*LWATI * The monthly e-newsletter of the Southern African Non-Governmental Organisation Network (SANGONeT)
December 2005, Number 18 www.sangonet.org.za "Lwati" is an isiSwati word meaning information. --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- <> EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S COMMENTS <> EVENTS <> TECHNOLOGY SERVICES <> CIVIL SOCIETY INFORMATION SERVICES <> NETWORKING AND OUTREACH <> CONTACT DETAILS --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- <> EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S COMMENTS Dear reader Welcome to the 18th edition of SANGONeT's monthly e-newsletter! We have come to the end of another challenging, but very rewarding year for SANGONeT. In 2005 we revised and consolidated our organisational structure and focus, and implemented a wide range of ICT activities in support of the South African NGO sector. A highlight of the year was the launch of the new SANGONeT portal on 24 October 2005. In its first month more than 13 000 people visited the site, registering more than 180 000 page views. To date, feedback has been very positive and we have many new plans for the portal which will be implemented in 2006. Another successful undertaking in 2005 was the first SANGONeT "ICTs for Civil Society" conference that was held from 1-3 March 2005 in Johannesburg. Based on the success of the first event, we are currently preparing for the next conference that will be held from 7-9 March 2006 at the Indaba Hotel in Fourways, Johannesburg. Please note that the conference dates have been changed from 1-3 March to 7-9 March 2006 as the local government elections are scheduled for 1 March 2006. For detailed information about the event, including how you can assist us in shaping the programme, visit the new conference website - www.sangonet.org.za/conference2006. Other important announcements highlighted on the website are the 'Call for Papers' in support of the 'Research Track', and the invitation for submissions in support of the 'South African NGO Web Awards 2006'. The winners will be announced at the gala dinner on 8 March 2005. We are also pleased to announce that with the support of the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) and the Finnish Embassy in South Africa, as of 2006, SANGONeT will expand its Thetha ICT discussion forums to the rest of Southern Africa. A total of five two-day events will be held during 2006 in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland. A key issue we plan to address during these events will be the challenges and opportunities related to the ìInformation Societyî in Southern Africa. Specific attention will be given to the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), which was held from 16-18 November 2005 in Tunis, Tunisia. The jury is still out on the value and potential long-term impact of the Summit. For many people this was just another talk shop, coupled with a host country that tried its best to intimidate civil society voices that endeavoured to highlight human rights abuses in the country. This was a major contradiction in the context of an event promoting an inclusive global information society. The compromise on Internet governance, which - to a large extent - will result in maintaining the status quo based on US ownership, was also a major disappointment. At the same time, the summit was a celebration of the role played by ICT as a tool for development. The hundreds of exhibitions, panel discussions and product launches paid testimony to this. The challenge going forward is how best to maximise this energy in response to global development issues. SANGONeT participated in WSIS as a member of the South African delegation and exhibition, and will be actively involved in local WSIS follow-up activities. The SANGONeT Annual Report for 2004/5 was officially launched on 24 November 2005 at the Sunnyside Park Hotel in Parktown. Arthur Goldstuck of World Wide Worx was the keynote speaker at the event, highlighting the findings of a recent study on mobile communication trends in South Africa. Copies of the annual report, produced in CD-rom format, are available from the SANGONeT office for collection. As this is the last Lwati of 2005, I would like to wish all our clients, partners and Lwati readers a happy festive season. Thank you for your support during the past year and I wish you a wonderful and prosperous 2006!! David Barnard ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ <> EVENTS # Second Annual SANGONeT "ICTs for Civil Society" Conference and Exhibition SANGONeT will host its second annual "ICTs for Civil Society" conference from 7-9 March 2006 at the Indaba Hotel in Fairways, Johannesburg. For more information about the conference, please visit http://www.sangonet.org.za/conference2006 \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ <> TECHNOLOGY SERVICES # NGO.ZA Support Line A share call number has been installed for the mail.ngo.za Support Desk. Clients can call 086 011 1401 for technical support relating to dial-up, ISDN and ADSL connections. This service is anticipated to save cost and time for clients requiring technical support. # NGO.ZA Webmail The NGO.ZA webmail facility is accessible from the www.ngo.za portal. By clicking on the 'Check your NGO.ZA mail' button, users can access their e-mail. Access is restricted through the user's e-mail password. The Webmail facility enables users to read, edit, delete and store their e-mail. In addition, a number of value-added facilities such as the online Calendar and Address book are available through the Webmail interface. A 'Folders' function allows for quick reference to unread mail, total number of