[UgaBYTES] AFRICA KOWLEDGE NETWORK launched in Dar es salaam|Strategy

Mon Jul 20 09:37:48 GMT 2009

Dear Shaddy,

Am grateful to your THREE point strategy summary - it indeed gives an
adaptable 'how-to' for AKN. The OKN South Asia program diagram that
mentioned about in the line below;

*I must ask Senthilkumaran of MSSRF to share those posters to partners in
this list.  Those posters define the OKN, and indeed could very well define
what AKN could potentially be.*

it will be good to review, please follow it up on behalf of the list
members. If Senthilkumaran is not on list and he is interested, ask Francis
to add him - even if it is only for purposes of sharing with us on this
issue.

Best Regards,
---
Sulah

On Mon, Jul 20, 2009 at 12:02 PM, Basheerhamad Shadrach <
bshadrach at idrc.org.in> wrote:

> Sulah,
>
> Thank you for encouraging me to share.  I have of late been only a lurker
> in this list.
>
> The three things that made the difference, Sulah in Asia:
>
> 1. On the outset, the Asian partners did not use the OKN tool, rather they
> concentrated on the needs of people, and of the knowledge people possessed
> to address their own needs.
>
> (So, it was not a project around a million dollar technological tool; but
> about knowledge and people's ability to communicate that knowledge among
> themselves).
>
> 2. In communicating their own knowledge across the borders, they did not
> begin sharing with their counterparts in Africa or in some other continent,
> but they began sharing with their neighbors within the village and in their
> neighboring villages.
>
> (So, they were not excited about the software that filtered the so-called
> 'content shower' through the WorldSpace radio equipment, rather they were
> excited about the possibility to share information across communities using
> simple tools such as emails, bulletin boards, and printed newspapers)
>
> 3. Their desire to communicate their precious knowledge was not to earn
> revenue, but to save costs; to advocate for their rights; to bring
> authorities to take note of anomalies; to buy and sell; to become an idea
> bank; and to gain some recognition for the simple achievements they were
> able to make; and, that's how they began experimenting with knowledge
> sharing through the OKN; and through which what they call, their own supply
> and value chain, thus giving their own knowledge a chance.
>
> (so, the business model of earning revenue for the knowledge shared; or
> through translation services offered to people in other continents that
> demanded knowledge was put aside... rather, the partners used OKN as an
> advocacy tool to seek the attention of their local intervening institutions
> including the local government units, the local agricultural, health,
> educational, financial and micro-credit institutions as well as local
> businesses.  Not a minute had they kept in their mind their counterparts
> elsewhere, let alone Africa as it was portrayed at WSIS 1 when the project
> was launched!  Here, the knowledge advocacy was a two-way process... while
> seeking knowledge, they also provided the outsiders/scientists and others
> the knowledge about their well-being, their conditions, their welfare, and
> of their own!).
>
> However, I must admit, even in ability to think local, they were still
> willing to; also, did end up sharing some ideas with their counterparts
> elsewhere.  They did come up with a formula which is quite relevant to
> everyone for all times... knowledge network is all about knowledge sharing
> between land to land; land to lab; lab to land; but, in doing so, a
> meaningful lab to lab as well.  In other words, it is knowledge sharing
> between communities and communities; communities and scientists/authorities;
> authorities/scientists and communities; and, finally also among the
> scientists/authorities' themselves.
>
> I remember seeing all their efforts documented as a poster story in an
> Agricultural fair in February 2007 in Coimbatore, and considered that as my
> reward for being the Asia program manager, OKN.  I must ask Senthilkumaran
> of MSSRF to share those posters to partners in this list.  Those posters
> define the OKN, and indeed could very well define what AKN could potentially
> be.
>
> But, their effort did march on to developing national campaigns (even
> today) to stimulate governmental and private sector investments in content
> domain.  You can see their campaign having resulted in billion dollar
> investments by the State ( and as a domino effect in other states in
> Asia).... yet, I must admit that the content/knowledge sharing is getting to
> mature only now as compared to the other famous 'C's that make up the
> telecentre ecosystem in Asia if you like.
