in deciding what telecentres projects are
>> aiming to do. If these issues
>> are not thought through, there is a risk that telecentres will either
>> 'fail'
>> and waste money, or will
>> serve to bring the division between the 'information haves' and
>> 'have-nots'
>> into communities -
>> creating a local digital divide." Benjamin and Dahms, 1998
>>
>> Last week end I came across this quote, which  I read years ago when I
>> graduated and started to work in the very first telecentre in Egypt!!
>> Things have changed dramatically since then (1998), but one thing struck
>> me
>> the most as I read it today!! it is the term; "creating a local digital
>> divide"!!!
>>
>> It made me think and thought to share this with you, may be we can think
>> together!?
>>
>>
>>
>> Karim A. Kasim
>> Telecentre.org Knowledge Sharing and Networking Project Manager-Middle
>> East
>> and North Africa
>> Egypt ICT Trust Fund - (MCIT/UNDP Egypt)
>> http://mogtamaa.telecentre.org/
>>
>> Tel: (202)353 42179 (Ext 2179)
>> Fax: (202)353 41813
>> Mobile :(20)10 170 8474
>> Cairo, Egypt
>> Work: kkasim at mcit.gov.eg
>> Personal: karimkasim at gmail.com
>> Academic: kasim at aucegypt.edu,
>>
>> www.ictfund.org.eg
>> www.mcit.gov.eg
>> www.undp.org.eg
>>
>>
>>
>> Dgroups is a joint initiative of Bellanet, DFID, Hivos, ICA, ICCO, IICD,
>> OneWorld, UNAIDS and World Bank
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>
>
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>
> Francis Mwathi
> Support Community Facilitator
> UgaBYTES Initiatives (www.ugabytes.org)
> Telecentr.org (www.telecentrecommunity.ning.com)
> Tel: +256 414 370163
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> E-Mail: mfrancis at ugabytes.org
>


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Francis Mwathi
Support Community Facilitator
UgaBYTES Initiatives (www.ugabytes.org)
Telecentr.org (www.telecentrecommunity.ning.com)
Tel: +256 414 370163
Mob: +256 783 010269
Skype: francis.mwathi
E-Mail: mfrancis at ugabytes.org