Challenges and proposed solutions towards telecentre sustainability : a southern Africa case study

Access to information through telecentres is essential for social and economical growth in rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa. While many governments have established telecentres as means of bridging the increasingly wide digital divide in rural or unserved areas, their corresponding sustainability or continual operation is in doubt due to various challenges. These challenges to information and communications technology (ICT) access has resulted in many of the rural population being unable to exploit the potential of promoting social economic development through innovative business solutions and education. In this study we evaluate the sustainability of telecentres in Zambia and South Africa and propose possible solutions to the problems that telecentres face. Strictly speaking, we focus on two telecentres; Comsol telecentre in KZN, South Africa and Kanyonyo Resource Centre in Mongu, Zambia

USAGE PATTERNS AND CHALLENGES OF MULTIPURPOSE COMMUNITY TELECENTRES IN MALAWI

Domestic digital divide denotes the divisions between the haves and the have-nots of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) within a country. To bridge the domestic digital divide, the government of Malawi has been establishing telecentres since the early 2000s. It is now two decades since the first telecentre was opened. However, three important questions persist: Who uses the telecentres in Malawi? How are the telecentre used? What are the challenges in the use of telecentres? Using data from users, telecentre management and within telecentres, the study shows that there is uneven access for multipurpose telecentres in the country, as users are predominantly male, young, relatively educated and belonging to low-income levels; that users mostly used photocopying, printing and library services; and that, at one telecentre, a good number of users accessed the internet and computer services. The main challenges that users experienced included inadequate books and computers, the high cost of some services, lack of information in local languages and lack of internet-searching skills. The multipurpose community telecentres experienced poor infrastructure, lack of technical expertise, bureaucratic delays and demand that the telecentres should be free to the communities they serve. The study shows that telecentres are failing to achieve the objective of bridging the digital divide

Uses, benefits and challenges of using rural community telecentres as tools for development: the Case of Vikwa Community Telecentre in Kasungu, Malawi

This paper examines the uses, benefits and challenges of using telecentres as tools for development in Malawi focusing on one community telecentre: Vikwa Community Telecentre in the Kasungu district of Malawi. Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered using a questionnaire administered to 46 users; interviews with the Telecentre Manager; and observation of the categories of people coming to the telecentres; what they were using and challenges sues and challenges within the telecentre. The findings indicate that the users are improving their skills and knowledge, school performance, finding new friends and saving money. The community uses the telecentre to improve work related skills, keep in touch with friends and families and look for jobs. The negative finding is that telecentre usage is uneven as users are generally poor male youths with little education. Furthermore, the users face a number of challenges when using the telecentre. For the telecentre to have more impact on development, the paper recommends that the Vikwa Telecentre should work on attracting all groups of people in the community, change the internet service provider, buy an electricity generator, acquire more books and computers and train staff in customer care.Keywords: development, telecentres, Malawi, multipurpose community telecentres, Vikwa Community Telecentr

The perspective of stakeholders regarding access to ICT in rural communities of uMgungundlovu District Municipality.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.Understanding stakeholders’ perspectives regarding access to information and communication technology (ICT) is a critical aspect of ICT for Development (ICT4D). The rural communities of uMgungundlovu District Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa were studied to investigate the current means of accessing information using ICT; the factors that affect access to ICT in the rural communities; the literacy level and technological skills of local communities and the stakeholders. The challenges that have the potential to undermine the implementation of ICTs were also identified. The study used a sequential mixed methods design that entailed the collection of qualitative data subsequent to the quantitative data collection to address the research questions. A non-proportional stratified sampling technique to collect data from 61 stakeholders was utilised. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data from 26 councillors, 5 municipal managers, 5 corporate services mangers, and 5 ICT managers, while semi-structured interviews were used to collect qualitative data from 20 ward committee members. The quantitative data was analysed using SPSS statistical software and the qualitative data was analysed with thematic content analysis. The findings of the study from the rural stakeholders’ perspectives revealed that radio was used the most to access information followed by word-of-mouth, cellular phone, newspaper, community gatherings, while TV, letter writing and internet had the lowest usage. On the other hand municipal managers recognise the need for ICT for the economic advancement of the region, which requires the adoption of suitable ICT policies and their annual review. Furthermore municipal managers understood that current information on the municipality website and access to the municipality website were important. Almost all of the Ward committee members had knowledge of Community based digital hubs and all of them wanted the Community based digital hub (CBDH) to be established in their communities. The perspective of the committee Ward members on the technological and computer literacy levels of their respective communities shows an even distribution between the community members with knowledge of CBDH and those without. The communities are not trained to use communication tools but their perception on youth training with respect to the use of communication tools were significantly different, since some of the youths have undergone some level of computer training on account of the schools they attended. The greatest challenge to the establishment of community-based digital hubs (CBDH) was lack of availability of land, followed by lack of electricity, shortage of skilled people to manage the CBDH, maintenance of the structure, difficulty of permission to build the CBDH and comunal land conflicts. Recommendations based on the findings of the study are presented, while further research should focus on the factors and challenges that influence access to ICT in rural communities in South Africa from the perspectives of rural community members

