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Multipurpose Community Telecentres (MCTs) in Ethiopia: A Case Study

This case study examines the establishment and impact of Multipurpose Community Telecentres (MCTs) in Ethiopia, including the provision of various services, typologies of telecentres, and lessons learned. The study also discusses the global movement of telecentres and the specific case of MCTs in Ethiopia.

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Multipurpose Community Telecentres (MCTs) in Ethiopia: A Case Study

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  1. Multipurpose Community Telecentres (MCTs) in Ethiopia: A Case Study Abebe Chekol And Simon Ingram-Hill

  2. Themes • Concepts of telecentres • Typologies of telecentres • Movement of telecentres world-wide • The case of telecentres in Ethiopia • Issues around the establishment of telecentres • Lessons and Recommendations

  3. What are telecentres? • Telecentre: a broad range of services: commercial call centres, satellite offices and facilities (e.g. fax, telephone, computing, Internet) use. • Fusion of telecommunications, information, multimedia and computing functions to help address community problems and needs. Alice: Library Automation Project

  4. What are telecentres – contd.. • Telecentre: “a staffed multipurpose centre aimed at providing computers and telecommunication facilities for a local community in remote, rural regions and in low-income urban settlements, so that these facilities can be used by all people in the community”.

  5. MCTs as Community Information Support Centres • MCTs support provision of two kinds of information for communities: • Survival information: on health, childcare, etc. • Citizens’ action information: information concerning social, political and legal rights etc

  6. Typology • Setup and application varies: • Tele-kiosks – provide public phone, and fax services • Telecentres for local small business and ‘tele-workers’ - equipped with computers, printers, photocopiers etc. to provide access to data networks

  7. Typology contd.. • Commercial telecentres .. a.k.a cyber cafes- excellent means of increasing access to the Internet • University telecentres • School telecentres • NGO-sponsored telecentres • Multipurpose telecentre model.. ITU

  8. Movement of telecentres world-wide • ITU, UNESCO/DANIDA and IDRC lead telecentre projects in 5 African countries – Benin, Mali, Mozambique, Uganda and Tanzania • A lot of other initiatives world-wide at http://www.itu.int/ITU-D-UniversalAccess/

  9. The Case of telecentres in Ethiopia • First telecentre in Ethiopia was established at Wolisso by the British Council and ESTC in collaboration with the Wolisso City Council and with funding from British Embassy. • Inaugurated on 26 February 2000

  10. Objectives of Wolisso MCTs • To make the world’s pool information accessible to the communities and to develop awareness of these resources • To link local and central systems (communities, government systems, etc.) through the ICTs and promote economic development • To act as model to encourage similar local initiatives • To support distance learning

  11. Started with the following hardware facilities • 3 computers • 1 printer • 3 telephone lines for both the Internet, fax and public phone services • 1 fax machine • 1 photocopier

  12. Information resources • CD-ROMs such as multimedia encyclopedias, dictionaries, etc. • Books and manuals on ICTs • Internet resource guides

  13. Manpower • 1 telecentre administrator – temporarily assigned by the project • 1 assistant clerk provided by the Wolisso City Council

  14. Services provided • Internet • E-mail • CD-ROM services • Telephone • Fax • Word processing, desktop publishing • Computer literacy training • Library services

  15. Users include • Local government and non-government officials • Experts in various sectors • Civil servants • Secondary and post secondary school teachers and students • Members of the private sector • Women and youth

  16. Benefits • It is community orientated, rooted in the community • It has development information about health, agriculture, etc. • The telecentre disseminated useful information to the informal sector and business community, thus promoting employment and devt • Geared towards those who don’t have other means of accessing information • Links Wolisso with the world through the Internet and e-mail including its homepage

  17. What has been achieved? • The centre mainly focused on raising awareness of the community on use of ICTs. Hence, computer literacy and internet training was given to: • 117 school teachers • 13 health workers • 17 agricultural development and extension workers • 40 secondary school students • 76 women and youth group • 56 civil servants from various government dept

  18. Sample Internet and computer use of three months

  19. Survey on use and attitude of community towards the telecentre • 40 questionnaires with 25 completed and returned • Respondents by age group by occupation • 17-20 ….. 19 - students 6 • 31-40 …… 3 - teachers 9 • 41-50 ….. 3 - govt bureau 7 by gender - private sector 2 • Male 19 - others 4 • Female 6

  20. Survey indicators • Majority (76%) said their feelings about themselves as a learner has much more positively changed • Users feeling about computers and related technologies now have much more positive than before • Developing their computer skills is the main goal of almost all users • Majority believe that coming to the telecentre has made difference in their life

  21. Users comments • ‘..I now learnt how to use computer and other technologies.. How to start computer, hot to search for information on the internet, how to print, and how to send letters through e-mail..’ • ‘..I appreciate that you have changed my mind.. I have now more access to information and technology.. The world is in my hand, I can say..’

  22. Users’ comments contd. • ‘..It goes with my interest, the centre helps me learn new things every day..’

  23. Other initiatives • Sidama public information resource centre introduced Internet access supported by Ireland Aid

  24. Future plans • Debre Berhan telecentre • Aksum telecentre • Gondar telecentre

  25. Issues • Policy constraints • The existing Ethiopian telecom policy doesn’t allow establishment of telecentres (telecom services) except by the ETC • Sustainability • As opposed to cyber cafes that are mostly introduced by the private sector, telecentre are donor-driven initiatives.Thus their sustainability is as far as the donor support exists

  26. Some of the Challenges • Affordability • Content • Connectivity

  27. Lessons and recommendations • Community participation in governance • An integral part of community development involving all stakeholders • Telecom policy needs to support introduction of such services

  28. Thank you

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