[UgaBYTES] Telecentre Leaders Workshop organized by KenTel to be held on the 20th & 21st August 2009

Sun Aug 16 05:06:10 GMT 2009

Cleopa,
This is a positive development. But in it I see a problem. As a Kenyan I see
the face of the "Tragedy of the Commons". For the thinking that 'what
belongs to all of us is mine' seems to have crept in, in the name search:
Who; pray, has consistently taken the Telecentre Name and why? One would
ask. Is there a consensus in the knowledge initiatives in this country on
the direction things need to follow? Why for instance would there be
initiatives by Microsoft, IDRC, UNDP, the Government, Kenya Forest Network,
Kenlink or whatever name the latest thing you have registered?

We live in a country where everybody is a leader and can never see
themselves being led by another, even when the reason for collective action
makes the best sense. I see need for the telecentre initiatives in Kenya to
place the interests of the grassroots stakeholders above all else. The need
for the telecentre movement to go back to the basics and eliminate "workshop
professionals" shouts loudly. Those sponsoring knowledge based initiatives
that are as varied as there are leaders need to ask themselves: Are we
helping or killing the Kenya digital movement, even in the face of
government investment in infrastructure?.

As a knowledge worker, and one that has been trying to make grassroots
initiatives institutions to create form, then processes, before
collaboration in line sustainable digital opportunities, I am lost for words
if I also belong to the telecentre models promoted by all these actors. I
can only suppose that I will one day trace myself in all this. 

Cleopa and others in the network, I am appealing to all of you as I pray
that one organization can come up to be identified as the centre and sole
think tank for the telecentre efforts in the country. May be this may be the
necessary first step before talking of telecentre leaders forums. BUT, may
be I am shouting this loud because I will be busy within the scheduled time
to participate in this linkage thing.

I suppose it is right to send the frustration that this drumbeat is bringing
and really think we need to support what you are doing. But I also think we
need to create a more inclusive mechanism to integrate all: government
(particularly the government because they are the lead stakeholders), other
network efforts and above all, and all the "name thieves" that have kept you
chasing yourselves.

Kindly provide me with details of the meet to see if we can send anybody to
join you from VACID Africa.

Kiringai Kamau

-----Original Message-----
From: ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org
[mailto:ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org] On Behalf Of Cleopa Timon
Otieno
Sent: Friday, August 14, 2009 1:45 PM
To: ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org
Subject: Re: [UgaBYTES] Telecentre Leaders Workshop organized by KenTel tobe
held on the 20th & 21st August 2009

Dear Ahmed,

Thanks for the prompt reply, a clear indication of strong interest and
passion on the development of telecentres across Africa.

Kindly note that this workshop will be held in Kenya and only telecentres
from Kenya are have been invited at this time.

Best Regards.
Cleopa.

2009/8/14 ahmed digital <ahmed22digital at gmail.com>

> dear friends
> is sudan part of this???
>
> 2009/8/14 Cleopa Timon Otieno <timonson at googlemail.com>
>
> > KenTel, an idea conceptualized by various telecentre leaders who
attended
> > and participated in Telecentre Leaders Forums held in Kamplala - E.
> Africa
> > and Benin - W.Africa way back in 2006/7 is indeed an effort of IDRC
> through
> > telecentre.org and Ugabytes Initiative to encourage the growth and
> > development of telecenters across Africa for effective, efficient and
> > equitable information access and service delivery to diverse communities
> > that telecentres serve.
> >
> > Through a grant from IDRC (telecentre.org) managed by Ugabytes
> Initiative,
> > KenTel has been able to officially register as a non profit company
> limited
> > by guarantee, the certificate of incorporation was released on the 15th
> of
> > July 2009 by the registrar of companies. The official name is now Kenya
> > Telecentres Link given that a search at the Registrars' office revealed
> > that
> > the previous name Kenya Telecentres Network and its acronym KenTel were
> > already taken. The acronym is now KenTLink.
> >
> > A three year strategic plan is also in its final stages of development
> > which
> > will be shared during the workshop. This current status will see KenTel
> > undertake its mandate more effectively in future and even reach more
> > telecentres. It should be noted that telecentres are growing at a high
> rate
> > in Kenya today with key government and non-government organizations
> > initiating them. Some of these include the Kenya ICT Board, Kenya Data
> > Network, UNDP, Kenya ICT Network, KenDat - Kenya Network for
> Dissemination
> > of Agricultural Technologies, Forest Action Network (FAN) and ALIN -
Arid
> > Lands Information Network Forest Action Network (FAN) among many others.
> >
> > We have also planned for a two day workshop on the 20th and 21st of
> August
> > this year. It will bring together telecentre leaders, practitioners and
> > staff mainly to share and learn from each other.
> >
> > The workshop agenda shall include among others:
> > -    Updates on KenTel.
> > -    Dissemination of a 3 year strategic plan.
> > -    Discussion on the opportunities presented to telecentres by the
high
> > bandwidth from the fiber optic cable and the BPO sector. Among others
> >
> > We hope that at the end of this workshop, individual telecentres will be
> > able to understand, learn and be part of KenTel wide core objective.
> >
> > --
> > Cleopa Timon Otieno
> > www.ugunja.org , www.kenyatelecentres.org
> > P.O.Box 330-40606, Ugunja
> > Cell: +254-720-950-220
> > skype: timonson1
> > _______________________________________________
> > ugabytes mailing list
> > ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org
> > http://lists.ugabytes.org/mailman/listinfo/ugabytes_lists.ugabytes.org
> >
>
>
>
> --
> AHMED M. M. EISA
> MOBILE       00249912331155
> KHARTOUM alamaraat P.O.BOX 15021- post code 12217
> WWW.GEDAREF.COM
> http://sudantelecentreacademy.org
> Gedaref digital city organization (GDCO) It  is non governmental and non
> profitable organization (Gedaref Sudan). GDCO is the founder of the first
> national Telecentre academy in Africa and the middle east and it is the
> 13th
> in the world (Sudan national Telecentre academy   SuNTA   ). GDCO is the
> winner of information for development award  i4d 2007 awards ( e-India
> 2007)
>   also the winner of i4d 2008 awards for the best innovations at the
> grassroots Telecentre. Digital city of Eindhoven (DSE) donated 750
> computers
> to GDCO and more than seven projects were established using ICT for
> community development.
> _______________________________________________
> ugabytes mailing list
> ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org
> http://lists.ugabytes.org/mailman/listinfo/ugabytes_lists.ugabytes.org
>

-- 
Cleopa Timon Otieno
www.ugunja.org , www.kenyatelecentres.org
P.O.Box 330-40606, Ugunja
Cell: +254-720-950-220
skype: timonson1
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