On 8/5/05, Jim Stodder asked: > ...I have a question... to which I'd love a response. Can anyone give me > good references linking 'Base of the Pyramid' (BOP) strategies with > Distance Education (DE)
Jim and other List members may be interested to know what CawdNet is doing in rural Nigeria, and how that links in with BOP and DE. N.B. I will use the expression ODL (Open and Distance Education) rather than DE. This is to avoid confusion with the kind of "DE" familiar in rural Nigeria - where "DE" usually means F2F (face to face) courses, but delivered partly through satellite centres at a distance from the main institution. If you are familiar with the ideas of "Small is Beautiful - Economics as if People Matter" please bear them in mind too, as they are relevant to the way we think. The key CawdNet associates that you need to know of for this email are CAWD (Charity for African Welfare and Development, based in the UK) Fantsuam Foundation (FF, in North Central Nigeria) and OCDN (Oke-Ogun Community Development Network, in SW Nigeria) CawdNet has a vision for BOP and ODL which consists of: - Finding ideas for small business development to serve BOP markets (partly through CAWD's networking via the Internet). - Trying ideas out at FF. - Developing good ideas into business plans for micro and small businesses. - Providing F2F business training at FF combined with business incubation. - Sharing this FF training with representatives of other training centres in our network -initially from OCDN's InfoCentre(s) and FF's clan network - but also with representatives of other centres we are developing links with. - Training delivery at FF will include TOT (Training of Trainers) - We will also develop training resources for the trainers to use. - We will develop better and better resources so that ultimately training resources will be suitable for delivery by facilitators who have general training skills, rather than requiring trainers with subject specialisms. - We will cascade our training through an increasing number of satellite training centres. The CawdNet associates already have important foundational elements related to BOP with DE and we are moving to bring these elements more closely together. CawdNet's foundational elements include: * Training delivery * Use of ICTs, relevant to ODL * Services, relevant to BOP business development These are described below. Regarding ICTs (relevant to ODL) CawdNet has: * An organisational history of using ICTs to exchange information and "learning" back and forth between rural Nigeria and CAWD in the UK - useful for knowing the realities of what will and will not work both technically and culturally. * Individual experience of studying through ODL - which has given an evangelical zeal to share that kind of opportunity with others * VSAT links to FF and OCDN - which could be used to support ODL * Various long term plans regarding better "information pathways" to other potential satellite training centres - which would increase our outreach potential. * Present use of video-recording for internal purposes - providing a useful basis for future ODL development. Regarding training CawdNet has: * A history of providing F2F training to rural people through FF and OCDN * Experiences of sharing the same training courses with people at FF and OCDN and a need to do it more effectively (the single journey between FF and OCDN takes the best part of two days by public road transport - and is too expensive to be undertaken lightly - so a better solution has to be found). * OCDN's plans for more InfoCentres in addition to its present single one at Ago-Are - which will increase the number of potential ODL sites. * Training courses at FF and OCDN in use of video cameras * Training courses in video editing - a useful skills basis for ODL development. Regarding BOP services CawdNet has: * FF's background of micro-finance services - which gives good experience of BOP finances and related capacity building. * CawdNet's desire to extend that capacity building to helping to set up small business for BOP goods and services - for the mutual benefit of the customers and the businesses. We have gradually developed all the existing elements listed above (and more) in response to various local needs. Creating those elements has led to a clearer understanding of the natural links between ODL and BOP which Jim Stodder mentioned in his original email. We are gradually progressing and increasingly recognising what needs to be done (regarding ODL and BOP and other issues). We are constantly learning, making mistakes, trying again, plodding on at a rate that is limited by the resources we have available - but directed by imaginative yet realistic long term vision regarding ICTs, community development and local needs. In case any List members are interested in Jim's question for practical reasons as well as theoretical reasons I will point out that CawdNet is always willing to explore overlapping interests and potential collaborations with other individuals or groups. Pam Pamela McLean CawdNet convenor [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.cawd.net and click on CawdNet ------------ ***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/>