>
> Cheers
> Shaddy
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org [mailto:
> ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org] On Behalf Of Ndaula Sulah
> Sent: July 20, 2009 12:52 PM
> To: ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org
> Subject: Re: [UgaBYTES] AFRICA KOWLEDGE NETWORK launched in Dar es
> salaam|Strategy
>
> Dear Shaddy,
>
> What a great writing and reading for us! I must admit having admired your
> content focus when I first met you in 2006 - am sure this was the time you
> where at the top of things with OKN South Asia. But this is not the point,
> my point of interest is in the statement;
>
>
> >>If ever, I were to repeat the OKN or initiate an AKN (the Asia Knowledge
> Network), I will not change the formula of OKN Asia.  I >>will only stick
> to
> the same formula that stimulated the local (and locale-specific and
> demands-driven) content development >>process in the sub-continent; and be
> just that!
>
> What do you consider to be the critical gyst of OKN south Asia that AKN
> could learn from?
>
> How did you go about the overall content issue?
>
> Best Regards,
> ---
> Sulah
>
>
>
>
> On Mon, Jul 20, 2009 at 7:46 AM, Basheerhamad Shadrach <
> bshadrach at idrc.org.in> wrote:
>
> > To add a line to Pete Cranston's thoughtful comments on the OKN and AKN,
> as
> > someone who managed the OKN program in Asia (although I was not called
> Peter
> > - for the three Peters were at the helm of affairs, right?  Peter
> Benjamin,
> > the Africa Program Manager; Peter Cranston, the Global Coordinator; and
> > Peter Armstrong, the Architect of OKN), I know, the pre-cooked menu was
> not
> > taken to partners in Asia.
> >
> > The ones that implemented the OKN in South Asia (Drishtee, Development
> > Alternatives, TERI, Datamation Foundation, MSSRF and ICTA in Sri Lanka)
> had
> > their own share of ideas in shaping up (I may not be wrong, if I say,
> > defining) the OKN program in Asia.
> >
> > I remember Nicky Woods of DFID who was in Pondicherry evaluating the
> > program had this comment to make - that the OKN in Asia was more or less
> > like a 'desi' menu as compared to the much 'anglicized' African one.
>  That
> > said, I must admit that both Pete Cranston and Peter Benjamin tried their
> > level best to give African colleagues a chance to define the network, but
> it
> > was too late (with too many critics already on the block).
> >
> > If ever, I were to repeat the OKN or initiate an AKN (the Asia Knowledge
> > Network), I will not change the formula of OKN Asia.  I will only stick
> to
> > the same formula that stimulated the local (and locale-specific and
> > demands-driven) content development process in the sub-continent; and be
> > just that!  As one would admit, OKN was the first kid on the block
> talking
> > about the open content among the grassroots in Asia; but, today we see
> > thousands of local content and innovation initiatives that keep the hopes
> of
> > the so-called recipients turning reversing their roles - thanks to the
> right
> > to information act, the adaptation projects, and the special interest
> shown
> > by both the public and private systems at the base of the pyramid.  The
> > innovations continue, and there is knowledge sharing happening on a daily
> > basis amongst those who wish to share and learn.
> >
> > Cheers
> > Shaddy
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org [mailto:
> > ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org] On Behalf Of Pete Cranston
> > Sent: July 15, 2009 12:31 PM
> > To: ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org
> > Subject: Re: [UgaBYTES] AFRICA KOWLEDGE NETWORK launched in Dar es
> > salaam|Strategy
> >
> > hi
> >
> > As ever, Sulah, you get to the core issues in a phrase - 'width of focus
> > against delivering'. I think the underlying issue is to do with how
> > bottom-up AKN is going to be able to be given that it is centrally funded
> > with a three year objectives and an eye-watering set of performance
> > indicators.
> >
> > I am absolutely sure that Abebe and others in the UNECA team will be
> > working
> > to make the programme responsive through consultations etc. But another
> > piece of learning from the large, long OKN programme was best expressed
> by
> > wise Richard Fuchs when I asked on IDRC's concerns about OKN. He said he
> > thought it had been 'too cooked'. He meant that all the time we spent
> > working out the ideas and possible implementation options and evaluation
> > schemes and programme logic and technical solutions and regional
> > consultation plans and staffing structures and....the list goes on for
> > ever,
> > all the things that you have to do to get large funding.... meant that we
> > came to our African and South Asian partners with more than a menu, more
> > even than a set of recipes, with an enormous pre-cooked stew made up of
> > ingredients from all over the world. Indigestible.