messages and sent messages. All clients have 20 Mb storage capacity for storing their e-mail messages. Once this limit is exceeded, incoming e-mail will bounce back and users are advised to regularly download their e-mail to avoid this from happening. The Webmail facility also allows users to change their e-mail password and set up auto responders. For more information on NGO.ZA, please visit http://www.ngo.za # NGO.ZA Tectonic News feed A new open source news feed has been installed on the NGO.ZA portal featuring content from Tectonic, a South African news portal focusing on open source software. For more information on Tectonic, please visit http://www.tectonic.co.za # Technology Consulting SANGONeT offers a wide range of customised technology solutions, including open source software consulting, facilitation of website workshops and developing a technology plan for your organisation. For more information on how we can assist you, please contact Joseph George on Tel: (011) 403-4935 or [EMAIL PROTECTED] \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ <> CIVIL SOCIETY INFORMATION SERVICES # NGO Portal The month of November heralded the one month anniversary of the launch of the new SANGONeT portal. In its first month, more than 13 000 people visited the portal viewing more than 180 000 pages. This response has exceeded our expectations. We thank you for your support and trust that you will keep visiting the portal. The portal has been very well received, with 44% of respondents who took the poll on the portal rating it 'excellent'. There was a perfect split between those saying that the site is 'very good' and those arguing that it 'needs more work' - 26%. A mere 4% rated the site 'just good'. This feedback is very helpful and SANGONeT is committed to keep building on the achievements of the first month in meeting the information needs of the NGO sector. # NGO Pulse The information on the SANGONeT portal is updated on a daily basis. To keep abreast of current news on the portal, subscribe to the weekly e-mail alert "NGO Pulse" that keeps you informed about new postings on the portal, including jobs, proposals and events, top local and international news flashes, as well as nonprofit research and new literature sources. To subscribe to NGO Pulse, send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word 'Subscribe' in the subject line. # PRODDER A very important aspect of the SANGONeT portal is mapping the NGO sector in South Africa through the PRODDER Directory. What we have found most interesting while validating the information about listed organisations on PRODDER is the phenomenal increase in the application of ICTs in the NGO sector. In 2001, the last time that PRODDER was released by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), a mere 20% of listed organisations had websites, while 61% had e-mail. Five years later, by mid-October 2005, almost two thirds (65%) of validated organisations on the new online PRODDER Directory have their own website, while a significant 84% have e-mail addresses. This trend shows the increasing importance of the online environment for the promotion of development information. SANGONeT's Civil Society Information Services team will continue to monitor trends and keep you informed about the relevance of ICTs as a tool for development. For more information on PRODDER, please visit http://www.prodder.org.za # SN-Announce For the modest fee of R500, organisations can post anannouncementon this e-mail advertising service. Repeat announcements are distributed for an additional fee of R150. Please contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] for more information about this service. It has a readership of more than 10 000 people. # Events Calendar An important feature on the SANGONeT portal is a comprehensive listing of forthcoming Southern African and international development conferences. To have your event included in this facility, please forward details to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more information about forthcoming conferences, please visit the 'Events Calendar' on the portal. \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ <> NETWORKING AND OUTREACH # SANGONeT's Executive Director, David Barnard, attended the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) from 15-19 November 2005 in Tunis, Tunisia. # SANGONeT's Deputy Director, Fazila Farouk, attended the SNV/Impact Alliance workshop on "Systemic Change for Promoting Local Capacity Development" from 20-22 November 2005 at the Heia Safari Ranch outside Johannesburg. # SANGONeTís Technology Services Manager, Joseph George, attended the Open Society Foundation (OSF) Community ICT conference from 21-22 November 2005 in Braamfontein. \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ <> CONTACT DETAILS SANGONeT P O Box 31392 2017 Braamfontein SOUTH AFRICA 29th Floor, UCS Building 209 Smit Street Braamfontein Tel: (+27) (11) 403-4935 Fax: (+27) (11) 403-0130 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] WWW: http://www.sangonet.org.za \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ CopyLeft. 2005. SANGONeT. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and modify this document. Please provide an acknowledgment to SANGONeT \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ To subscribe to the SANGONeT Newsletter, simply send an e-mail message to '[EMAIL PROTECTED]' with the word 'Subscribe' in the subject line. ------------ ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization*** To post a message, send it to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: <http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/>
