[UgaBYTES] AFRICA KOWLEDGE NETWORK launched in Dar es salaam

[Charles Oduor Ogada]

Hallo Friends,

I have been following with keen interest the discussion on the above
subject.  I really like all the thoughts and suggestions that have come
up.  I would only love to first and foremost acknowledge the fact that
we are in this network since we were presented by our own people.
Secondly I would suggest that we ask our people who are in this network
to take note of all the shared concerns and ensure that this network
fills the gap and do not replicate what is already done.

And finally I would encourage that we appreciate our contributions and
move with our people in the AKN to influence decisions and actions in
our favour.  We need more networks we need more ideas and we need to be 
focused and able to identify gaps for these many coming initiatives to
fill.  Lets give this network chance and help in shaping it up.

Best regards

Charles Ogada
UCRC - Kenya
P.O.Box 330 -40606
Ugunja, Kenya


On Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:44 +0000, "Florence Etta"
<feanywhere at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> Great Post Paul.
> 
> ONE MORE NETWORK?
> 
> Why is there another network? What is the value added? Is it in the
> interest of Africa and Africans or is it again serving narrow self
> interests promoting one or other new or re-energised agency in need of a
> chorus of adulating self seeking, hungry, or smart people? Has there been
> a continent wide evaluation of the ICT networks that have for the past
> decade been created to see that this one will respond to all the issues
> of the ones of the last generation? 
> 
> Why are we not more critical of what we do? What good has come of the
> things we are have been doing in the ICT terrain? When is all of this
> going to lead to true tranforamation for the most africans who so
> desprately need water, food, health acre etc? Or is it just another
> scheme of 'jobs for the boys and the few connected ( read lucky) girls'?
> 
> Cheers,
> FE
> 
>  
> Florence Etta 
> Telephone:
> Nairobi  Mobile: +254-733-621-851
> New York Mobile: +1-917-873-1224
> New York Res: +1-917-639-3691
> 
> Alternative Email:florence.etta at gmail.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> From: Kiringai Kamau <kiringai at willpower.co.ke>
> To: ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org
> Sent: Wednesday, 8 July, 2009 5:22:41
> Subject: Re: [UgaBYTES] AFRICA KOWLEDGE NETWORK launched in Dar es salaam
> 
> Paul, I hope I am not condemning your initiative, but I have worked with
> many institutions as a partner implementing all manner of projects and
> happen to have my doubts on many issues.
> 
> I therefore want to be excused if this sounds judgmental, but, the only
> thing you can be sure of is that, if you Paul and the rest of the country
> representatives are not just anchors of a thought that is imported from
> 'out
> there' to create 'another ICT something', then we excuse you and
> understand
> that you may not have much of the facts to deliver to this network.
> 
> My experience with development programme modeling is that in many cases,
> it
> is the funds that drive the idea rather than the other way round. What
> this
> means for Africa is that many workshops will be called and not a single
> benefit will flow to the communities. 
> 
> The telecentre model is different....excuse my bias once more...
> 
> I suppose that ICT and all that drives it should be a different place for
> talk-shoppers. We need to do more at the content level rather than in
> meetings. Allow me to clarify though that, meetings are important, but to
> share experiences and benefit the participants through such networks. It
> is
> for this reason that e-conferences and pre-conference discussions are the
> in-thing today. When you hear of workshops that are not in the public
> gallery, be weary!
> 
> I suppose you will say that my other name should be Thomas, but let me
> remain:
> 
> Kiringai Kamau
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org
> [mailto:ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org] On Behalf Of Polly Gaster
> Sent: Wednesday, July 08, 2009 10:58 AM
> To: ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org
> Subject: Re: [UgaBYTES] AFRICA KOWLEDGE NETWORK launched in Dar es salaam
> 
> Sorry, I think I just sent a blank message by mistake!
> 
> It looks like quite a few people have the same interest as I have in
> finding
> out more about AKN's proposed strategy and actions (just re-read Paul's
> info
> and it does sound a bit like the old OKN and various other initiatives,
> with
> a
> global hub, etc), and wondering how the new network can benefit or is
> already
> benefiting from previous experiences. We certainly had interesting times
> with
> our OKN pilot in Mozambique, and learned a lot.
> 
> So I just Googled Africa Knowledge Network, but the only thing that came
> up
> quickly was the WOUGNET website with a notice of the workshop, but no
> details
> (but great website, by the way, full of information and I liked the
> Google
> Map). So perhaps one of the solutions for us all wd be to at least get
> the
> workshop documents and results online?
> 
> Polly
> 
> 
> 
> ----
> 
> Polly Gaster
> TICs para Desenvolvimento/ICT4D
> Centro de Informatica da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (CIUEM)
> Campus Universitario, Maputo, Mozambique
> e-mail: polly.gaster at uem.mz
> cel: +258-82-3264540
> tel/fax: +258-21-485779
> Skype: polly_gaster
> 
> 
> -- 
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