SMEs and Business Information Provision Strategies: Analytical Perspective

The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of business information provision mechanism for SMEs with a view of highlighting aspects critical in any business information provision modalities. It makes a reflection on SMEs as information user groups, highlights notable challenges faced in the business information chain and gives an account of the ICTs impact on business information provision to SMEs. To inform decision making regarding appropriate business provision, some aspects from three countries are highlighted. The guiding principles for developing effective business development services are outlined. The article concludes by a call for the adoption of serious information provision strategies and makes useful recommendations for business information providers, academicians and policy makers. The provision of business information to the SMEs is crucial. However, this must be based on a clear understanding of the basic ingredients crucial for any meaningful design to take place. This review highlights important issues that business information providers should take into consideration. It provides a platform for business information providers and policy makers, academicians in LIS profession to rethink best practices to curtail challenges in business information provision to SMEs

THE EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT INFORMATION ACCESSIBILITY SYSTEM FOR A COMMUNITY IN THE REMOTE AREAS OF SOUTH AFRICA

Thesis ( M. Tech. (School of Information Technology )) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2014The aim of this study has been to find out how the community in the remote areas of South Africa access government information. The study is based on four villages, two in the Northern Cape Province (Heuningvlei and Galeshewe) and two in Limpopo Province (The Oaks and Finala). A quantitative design was used. Open and closed-ended questionnaires were used to collect data from the community. Out of 200 questionnaires distributed only 144 responses were received. Responses in the questionnaires were tabulated, coded and processed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) programme. Based on the analysis in Table 4.13, the study showed that 44 percent of the sampled community have access to information through Television which they classified as technology. Shortage of telecentres, distance to telecentres, age, lack of education, monthly income, infrastructure and transport cost were some of the important factors contributing to a lack of access to information. Some of the findings are that most of the telecentres are located far from towns, more than 7 kilometres from the village. Ideally, telecentres should be located near the community, within a short walking distance. It is recommended that provision/establishment for easy access to information and communication services by the Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA) in the remote areas in the Northern Cape and Limpopo province is strongly considered for implementation. This will overcome the gap that exists between the urban and semi-urban communities regarding access to human rights information such as rights to life, equality, freedom of speech, assembly and access to information. It is also assumed that the implementation of telecentres and Internet Cafes, in order to facilitate the adoption of e-government information by people residing in remote areas (semi-urban areas) such as Heuningvlei, Galeshewe, The Oaks and Finala will contribute to better access to human rights. The study also recommends that the service costs charged by the telecentre and Internet Cafes should not be expensive. This will assist the community to afford to pay Internet services. Information is important for decision-making. For this reason, it is recommended that continued campaigns on awareness about the mportance of access to information through telecentres and Internet Cafes should be conducted

Mid-term assessment of the ACACIA program of IDRC, 1997-2000

‘Acacia’ has invested $3.7 million in community telecentre activities, representing the most important area of program concentration. This review looks at outcomes of Acacia's projects; assesses how far the program is integrated; mechanisms which are in place to support integration and synthesis; looks at shared vision and understanding of Acacia's purpose and objectives among the National Acacia Advisory Committees, project leaders, and within Acacia and IDRC. It reviews whether projects are demand- or supply-driven, and which recipients are traditional IDRC partners

Information and communication technologies and sustainable livelihoods : a case of selected rural areas of Tanzania

