Soros Foundation - Moldova Dumitru Chitoroagă

Extending Access to Information Information Resources Development Information Program Priority Directions: Information policy and resources for implementing e-Democracy and e-Governance Extending Access to Information Information Resources Development Community Network and information culture

Extending Access to Information Information Program Extending Access to Information Goal: to provide access to information for rural area by offering new services based on ICT and training regarding ICT use. Program priority areas: establishing Access to Information and Training Community Centers (AITCC) in rural area supporting public libraries initiatives in improving information services for different categories of users (until December 2005)

Public Library Initiatives Implementation Data: Total financial support offered by Soros Foundation-Moldova for diversifying information services within 81 public libraries– $377 561 Year Public Libraries SFM support, $ 1999 1 17 780 2000 5 29 500 2001 10 75 868 2002 7 17 062 2003 19 80 725 2004 25 98 570 2005 14 58 056

Extending Access to Information Access to Information and Training Community Centers Objectives : to facilitate access to information and new forms of communication of community members; to promote new concepts about information, access to information, ICT and training; to provide ICT training for community members.

Extending Access to Information Implementation Data: Total financial support offered by the Foundation – $761 672 Year AITCC SFM support, $ Community support, $ 2002 10 67 904 30 260 2003 22 139 785 70 595 2004 30 224 695 151 285 2005 19 213 454 83 784 2006 115 834 41 250

Extending Access to Information Eligibility Criteria: applicant’s and community’s contribution - 30% - 35% services offered by grantee - free of charge: 60% - 70% / fee based: 30 % - 40% main budget lines supported by the Foundation - equipment and Internet connection qualified local team selfsustainability for the second year eligible organizations: NGO, libraries, secondary school educational institutions.

Soros Foundation Moldova Context (2000-2005) insufficiency of transparency of normative acts and decision making at national and local levels that reduces the possibilities of citizens, NGOs, and media to influence this process; insufficient quality of information resources in Moldova gap in access to information resources between rural and urban areas shortage of free and unlimited access to information for all social categories of people shortage of qualified specialists who could ensure access to information no on-line services and on-line payments

Extending Access to Information Main issues in 2000-2005: Low number of IT specialists in rural area High turnover of IT specialists Low speed of Internet connection High price for Internet connection Exclusive use of Microsoft Software Language (interface, content)

Soros Foundation Moldova Context (2012) low quality of information resources in Moldova shortage of qualified specialists few on-line services are available in Moldova about 90% of the country is covered by internet 3G+ and wired internet offered by Moldtelecom growing number of free WiFi areas dramatic increase of the number of PC’s & notebooks in rural area smartphone is becoming a “must have” Skype – cheapest communication channel with relatives working abroad

Extending Access to Information Main issues in 2012: Internet cafe – low profit business Smaller target groups On-line payments in Moldova are not developed Low number of IT specialists in rural area High turnover of IT specialists Language (interface, content)

Soros Foundation Moldova Key factors for future growth Increasing the number of on-line services (e-government) Developing of on-line business (on-line bank transactions - widely available for citizens, PayPal in Moldova, on-line auctions [including agricultural products], …) Diversification of business (NGO activities, IT training & consulting, software & hardware support, WEB advertising, …) AITCC Network development (joint projects, effective exchange of information, …)

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