> >
> > To be clear, all our African partners quickly helped us understand how
> OKN
> > needed to adapt significantly to local conditions and we began making
> > changes from the first planning meetings with ALIN and AfriAya. But we
> had
> > committed to delivering a range of interim milestones (the tyranny of the
> > logframe!) so we found it hard to be flexible enough, at least in the
> early
> > stages. I'm sure that AKN is aware of this issue - the project document I
> > read was quite high level, not as detailed as OKN was (our project
> document
> > was so big it needed wheels!).
> >
> > To return to focus, surely the answer lies in the needs and wishes of the
> > particular communities, or regions, or interest groups? I don't believe
> > that
> > it would be possible to do 'Gender, Agric, Environ. Education, Health,
> I.K
> > and appropriate techn' in all the AKN sites in three years and I am
> > guessing
> > that the AKN team don't expect to. The infrastructure and processes for
> > 'customising and packaging' information, to quote Sarah Mpagi, can be
> > common
> > but the nature of each set of materials and content can be different. I
> > assume that plans are in place for local consultations at whatever is the
> > bottom level of the AKN to establish priorities and focus areas for each
> > particular region or set of communities? OKN worked best where partner
> > organisations were able to choose one or two elements from the menu to
> add
> > to what they were already doing. So that the relationships and practices
> > that had evolved over time could continue but with some small added value
> > from parts of OKN. THat is how I read AKN is planning to work, with the
> > telecentres and organisations in the Steering group able to control from
> > the
> > beginning what is happening in each area. That is where we got to in the
> > end
> > with OKN - but it was a rocky road!
> >
> > I'm really looking forward to seeing how this develops since it offers so
> > much opportunity
> >
> > Cheers
> >
> > Pete
> >
> >
> > Pete Cranston
> > skype: petecranston
> > mobile: +44 (0)7917 390133
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org
> > [mailto:ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org] On Behalf Of Ndaula Sulah
> > Sent: 14 July 2009 09:38
> > To: ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org
> > Subject: Re: [UgaBYTES] AFRICA KOWLEDGE NETWORK launched in Dar es
> > salaam|Strategy
> >
> > Dearest Kiringai,
> >
> > Thanks for your contribution... I can see the model "your model" flow as;
> >
> >  <Data->process->information->synthesize->knowledge->integration->wisdom.
> >
> > #1. Mirrioring on this model where do you see AKN's intervention?
> >
> >
> > Pete and others; The regional strategy -December 2008 states the themes
> AKN
> > would focus on as; Gender, Agric, Environ. Education, Health, I.K and
> > appropriate techn. What would be your opinion of the width of focus
> against
> > delivering?
> >
> > FYI: Kiringai all participants of the f2f workshop must be having the
> print
> > version of the strategy and other documents that is why they may not have
> > shared any doc. But I believe Abebe will share the doc. and provide a
> link
> > to the group - especially if all the info. is public digest.
> >
> > Best regards,
> > ---
> > Sulah
> >
> >
> >
> > On 7/14/09, Ndaula Sulah <ndaulasula at ugabytes.org> wrote:
> > > Dear All,
> > >
> > > What a great contribution from Pete - he brings to AKN his lessons of
> > > the past as a leader at OKN (UK). I didn't expect any less from his
> > > contribution.
> > >
> > > How points out pitfalls at;
> > >
> > > #1. Intended impact "Transform into knowledge hub" and it's
> > > measurability #2. Target groups (intended users and content
> > > aggregators)
> > >
> > > But on the positive end he joins earlier voice to note
> > >
> > > #1. Despite greater successes and lessons of different telecentre
> > > interventions there is no shortage of work that still needs to be done
> > > to increase impact.
> > > #2. He will dig reports on the lessons of OKN and shares them to the
> > > benefit of AKN
> > >
> > > Additionally, Pete points out areas that need keen improvement;
> > >
> > > #1. AKN idea thinking and presentation - using hubs is a great mind
> > > but given the global focus of the project, it will like trying to
> > > localize international knowledge which can not work for community
> > > targeted initiatives [save for specialists] #2. The strategy's
> > > relationship with; content vs knowledge, local vs global knowledge,
> > > target users vs target compilers and result vs process
> > >
> > >
> > > The biggest challenge he points out is that of localizing global
> > > information and knowledge especially if the project is targeting
> > > community and if it doesn't intend to do it through intermediaries.
