

Telecentres in Moz	• Home • Search Site • Publications • About Acacia • Contact Us • For Media •	Français

Conference Guide

All Conference Reports Presentations Speakers Connectivity Africa News Releases Forum
Up
Venue: Kwa Maritane

Telecentres in Mozambique

The Telecentros of Manhiça and Namaacha

Recipient: Centro de Informatica de Universidade de Eduardo Mondlane (CIUEM)

Contact: Sra. Polly Gaster, Project Coordinator

Website: www.telecentros.org.mz e email: polly@nambu.uem.mz Tel: 258-1 492601

This project was designed to assess a Mozambican developed telecentre model (which couples financial sustainability and social goals) in two small communities, namely Manhica and Namaacha, about one hour from the capital, Maputo. The initial project supported the preparation of premises, procurement and installation of equipment, and management of the telecentre services over a 4-year period. The telecentre staff were recruited locally and trained by CIUEM. A local Supervisory Committee was created and they have helped to define the ownership model for the future of the telecentres. Funding ended in Dec 2002 and the Namaacha telecentre will join the Schoolnet program and Manhiça’s local steering committee is in the process of creating an association to own the telecentre.

These telecentres have been offering various services, from email and Internet access to printing and photocopying and public telephones, and places heavy emphasis on an educational role. With the help of strategies designed to gain the involvement of the most disadvantaged groups, they aimed to reach all strata of society. An important component of the project was research and evaluation, through which it is hoped to produce systematic and objective information that can be applied when establishing telecentres on a large scale in Mozambique and which may be helpful in other countries making similar experiences.

The Telecentres Networking and Sevices Development project started in May 2002 and is aimed at consolidating current and planned telecentre initiatives led by CIUEM into a coherent and technically well-supported public access system in anticipation of tapping this resource to further the objectives of the ICT Policy Implementation Strategy.

Information and publication available from the project (in the language they are produced):

· Estudo de Viabilidade dos Telecentros, Viability Study of Telecentres

· First Year Evaluation Study 2000

· Case Study on Mozambique for book “Telecentres: Case Studies & Key Issues”, COL, 2001 at www.col.org/events/0106events.htm#telecentre

· Case study in pan african evaluation ***

· Evaluation of Project and Information Needs Assessment, December 2002. Currently being translated into English

· Dados sobre utentes colhido diariamente (users data collected daily)

· Fotografias

Projecto Evolução pelo Comunicação e Informatica (EPCI)

Recipiente: Escola Secundária Emília Daússe, Inhambane

Contacte: Sr. Momed Cadir, Project Coordinator

Web: in development e email: cpepci@teledata.mz Tel/fax: (023) 21138

This project intends to strengthen the use of ICTs in teacher training as well as in governance. The Emília Dausse Secondary School in Inhambane established the EPCI research centre to provide ICT training and technical expertise to other government institutions, namely provincial education authorities and the Governor's office, as well as the local private sector. It also offers routine telecentre services such as photocopying, computer use, internet services, etc. with a special emphasis on educational uses.

A pilot activity named the Youth and ICT for Development Program started at the end of 2001. Micro projects were identified where students can use their latent capacity, enthusiasm and energy to apply ICT skills to real life uses. The groups of ten students are trained in computer use and internet research, and carry out identified activities related to seven themes:

translation, accounting, traditional knowledge, small scale livestock, media, training of partners (such as a teacher training institute, a health training centre, district administration staff), and environment.

For some of these themes they collaborate with NGOs or government ministries. Opportunities to replicate this experience of using youth and ICT for development in other provinces is being explored.

Information and publication available from the project in the language indicated: