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

Tue Aug 18 09:14:43 GMT 2009

Thanks Cleopa,
As we have said before, there is no development without frameworks. We need
the institutional framework around which we can place processes and gain
visibility.

I am sure you and your board will not pull your sleeves and roll out what we
needed many years ago. 

Please make this the first goal of the KenTLinks and kindly engage the
government so that this duplication ends. We need a consultative forum for
all actors in the ICT sector which of course straddles all industries and
government ministries. And as you have said, the issue is inclusion. It
would particularly be beneficial if a KenTLinks-ICT Donor Support Group and
GoK Meetings to evaluate programmes as activities of the sector. 

It may call for you to reformulate the board of KenTLinks so that you given
places for those that have been taking the names or having parallel
programmes to what the movement has been positioning itself to do.

I mussed the posting with the event details. Kindly mail the same to me.

Cheers and all the best.

Kiringai

 - much as the sector is not one industry and also given that there is a 

-----Original Message-----
From: ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org
[mailto:ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org] On Behalf Of Cleopa Timon
Otieno
Sent: Monday, August 17, 2009 10:52 PM
To: ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org
Subject: Re: [UgaBYTES] Telecentre Leaders Workshop organized by KenTel tobe
held on the 20th & 21st August 2009

Many thanks Kiringai for the insight, Your efforts and work speak for itself
when it comes to telecentres issues in Kenya. I must say that I am always
encouraged by your deep understanding of issues and well thought
observations.

I totally agree with you, now that KenTLinks has come all this way it is
indeed the time to shape how things work in the country, if you may have
noticed; there are several initiatives that seem to lack direction, most of
them happening because some donor funds are available and should be used to
address community access to information usually with no clear sustainability
plan or vision. As a network we do not wish to compete but add value to all
these wonderful initiatives to see them survive beyond donor support.
Sometimes I ask myself why different government bodies should initiate same
projects with different names in same area, makes no sense but as a network
and one voice we can give guidance.

Many thanks, look foward to meeting a represetantive from VACID in the
workshop.

Best Regards.
Cleopa

2009/8/15 Kiringai Kamau <kiringai at willpower.co.ke>

> 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
> _______________________________________________
> ugabytes mailing list
> ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org
> http://lists.ugabytes.org/mailman/listinfo/ugabytes_lists.ugabytes.org
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> 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
_______________________________________________
ugabytes mailing list
ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org
http://lists.ugabytes.org/mailman/listinfo/ugabytes_lists.ugabytes.org