> > > And indeed it was the weak end of OKN.
> > >
> > >
> > > Unanswered questions ----
> > >
> > > #1. Whose knowledge
> > > #2.  Are they information hubs or knowledge hubs #3. but either way
> > > how will knowledge be packaged; or can knowledge be packaged
> > >
> > >
> > > I guess friends at UNECA and members of the list would love to give
> > > some feed back and questions to Pete's issues - Abebe...
> > >
> > > Best regards,
> > > ---
> > > Sulah
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On 7/13/09, Meddie Mayanja <mmayanja at idrc.ca> wrote:
> > >> I am trying to get to speed on this initiative. It has not been easy
> > >> since I am just recovering from poor health - lots to catchup with.
> > >>
> > >> Pete: provides a great analysis especially linking what we we have
> > >> learned in the past from similar initiatives. I am sure the
> > >> programming team will take a close look at these issues raised here -
> > >> if not done already.
> > >>
> > >> Understanding the target group and when one can confirm ICT centres
> > >> have been turned into knowledge hubs are key data points for me too.
> > >>
> > >> Best, Meddie
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> ________________________________________
> > >> From: ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org
> > >> [ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org] On Behalf Of Pete Cranston
> > >> [pete.cranston at btinternet.com]
> > >> Sent: July 13, 2009 5:58 AM
> > >> To: ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org
> > >> Subject: Re: [UgaBYTES] AFRICA KOWLEDGE NETWORK launched in Dar es
> > salaam
> > >>    |Strategy
> > >>
> > >> Hi
> > >>
> > >> Thanks everyone for this rich and interesting exchange. I have been
> > >> reading the Project Document and want to comment for two reasons:
> > >>
> > >> 1. Learning: people have suggested AKN could benfit from the learning
> > >> from our experience with OKN that could be useful. I have promised to
> > >> dig out learning reports, which I will do. Some of our work on
> > >> content for telecentre.org might also be useful. Specifically here I
> > >> try and share some learning about global vs. local
> > >>
> > >> 2. Local Content: as I announced on this list some time ago Peter
> > >> Ballantyne and I are doing some research into what is happening with
> > >> Local Content in Eastern (and, to some extent Southern) Africa since
> > >> we both worked in the area with OKN, IICD and telecentre.org. We are
> > >> planning a small workshop later this year, probably in Brussels in
> > >> October, to try and bring together people working in the area,
> > >> international NGOs and funders to discuss how to promote and extend
> > >> the work since it is still a crucial part of development.
> > >> I am contacting people who have replied to our first call about how
> > >> we can organise that workshop and who is interested in taking the
> > >> work further.
> > >> We
> > >> are sharing information using the low bandwidth blogging platform,
> > >> Maneno
> > >> -
> > >> http://communitycontent.maneno.org. It is about content that I have
> > >> some questions.
> > >>
> > >> First, though, I hope the programme is a success. Any new investment
> > >> in the ICT4D in general and telecentres in particular has to be a
> > >> good thing and $1m isn't a small amount of money, even spread across
> > >> the ECA, ECE, ECLAC, and ESCAP region over three years. From the
> > >> names that I recognise at the Africa planning meeting I think there
> > >> is as much wisdom within that group about these issues as in any
> > >> other group on the planet. Certainly there is little I could add to
> > >> that collection of brains and experience, a great resource for the
> > >> project managers. It's true that a lot of the language of the project
> > >> seems very familiar from similar projects over the years, but then
> > >> the world hasn't changed all that much either: people face the same
> > >> problems - in some cases worse - and although projects like
> > >> telecentre.org have done wonderful work there is no shortage of work
> > >> that still needs to be done. I've cooked lots of meals for my family
> > >> but I still learn from new recipes.
