|
Workshop breakaway and report-back session: Networking Activists Report by Paul Nash High points Activists agreed that they have a lot of common ground. Firstly, they noted the large impact that quite a small intervention can have on communities. Secondly, vital human networking comes out of computer networking. Geeks are excited by technology, but ultimately networking is about working with people. Thirdly, working co-operatively means that people are enabled: people can develop their own answers by co-operating with others. Two women’s projects found it was important to include men. The reason for that is especially in rural areas a lot of men think computers and technology are the man’s domain. If you include them, everyone wins. Low Points Difficulties! Projects are long term and require a long term commitment, as these projects are not quick fixes. Lack of any background technical knowledge in some communities requires that you show people what is involved. Some people have never seen working electric lights. Language is also a problem. Mozambique has 13 languages, though the technical stuff is in English. Lack of infrastructure is a major problem. In rural areas with no water and electricity, some can be provided locally by getting solar panels and drilling boreholes, but telecoms infrastructure has to be linked to the rest of the world, and that really is difficult. Considering the importance of women in any project, dealing with women is a topic of major concern. Women in communities have other jobs: they must care for children, till the fields, cook food. You only have 2-3 hours a day of contact with them, while the rest of the time they are busy surviving. Appropriate content: when working with people, consider who you are dealing with. Women are more interested in co-operating on humanitarian issues, they are less greedy. People from government are largely there in their individual capacity. Would we do it again? Yes. Methodologies are working, the process is not always easy but the results have been positive. Only one group said they would not do it again the same way. The women’s net part of Sangonet was too successful. The technology they used initially does not scale (it has grown so big that the management overhead is huge and they must move onto a different platform). You must plan ahead so that you can switch over.
|
|
Send mail to
mediaman@worldonline.co.za with
questions or comments about this web site.
|
