1 - Enabling "public computing" rather than "personal computing"
2 - Considering "value" rather than "initial price"
3 - Developing local skills in computer maintenance and repair.
As CawdNet is active in rural Nigeria, these are issues which concern our associates in a very practical way, so I would like to offer observation on all three points.
1 - Enabling "public computing" rather than "personal computing"
This is our approach. However we take the concept of "public computing" beyond shared use of each computer We want public/community access to Information and Communication and Technology - not just to computers. Our publicly shared computers are at centres where there is wider interest in community needs for information. We do training, but our training is not only about ICTs. It is a response to community concerns regarding information.
A course on solar cooking (held at the Fantsuam Foundation's Community Learning Centre in February 2005) illustrates the CawdNet relationship between Information and Communication and Technology. The key stages relating to the course are given below.
Initial interest in solar cooking was stimulated by a book, by Anna Pearce, which I took to Ago-Are, and left there with David Mutua (then OCDN project manager). Some months after I came home to the UK David sent me an an email on behalf of various people in Ago-Are asking for more information. At that time he had to travel form Ago-Are to Ibadan to send emails - a long uncomfortable journey - impossible to get there, send an email, and get back in one day, using public transport as he had to do.
I followed up the request by contacting, and visiting, Anna Pearce. I stayed several days while she taught me about her work. I put what I learnt on a short VCD which I sent to the InfoCentre. David also did his own research networking by email and amongst his fellow VSO volunteers. We did not have sufficient resources to take it further.
A year after I left the book I revisited Ago-Are. While I was there David and I conducted a needs analysis. This was done voluntarily in response to an informal request by Dr Krishna Alluri of COL (Commonwealth of Learning) which was a result of Internet discussion lists.
During the needs analysis the issue of solar cooking was mentioned twice: once by a LG officer, who had a community development role; once by a spokesperson following a women's meeting. The spokesperson in fact suggested that necessary information could be put on a video cassette, as it would be expensive for someone to come to Ago-Are to do the training.
Last month training took place at FF and two of the participants were from Ago-Are. Arrangements for their participation were made over the Internet. This was possible because FF and the InfoCentre at AA have both managed to get VSAT installations.
The training course is part of a wider solar cooking initiative enabled by COL, with FF as the lead organisation in Nigeria. It includes the development of video production skills, to create distance learning materials. The course was led by David Mutua, CawdNet coordinator in Nigeria. John Dada, FF programs director hopes that what has been learnt will be useful for the proposed FF "Positive Kitchen". This is part of future plans for the FF health group. There is already a doctor running a support group for people living with HIV/AIDS which includes nutrition training (theory and practical). Word about solar cooking is spreading locally and by the end of the course another ten people had asked to be included on a follow up course.(Sponsorship would be needed to enabled such a course).
2 - Considering "value" rather than "initial price"
FF already does "cheap" computers. It has distributed four consignments of refurbished computers and runs a volunteer workshop to support this work. The volunteer techies have all been trained through FF courses. However, even with the support of the workshop refurbs are not a cheap option. Experience has taught FF that it can only guarantee disc drives for six months because they are so ill suited to local conditions.
A system with a much higher initial price but a good Total Cost of Ownership is the Solo, which FF is also trying to make available. (For photos of Solo mark 2 prototype during field testing in Ago-Are/Oke-Ogun see http://www.explan.co.uk/solo/market.html) The Solo is low maintenance and low power consumption - two enormously important local considerations.
3 - Developing local skills in computer maintenance and repair.
This is absolutely essential. When David needed technical support he had to take the Ago-Are computers to Ibadan by public transport: two or three passengers on the front (single) seat; a similar squash on the middle and back seats; and his precious computer disappearing under piles of yams and other luggage.
Local skills have to be part of the package.
# FF has its workshop.
# The Solo is designed for small scale local assembly and is part of a complete concept of technology transfer.
# I have friends at my local computer club.
# I guess that list members who are not techies know someone who will rescue them from ICT glitches and hassle..
If ICT is to work then the friendly techie and the computer have to be on the same side of the digital divide.
In rural Nigeria all three issues are important. 1 - Enabling "public computing" rather than "personal computing" 2 - Considering "value" rather than "initial price" 3 - Developing local skills in computer maintenance and repair.
Pam
Pamela McLean - CAWD volunteer and CawdNet convenor
CawdNet – Networking in rural Nigeria and through the virtual communities of the Internet (CAWD is registered charity number 1104228).
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A CawdNet website bringing all these odd bits together will soon be set up on www.cawd.net <http://www.cawd.net/> - depending on the conflicting demands of our volunteer’s baby and day job.
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