> > >>
> > >> Personally, I found it hard to understand what the project document
> > >> is saying about content and knowledge management. 'Knowledge' is in
> > >> headlines, but how people in communities will get involved in
> > >> learning new things, or in sharing what they know isn't exactly
> > >> clear. One of the core building blocks in the problem tree says, "Low
> > >> capabilities of disadvantaged communities in accessing, adapting and
> > >> utilizing knowledge". It doesn't specify whose knowledge is being
> > >> talked about but a lot of the language, as Polly says, is about
> > >> global knowledge networking which was *by far* the least successful
> > >> part of OKN.
> > >>
> > >> MOre promisingly the document says, " Knowledge hubs will act as
> > >> intermediary stations between the local communities and the global
> > >> knowledge networks. Knowledge hubs will be localizing knowledge
> > >> gained from peer ICT access points, including those in other regions
> > >> fitting the specificity of the localities they are serving, while
> > >> they will also contribute to creating knowledge by providing
> > >> experiences gained from the local community to the benefit of the
> > >> global networks at large."
> > >>
> > >> But then, " The project is mainly concerned with identifying and
> > >> implementing solutions that aggregate fragmented knowledge that is
> > >> useful to different disadvantaged  communities, and providing
> > >> solutions that increase utilization of this aggregated knowledge." As
> > >> Polly says, we found that external knowledge, especially from other
> > >> parts of the globe, or even region
> > >> - doesn't translate easily - in terms of language, format, context
> > >> and relevance - to specific communities.  The document suggests there
> > >> is a "a common (global) pool of knowledge for each priority area" but
> > >> our experience was this may be true at a specialist level - doctors
> > >> and nurses, academics and agricultural specialist, physics teachers -
> > >> but not at a village, or community level. Is this a network to
> > >> connect specialists, who can be intermediaries? That would be useful,
> > >> but it's not clear to me if that is the target group since
> > >> 'communities' are mentioned a lot.
> > >>
> > >> A problem is for me that the process relating to knowledge, content
> > >> and learning is simply captured in an arrow called, "Transformation
> > Process".
> > >> A
> > >> possible source of the confusion is that the document sometimes
> > >> treats knowledge as if it is something that can be packaged and
> > >> shared like pictures or music. This was one of our *fundamental
> > >> errrors* in OKN (by 'our' I mean the global team, not the people in
> > >> African partner organisations). In fact our experience reinforced
> > >> what we should have remembered, that learning is a social process.
> > >> Making information accessible is only the first step in that process.
> > >> Further, in terms of knowledge transfer - which to me means learning
> > >> - from outside a community, a trusted intermediary is vital. Our
> > >> resources were spread too thin - we were also a project that was sold
> > >> as global - to focus enough on this area.
> > >>
> > >> It has been very interesting to talk again to Peter Balaba in
> > >> Nakeseke and Joseph Sekiku in FADECO about the way that they, like
> > >> many others, use all their media channels (radio, internet, print) to
> > >> circulate local knowledge through their community audiences. It is
> > >> that process of engaging with people, capturing what they know and
> > >> do, sharing that with people who are close enough to trust the
> > >> sources - and sometimes passing on to the outside especially useful
> > >> ideas  - that I think is at the core of learning and knowledge. But
> > >> it is an expensive, long-term, people-based process so hard to
> > >> persuade funders to resource and even harder to finance through
> > >> business models built on providing information and entertainment
> > >> services to paying customers.
> > >>
> > >> I think it's an ambitious project which raises some questions,
> > >> especially the AKN aim of "Transforming selected ICT access points
> > >> into knowledge hubs of the global knowledge platform, providing,
> > >> developing, organizing, sharing and disseminating knowledge pertinent
> > >> to these communities". and especially what will be measured in the
> > >> indicator, "Number of transformed ICT access points into knowledge
> > >> hubs" at evaluation time. I'd love to learn more:
> > >>
> > >> * What does the team understand by knowledge, and what role do they
> > >> see for local content?
> > >> * Will the project support the people-based social processes that
> > >> make up knowledge transfer, or learning, and if so how?
> > >> * How will the project identify the point at which an access point
> > >> becomes a knowledge hub? Will it be through having physical and
> > >> electronic resources in place - which a lot of places already have -
> > >> or will it be more ambitious and try to assess how effectively the
> > >> hub supports the learning processes
> > >> -
> > >> and if so, how?
> > >> * Finally, who is the project targetting?