Thesis (Doctor of Phil. (Information Studies)) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have, in the recent past, attracted enormous attention as important tools for socio-economic development. However, the role of ICTs in fostering development and addressing the needs of the poor, especially in developing countries, has become the subject of a heated debate. This contestation is due to the high failure rate of the ICTs for development projects and a widening gap between the expectations of what ICTs can possibly do and the experiential reality of how these technologies are actually being used. More often than not ICTs have been regarded as a panacea or a „magic bullet‟ that will solve all development problems, with ill-conceived expectations of how they would be used. This study examined the relationship between ICTs and sustainable livelihoods in selected rural areas of Tanzania. The aim was to investigate how and for what purposes ICTs are used by people in the selected rural areas of Tanzania and to study the effect that ICTs have had on the various aspects of their livelihoods. A combination of the sustainable livelihoods framework and other ICTs for development models formed the theoretical foundation of the study. The investigation was carried out using ICT services provided by the telecentres and mobile phone services. The study was conducted in four rural districts in Tanzania which have telecentres. It used a multi-case study research design. A mixed paradigm methodology was adopted and the qualitative research was used as a dominant paradigm. Data was collected through structured interview protocols administered to 203 users and non-users of ICTs in communities surrounding the telecentres. Semi-structured interview protocols were administered to four managers of the telecentres. In addition, eight focus group discussions were conducted in communities surrounding the telecentres. An observation checklist was used to verify data obtained from managers, users and non-users of the telecentres. The study administered semi-structured interview protocols to officers from the ministry responsible for ICTs in Tanzania, that is the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MoID), The Tanzania Communication and Regulatory Authority (TCRA) and a national research institution (The Commission for Science and Technology- COSTECH). The findings of the study indicated that, contrary to the use of mobile phones, which was characterised by greater uniformity across socio-economic groups and gender, telecentre users in the researched areas were generally young. The majority were males with higher levels of education. It was found that telecentres management have failed to take into consideration the appalling conditions of the extremely poor and disadvantaged individuals in their provision of ICT services to the community. The study established that the urban rural digital divide still exists and is still a reality in the areas reviewed, despite some efforts that are under way to bring ICTs to those communities. Old ICTs such as radio and television are not universally available. It was observed that inadequate road infrastructure makes it difficult for farmers to transport their produce to markets outside the districts, even in cases where farmers are provided with information on the availability of those markets. Inadequate electricity supply hinders large-scale uptake of ICTs in rural areas. The findings show that telecentres managers were not aware of the information needs of the communities they serve and therefore they were not in a position to meet such information needs. Due to personnel‟s inadequate skills and capacity the Ministry of Infrastructure Development did not play its policy-making function effectively. This problem, coupled with delayed implementation of important policy objectives such as the universal access policy and even the national ICT policy itself, affects the development of the ICT sector in rural areas of Tanzania. The findings further show that while the necessary conditions for access exist in all the telecentres involved in the study, sufficient conditions for access are still lacking, especially with regard to skills, awareness and affordability. On the relationship between ICT and rural livelihoods the findings of the study show that while ICTs may not fully support and sustain socio-economic development in poor communities, the impact of these technologies extends to various aspects of the livelihoods of the rural people. Economically, these technologies lead to better earnings and savings. Socially, they help in community interaction and knowledge-sharing, better follow-up for remittances and creation of savings and credit co-operative societies. In relation to human capital, the technologies‟ implications extend to ICT literacy, improved farming techniques and better access to information on new cash crops. The use of ICTs in rural areas is still faced with many barriers. These range from affordability to language problems and the lack of basic infrastructure such as electricity. Language was particularly found to be a substantial barrier to effective use and application of ICTs. The study recommends that telecentre managers should re-design programmes with the aim of bringing the under-represented groups such as farmers back to the centre of their projects, rather than treating them as passive receivers of ICT services. On the issue of mobile phones, there is a need to develop services that are nuanced towards the real needs of the rural people and incorporate them into the mobile technology. The study recommends that universal access policies should involve old ICTs such as radio and television, or people in the rural areas, who have fewer resources, will eventually pay too much for basic communication services, as in the case of satellite television and radio. Capacity-building is important, not only in the regulatory authorities, but also in the ministries responsible for ICTs and other institutions involved with ICTs, so as to provide effective national ICT leadership. The study recommends that managers of telecentres learn about the different aspects of access, in order for them to go beyond the provision of physical access to ICTs. Continuous improvement and renewal of telecentre services is necessary to ensure survival of the telecentres. Collaboration of the telecentres and other organisations, such as academic institutions, is needed to create content both for the telecentres and the community radios. Telecentres and other information systems developed or adopted to serve the people must meet the needs of the people intended to be served. This can be done by regularly conducting information needs assessment

Determinants for ICT Adoption and Problems: Evidence from Rural Based Small and Medium Enterprises in Malaysia

The purpose of this study is to investigate the information and communication technology adoption among rural based SMEs in Malaysia and identify the problems facing these SMEs in the implementation and usage of ICT. In addition, the study also attempts to determine whether significant relationships exist between owners’ attitude, knowledge and innovativeness, and the ICT adoption. Questionnaire survey was used to obtain data from rural based SMEs in Malaysia. A total of 1000 questionnaires were distributed and 167 usable responses were received. The findings reveal a relatively high adoption of ICT among rural based SMEs while lack of funds and financing were the main problems to the success of its adoption and implementation. It was also found that only attitude had significant positive relationship with the ICT adoption. The findings of this study assist to owner/managers of rural based SMEs and also policy makers in Malaysia in finding strategies to cultivate culture of adopting and implementing of ICT for betterment of SMEs in Malaysia

Understandings of Education in an African Village: The Impact of Information and Communication Technologies

Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,