[UgaBYTES] WEEKLY NEWS ROUND UP-AFRICA (10)

[Sandra Nassali]

where r u ssebo??

On Fri, Mar 6, 2009 at 9:58 AM, Mwathi Francis <mfrancis at ugabytes.org>wrote:

> *Handicapped women in Congo find success on Ebay*
>
> 5th March 2009
>
>
>
> In one of Africa’s most war-torn regions, the Eastern Congo, a group of
> handicapped women have managed to create a sustainable business by selling
> their crafts on the auction site Ebay. The women have found a willing
> buying
> market through the online portal over the last eight months, despite not
> having any funding to start the venture.
>
> The company, Shona Crafts, was started with the assistance of Dawn Hurley,
> an American whose aim it was to promote self-reliance among the women in
> the
> troubled region. Says Hurley of the venture:” The women of SHONA have found
> an enthusiastic market in the United States and have made over 100 sales on
> Ebay alone, and have earned 100 percent positive feedback.”
>
> http://www.itnewsafrica.com/?p=2334
>
>
>
>
>
> *Sitcoms’ Cable Reaches Two Africa’s Ocean Floor*
>
> 4th March 2009
>
>
>
> SEACOM is pleased to announce that the first portions of deepwater cable
> are
> now resting on the seabed of the Indian Ocean and Red Sea. The cable has
> been laid from the edge of the South African waters to Mozambique and cable
> laying is also proceeding in the Red Sea from Egypt towards the coast of
> Yemen. A third ship is currently being loaded with the remainder of
> SEACOM's
> deepwater cable which will be deployed from India towards Africa, where
> these three cable segments will be joined.
>
>
>
> In parallel to the marine installation, SEACOM has made significant strides
> in land-based construction.  The high-performance optical transmission
> equipment, which connects customers to inland terrestrial networks, has
> been
> installed in the Maputo, Mumbai and Djibouti cable landing stations.
> Construction of the cable station in Kenya will be complete in early
> February followed shortly by the Tanzanian and South African stations.
> Equipment installation in these locations, and in Egypt, will be complete
> in
> April. At each site, SEACOM has taken special precautions to assure the
> construction activity is consistent with environmental policy and
> regulations. As an example, in South Africa, SEACOM recently transferred
> protected plant species from the cable station site to the Umlalazi
> National
> Park with the help of the KwaZulu Natal Wildlife rangers.
>
> http://www.seacom.mu/news/news_details.asp?iID=57
>
>
>
>
>
> *African MP's Meet in Kigali to Discuss ICT*
>
> 5th March 2009
>
>
>
> Members of Parliament from over 35 national, regional and continental
> Parliaments yesterday began a two-day international conference on the
> development of an equitable information society on the African continent.
>
> The high level meeting at the Parliamentary buildings in Kimihurura is
> bringing together Speakers, MPs and ICT experts from different parts in and
> outside Africa is aimed at discussing the role of African Parliaments in
> promoting ICT development in Africa.
>
> The Kigali meeting will also be an opportunity for legislators to discuss
> the digital divide that exists between Africa and the rest of the world in
> regard to the use of ICT and how it can be narrowed.
>
> http://www.newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=13825&article=13898
>
>
>
>
>
> *Intel to Train 5,000 Rwandan Secondary School Teachers in ICT*
>
> 5th March 2009
>
>
>
> The Ministry of Education yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding
> (MoU) with Intel, a company that deals in technological innovations, for
> the
> training of 5,000 secondary school teachers in ICT. Presiding over the
> signing ceremony at the Ministry's headquarters in Kacyiru, the State
> Minister in charge of Primary and Secondary Education, Theoneste
> Mutsindashyaka commended the project, stressing that it was going to
> enhance
> the development of education in Rwanda.
>
>
>
> "This programme is going to help our education system because it is going
> to
> help the Ministry of Education in its efforts to use ICT as a tool of
> education," said the Minister.
>
> http://www.newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=13825&article=13903
>
>
>
>
>
> *Ericsson and Zain power Millennium Village site by wind and sun*
>
>
>
> As part of the Millennium Villages project, Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) and
> pan-African operator Zain have built a green-powered site in a remote
> village in northeastern Kenya. With the reliable and affordable mobile
> communication the site provides, the villagers of Dertu can make calls,
> access health services and education and improve their economic future.
>
>
>
> Using a combination of wind and solar power addresses the two key
> deterrents
> to building telecommunication infrastructure in remote areas: operating
> costs and power supply reliability.
>
>
>
> Jan Embro, President of Ericsson in sub-Saharan Africa, says: "The ideal
> climate conditions mean we expect to see an 80 percent reduction in
> energy-related operational costs for the site, compared with using diesel
> generators. Green sites like this one have great potential for solving the
> power-grid challenge across Africa to bring mobile communication to the
> poorest of the poor so they can improve their lives and break the poverty
> cycle."
>
> http://www.ericsson.com/ericsson/press/releases/20090212-1289656.shtml
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *Local Nigerian ICT Firm Set to Crash Internet Access Cost*
>
> 3rd March 2009
>
>
>
> An indigenous Information and Communication Technology (ICT) firm is set to
> boost Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) as well as revolutionize Internet
> access and proficiency in the country with the deployment of the latest
> Very
> Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) technologies.
>
> To achieve this, the company is to provide Internet service with the least
> cost as long as there is an assurance that the customer would continue to
> buy broadband time.
>
> In a chat with Daily Independent, ICT expert and Chief Executive Officer
> (CEO) of Abuja-based HMU Technologies, Julian Madubuko, said economic
> empowerment consideration, and the need to position Nigerian youths for
> global competition was behind the firm's drive.
>
> He said that the company is prepared to deploy the ICT equipment worth
> N300,
> 000 free of charge as long as the customer can afford the N45.00 per hour
> price for the Internet access.
>
> http://www.independentngonline.com/news/head/article09?publication=090303
>
>
>
>
>
> *New Zimbabwean Prime Minister turns to web to promote transparency*
>
> 5th March
>
>
>
> Morgan Tsvangirai, newly appointed Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, plans to use
> the internet to promote transparency and inform the country’s citizens of
> the activities and initiatives of the newly-created coalition government.
>
> The launch of the website coincides with Tsvangirai’s swearing in as a
> Member of Parliament in Zimbabwe’s House of Assembly. In his address to
> Parliament, Mr. Tsvangirai said: “… in this spirit of openness, today we
> are
> launching the Prime Minister’s website that will not only serve to keep the
> people informed about the activities of our government, but will also
> provide an interactive forum for the people to participate and contribute
> to
> the affairs of government. The address of this website is
> www.zimbabweprimeminister.org.”
>
> http://www.itnewsafrica.com/?p=2333
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Francis Mwathi
> Support Community Facilitator
> UgaBYTES Initiatives (www.ugabytes.org)
> Telecentr.org (www.telecentrecommunity.ning.com)
> Tel: +256 414 370163
> Mob: +256 752 995063
> Skype: francis.mwathi
> E-Mail: mfrancis at ugabytes.org
> _______________________________________________
> ugabytes mailing list
> ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org
> http://lists.ugabytes.org/mailman/listinfo/ugabytes_lists.ugabytes.org
>



-- 
Sandra Nassali
Community Facilitator
UgaBYTES Initiative (www.ugabytes.org)
Telecentre.org  (www.telecentrecommunity.ning.com)
Plot 2218 Ggaba Road,
2nd Floor Kangave House
P.O. Box 6081 K'la
Email  snassali at ugabytes.org
chat    (skype)- n.sandra.
Tel      +256-414-370163