> > >>
> > >> I think the proposal confirms, if it still needed confirming, that
> > >> shared access to digital resources through telecentres of one kind or
> > >> another is seen as a key tool in development. I wish everyone in the
> > >> project all the luck in the world and look forward to learning from
> your
> > experiences.
> > >>
> > >> Best wishes
> > >>
> > >> Pete
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Pete Cranston
> > >> skype: petecranston
> > >> mobile: +44 (0)7917 390133
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Pete Cranston
> > >> skype: petecranston
> > >> mobile: +44 (0)7917 390133
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> -----Original Message-----
> > >> From: ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org
> > >> [mailto:ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org] On Behalf Of NKURUNZIZA
> > >> Jean Paul
> > >> Sent: 10 July 2009 11:26
> > >> To: ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org
> > >> Subject: Re: [UgaBYTES] AFRICA KOWLEDGE NETWORK launched in Dar es
> > >> salaam
> > >> |Strategy
> > >>
> > >> Hello all !
> > >> The discussions going on about the AKN is really interesting !
> > >> My suggestion is that online discussion throught a mailing list is
> > >> conducted before physical meetings for next events related to AKN.
> > >>
> > >> I just want to emphasize on one aspect of the project strategy  :"
> > >> Avoiding overlap and duplication". I can read this statement on the
> > >> point
> > >> 6 entitled :" Implementing the Regional Knowledge Network", in the
> > >> second subpoint entitled : "6.2. Partnerships". This is found in the
> > >> draft of the regional strategy document.
> > >>
> > >> So yes, this  project from UNECA will learn from other simular
> > >> projects, and will partner with other organizations involved in the
> > >> same area.
> > >> I even remember that one participant raised the OKN experience to be
> > >> taken into consideration in addition to others like telecentre.org.
> > >>
> > >> I hope final documents will be shared soon by the UNECA team .
> > >> Meanwhile, there I can see there is an interesting document about the
> > >> projecton this link :
> > >> http://knowledgenets.net/images/Documents/project%20document.pdf
> > >>
> > >> Sincerely
> > >>
> > >>> Hi Sulah,
> > >>> Just a mixer of Rosaline SATNET Zimbabwe. It should read SATNET,
> > Zambia.
> > >>> Rosaline comes from SAFIRE, Zimbabwe,
> > >>>
> > >>> Thanks
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>> Dean Mulozi,
> > >>> ZAA-ICT/SATNET Regional Facilitator, Private Bag 195x Ridgeway,
> > >>> Lusaka, Zambia.
> > >>>
> > >>> Mobile:                  260 978 034196
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>> --- On Thu, 7/9/09, Polly Gaster <polly.gaster at uem.mz> wrote:
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>> From: Polly Gaster <polly.gaster at uem.mz>
> > >>> Subject: Re: [UgaBYTES] AFRICA KOWLEDGE NETWORK launched in Dar es
> > >>> salaam
> > >>> |Strategy
> > >>> To: ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org
> > >>> Date: Thursday, July 9, 2009, 4:58 AM
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>> Dear Paul
> > >>>
> > >>> Thanks for the info. And Sulah also helped to clarify some questions.
> > >>>
> > >>> Just one clarification from my point of view - my initial fear was
> > >>> that in the first place this new project would NOT reap important
> > >>> lessons from previous experiences such as OKN, which is already
> > >>> closed down as an international project but left some seeds behind,
> > >>> as Gladman knows. And not a fear of "competition" as such but yes, a
> > >>> concern about possible failure to benefit from and collaborate with
> > >>> and strengthen what little already exists on the ground. I have seen
> > >>> this very often, as Kiringai mentioned - too often institutions want
> > >>> their own "branding" and visibility in preference to synergies, and
> > >>> doing things in parallel (duplicating) means higher costs, and
> > >>> creates confusion at local level, where (in Mozambique at least) the
> > >>> human resources are not so many and it tends to be the same people
> > >>> doing everything anyway. Hence my initial short question, which has
> > >>> provoked such an interesting exchange of views.
> > >>>
> > >>> But in general, of course, the more things that are happening the
> > >>> better, and any organisation should feel free to work directly with
> > >>> any community initiative on the ground so long as it is bringing
> > >>> strength in some way and not exploiting. I don't think anyone who
> > >>> has commented so far has been worried about duplicating networks as
> > >>> such, which will live or die according to how useful they are, it's
> > >>> the local impact that matters.
