Don - you asked for some information
# Ref: (telling more about) links and engagement being forged between....and Horace's group
I have forwarded your email to Horace.
#Ref: the way online interactions are increasingly used in support of Telecentre (InfoCentre)initiatives ........Watching as this project develops has been tremendously enlightening
Here I will plug our newsletter - Issue 1 featured Chief Adejumo's description of the commissioning of the InfoCentre in June 2003. Issue 27 (which should be out in the next day or two) will feature the installation of the VSAT last Tuesday. No technical details - its about the people involved and how the news travelled. It includes an impromptu message of congratulations from four friends of the InfoCentre - living in four different countries - who happened to "bump into each other on yahoo as the news was breaking".
We held a quick yahoo conference to put together a message, so our Ago-Are friends would get an immediate sense of what it means to be part of the connected community. This gives you a flavour of the message - which also explained how we were in different countries and time zones (and why we are planning to get a Yoruba keyboard at the InofCentre - there should be tonal marks) :
"Eku'se, Sannu da aiki. AgoAre. Its nice to see you on the World Wide Web... The Internet is very interesting and can help you develop in ways you have never imagined before......Gbogbo Ago-Are nko, Uruko mini David, Omo Kenya, Kaabiyesi oooooh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, Gbogbo ile nko? Kenya owa, family owa, kusi onu.......Ekujomeji, Ekujometa Oga Ogunjimi, Omo nko, Mama inko, ile inko. Eku'seo Oga, I am glad the dream is coming true...."
To subscribe to the newsletter http://lists.kabissa.org/mailman/listinfo/oocd2000plus
# Ref - how are the funds and plans for sustainability coming along?
We don't seem to fit into the world of funding somehow... you touched on this problem for small bottom up initiatives like ours in a previous email. We are still "passing the hat" to try to fund David's return. See too
www.bmycharity.com/cawd1
for a recent fund raising event. If you read the small print you'll see that donations were mostly offline - but its not too late to give online if anyone feels inclined - all currencies accepted ;-)
Sustainability is an issue we have been addressing very seriously. The InfoCentre has always had to stand more or less on its own feet - which limits what it can afford to do regarding "social services" - the digital library side of things. I have been very much influenced by the theory of Social Entrepreneurship in recent months, and that is having a strong influence on how we are currently "regrouping" - too much to cover here now - but you can expect to see the results over coming months and years.
# Ref: Have you been able to forge linkages with
the Cyber Caf� in Saki?
That actually is an interesting story - illustrative of many issues, with useful lessons for where there is no local connectivity. But no space for details here.
# Ref:Your challenges and experiences offer valuable
insight for anyone wishing to grasp the complexities of civil ICT engagement
I hope so. That's why I'd like to link up with an academic - so we could upgrade the story from anecdotal to proper research and evaluation.
# Ref and IMHO is exactly the type of experience we need to incorporate into WSIS
(do you have any spare time? . Thanks for the encouragement Don. We don't do anything non-essential that involves spending money - but if its a matter of "rubbing brains", won't take too long, and is an opportunity to learn something new it might well rise to the top of the pile. What do you have in mind?
Rgds Pam
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