CONNECT AFRICA - Will it Work?
Created | Updated Sep 3, 2004
Will it Work?
ICT (Information and Communication Technology) is increasingly being seen as one of the most important tools to address the wealth generation and education requirements in the undeveloped World, in particular, Africa.Connect Africa sets out to redress this balance and is focused on servicing only the remote rural population.“ICT will only have Real Impact in developing countries when people have Real Access to it”. (www.bridges.org)
While many ICT initiatives are currently being introduced in Africa they tend to focus on high population areas and the rural population, often the poorest in the country, are always last to be serviced, if at all.
The following 12 criteria have been identified by “bridges.org” as the determining factors in whether or not people can use ICT effectively to improve their lives – in other words – to give people “Real Access”.
- Physical Access
- Appropriate Technology
- Affordability
- Capacity
- Locally Relevant Content
- Integration into Daily Life
- Sustainability and the Local Economic Environment
- Trust in ICT
- Public Support and Political Will
- Macro-Economic Environment
- Legal and Regulatory Framework
- Socio-Cultural Factors
By installing the communication center in the school the teacher will have direct and live access to the latest and most appropriate curriculum and teacher training programmes.
The service will then also be accessible to all in the community with someone on hand to take and relay messages (a bit like a traditional telegraph office with instant Global reach) as well as manage any trading activity and market data. The service is fully scalable and will facilitate a satellite telephone link if the demand is there.
There will of course also be a ready supply of enthusiastic pupils to show the “older generation” how to make best use of all the services. Unlike the Western World where we all expect to have our own phone and Internet connection, rural Africa centers around the community, so a single communication center for everyone will not disappoint.2. Appropriate Technology: The service must be appropriate to local conditions and how people need and want to put it to use.
We are simply providing an affordable means for people to communicate – the complexity of the technology is hidden and irrelevant to the user. All they will be doing is sending a message, having a conversation or requesting information. Just how different is the concept of sending an email to sending a message relayed by drum or runner?
The local communities will without doubt establish a myriad of uses for this service and we will be there to assist in evolving these uses with them and sharing success stories from all over the World.3. Affordability: ICT services must be affordable for local people to use.
This is the essence of Connect Africa – providing affordable communication services to rural areas.
By using the latest satellite communication technology and the World Wide Web, with ever decreasing costs subsidized by International development funds, ICT services can be made available to the most remote communities in Africa.
The Web offers the most cost effective service when utilizing expensive satellite resource so it makes sense to build a communication center that will include basic telephony, around the Internet.
Pure satellite telephony can be introduced where there is demand.4. Capacity: People must understand the benefits of ICT and its potential uses and have the training and skills necessary to use ICT effectively.
Connect Africa is simply providing a more efficient means for rural communities to communicate locally, nationally and internationally.
By having someone manage the center (often the teachers themselves) and locating it in the school there will always be someone on hand to assist the people using it. There is also of course be a ready supply of eager pupils to demonstrate to their families and friends how it can and should be used – how many of us rely on a 7 year old to work the video…? Every teacher and/or manager of the center will be properly trained in its use.5. Locally Relevant Content and Services: The service and content needs to be relevant and available to all people and organisations in the service area.
The Internet connection provides a communication medium for all people and organisations. It will be managed by trained users offering messaging, telephony and information services.
The locals, who are unlikely to be able to read or write, will simply request the service they want and it will be provided for them by someone they know and trust – a teacher or local entrepreneur.
A primary purpose for the Internet connection will be the training and support provided to the local teacher. Content will be delivered in conjunction with International education and teacher training organisations and the National Education Authority.
Market data and trading opportunities will be provided where it is appropriate and offers a whole host of wealth generating opportunities to the local farmers and trades people.
The service center will also provide access to health data and information along with a pre-programmed disaster/emergency relief protocol that can be initiated in an instant.6. Integration into Daily Life: ICT use must be integrated into people’s daily routines without being an additional burden.
Unlike in the developed World the rural African people will not necessarily be using this service daily. It is more likely that people will use the service only once a month, once a quarter or even once a year. Just like we in the Western world will call someone on their Birthday once a year, so a special occasion, an opportunity, or, sadly, a tragedy will prompt people to make use of this service. Gradually they will get used to it and, knowing it is always there to teach and help everyone, it will become as important to them as the school.7. Sustainability and the Local Economic Environment: The local economic environment must be able to support and sustain ICT use over the long-term.
The service primarily provides the rural teacher with curriculum and teacher training material in an interactive and real time environment. This alone justifies its existence.
Costs will initially be subsidized by educational and development funding but as technology costs come down (Satellite and Internet specific service costs are falling rapidly) and commercial and educational/local authority use of the service increases, the service will become self sustaining.
By offering a local service provided by local people for local people, the center will by nature offer relevant services that will prove both economically viable and sustainable. This has already been proved in India and elsewhere in the World. Now it’s Africa’s turn!8. Trust in ICT: People must have confidence in and understand the implications of the ICT they use.
This is where the teacher comes in. By and large, schools are respected institutions in Africa and the teacher’s own enthusiasm along with that of the pupils will rub off on the community.
By keeping expectations real, with services simple and efficient, trust can be quickly built up and the World will in a very short time be amazed at just how industriously and creatively Africans will be using these communication centers.
As experience grows so will the understanding of the basic technology behind the service. Just like we in the Western World built up trust in the Web over time (remember the first time you put your credit card number on Amazon?) - so will the Africans.9. Public Support and Political Will: The public must support the government’s strategies to promote ICT use, and governments must have the political will to drive needed changes.
Here again is where the school strategy comes in. Education for the people is and should be one of any African government’s primary political objectives.
By offering an efficient and cost effective means to improve education in traditionally “difficult” locations, this ICT service should be embraced by the government. The economic opportunities and disaster relief service is also offers should only reinforce their support.
The political capital that can be gained by providing a respected and useful service to remote constituencies is worth a lot to any government, particularly if it’s not costing them too much.
People will in turn embrace a government that is clearly demonstrating a will to educate and service their constituents with initiatives that actually work on the ground.10. Macro-economic Environment: The national economic policy must be conducive to widespread ICT use.
It is important that the people, particularly those in rural regions, understand just what this service will offer them.
Linking the service to the educational system will help introduce it within a respected and trusted framework. This same institutional introduction is well positioned to practically demonstrate just what the service can and will offer them. “Buy-in” at all levels of government is paramount and as suggested above, the political capital to be gained in offering such a service should generate that political will to participate.11. Legal and Regulatory Framework: Laws and regulations must not limit the effective use of ICT.
The introduction of high quality Internet connections into remote African regions will be unprecedented and therefore offers no threat to any existing telecommunication service or infrastructure.
Connect Africa’s aim to serve only the most remote regions in any country serves only to reduce the “competitive” threat even further.
Connect Africa's objective to work closely with existing Telco's and communication organisations should provide them with a good opportunity to provide a reliable service for people and regions that have always been under serviced.12. Socio-cultural Factors: People must not be limited in their use of ICT because of their gender, race, age, or other socio-cultural factors.
Connect Africa’s link with the country’s educational infrastructure will help overcome traditional prejudice and other socio-cultural factors.
Furthermore Connect Africa will work closely with other international organisations and governments that have experience in this area.