> > >>>
> > >>> I guess the general concern emerging from the list is precisely
> > >>> wanting to be sure that the AKN has been thought through and has
> > >>> learned from so much that has already been done or attempted in this
> > >>> area. I find that institutions, even governments, when something
> > >>> isn't working often just abandon it and set up something else,
> > >>> without ever sitting down and learning the hard lessons.
> > >>>
> > >>>>From our own small OKN experience I wd point out 3 things:
> > >>> a) we used existing telecentres/CMCs/community radios as a base for
> > >>> OKN activities rather than setting up something separate, hoping
> > >>> that this strategy wd be mutually beneficial and good for the
> > >>> community, which I think it was. And also gave a better chance of
> > >>> sustainability, and continuation "post-project".
> > >>> b) the language issue drastically reduced the possibilities of
> > >>> sharing locally produced content - in our case not only the fact of
> > >>> having many national languages, but even our official language of
> > >>> Portuguese doesn't exactly help!
> > >>> c) we found on a study visit to India, as well as experiences with
> > >>> Latin America, that it's impossible to generalise strategies from
> > >>> continent to continent, as the contexts are so very different.
> > >>>
> > >>> Hope this is a helpful contribution. But I would still like the AKN
> > >>> strategy to be shared more widely, to see if there is anything that
> > >>> we can learn or benefit from. I am always curious!
> > >>>
> > >>> 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:
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>> _______________________________________________
> > >>> ugabytes mailing list
> > >>> ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org
> > >>> http://lists.ugabytes.org/mailman/listinfo/ugabytes_lists.ugabytes.o
> > >>> rg
> > >>>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> --
> > >> NKURUNZIZA Jean Paul
> > >> Président du Réseau des Télécentres Communautaires  du Burundi
> > >> Secrétaire Général de BYTC B.P 7031 BUJUMBURA BURUNDI
> > >> Tél: 00257 22 21 96 45
> > >> Tél Mob : 00257 76 60 49 46/00257 79 981 459 Fax : 00257 212485 ou
> > >> 00257
> > >> 222147 E.Mail : nkurunziza at bytc.bi ou
> > >>          jnkurunz at hotmail.com
> > >> Site web : http://www.bytc.bi
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> _______________________________________________
> > >> ugabytes mailing list
> > >> ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org
> > >> http://lists.ugabytes.org/mailman/listinfo/ugabytes_lists.ugabytes.or
> > >> g
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> _______________________________________________
> > >> ugabytes mailing list
> > >> ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org
> > >> http://lists.ugabytes.org/mailman/listinfo/ugabytes_lists.ugabytes.or
> > >> g
> > >>
> > >> _______________________________________________
> > >> ugabytes mailing list
> > >> ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org
> > >> http://lists.ugabytes.org/mailman/listinfo/ugabytes_lists.ugabytes.or
> > >> g
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Executive Director
> > > UgaBYTES Initiative
> > > Tel: +256414370163
> > > Mob: +256712314969
> > > Skype: sulah.ndaula
> > > Yahoo: ndaulasula
> > > Email: ndaulasula@
> > > (ugabytes.org,yahoo.co.uk or gmail)
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Executive Director
> > UgaBYTES Initiative
> > Tel: +256414370163
> > Mob: +256712314969
> > Skype: sulah.ndaula
> > Yahoo: ndaulasula
> > Email: ndaulasula@
> > (ugabytes.org,yahoo.co.uk or gmail)
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > 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
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > ugabytes mailing list
> > ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org
> > http://lists.ugabytes.org/mailman/listinfo/ugabytes_lists.ugabytes.org
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Executive Director
> UgaBYTES Initiative
> Tel: +256414370163
> Mob: +256712314969
> Skype: sulah.ndaula
> Yahoo: ndaulasula
> Email: ndaulasula@
> (ugabytes.org,yahoo.co.uk or gmail)
> _______________________________________________
> 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
>

-- 
Executive Director
UgaBYTES Initiative
Tel: +256414370163
Mob: +256712314969
Skype: sulah.ndaula
Yahoo: ndaulasula
Email: ndaulasula@
(ugabytes.org,yahoo.co.uk or gmail)