How to deploy sustainable telecentres in Rwanda? Rwanda Telecentre Network August 2010 Paul BARERA Juriaan Deumer

This presentation briefly explains RTN's initiative of telecentres in Rwanda and what is needed to realize that 1.Why are telecentres in Rwanda necessary? 2.How can a network of telecentres in Rwanda be realized? 2

A nationwide network of telecentres is necessary because it accelerates the development of Rwanda 1.The network of telecentres is an essential step in the development of a knowledge-based economy in Rwanda, since the initiative:  Develops human resources by improving ICT skills  Facilitates access to knowledge and information widely available on the internet  Fosters entrepreneurship in the private sector  Creates jobs outside agriculture in service sector 2.The network of telecentres caters to the need of the Rwandan community to access ICT:  This need was clearly expressed in the nationwide baseline study organized by RTN in 2010  However, current possibilities to access ICT are very limited  Telecentres are an appropriate solution to provide access to ICT at affordable rates 3.The network of telecentres improves market efficiency, since the network offers:  An efficient product, service and information delivery channel for private, public and civil society organizations to target the Rwandan community  An efficient product delivery channel for the Rwandan community to bring their products to the market

One telecentre creates benefits for the local community, but a network of telecentres creates a two-way delivery channel One telecentre creates: 1.Access to ICT for a community; 2.Employment opportunities for a community. One thousand telecentres create: 1.An efficient product, service and information delivery channel for private, public and civil society organizations; 2.An efficient delivery channel for communities to bring their products to the market. 4 RTN Telecentres Rwandan organizationsCommunity 1) Community development through ICT access 2) Community employment 3) Product, service & information delivery channel for organizations 4) Product delivery channel for community

The network of telecentres results in improvements for Rwanda at all levels 5 Local entrepreneur Steady income outside agriculture RTN services increase sustainability and impact Network increases chance of success Private and civil society organizations Efficient channel to deliver products, services and information to community Efficient channel to procure products from community Rwandan government Efficient channel to deliver services and information to community Government’s telecentres more efficiently run and more successful Rwandan community Access to information and learning using ICT Employment opportunities Easy access to products, services and information Efficient product delivery Rwanda as a country Essential step towards goal of knowledge-based economy Increase of economic activity using ICT facilities

This presentation briefly explains RTN's initiative of telecentres in Rwanda and what is needed to realize that 1.Why are telecentres in Rwanda necessary? 2.How can a network of telecentres in Rwanda be realized? 6

Based on its vision of Rwandan development, RTN has undertaken the challenge of deployment of telecentres To deploy new telecentres To make operational telecentres more sustainable and impactful To create the largest network of telecentres by 2015 that would reach 70% of the total population of Rwanda To create an environment in which all categories of Rwandan society will be equally empowered by the use of information and communication technologies Higher goal Why does RTN exist? Challenges What are RTN’s goals? Core qualities What is RTN good at? Core values What does RTN stand for? 7 1.To have telecentres operational in Rwanda before the end of To build the capacity of people who work in telecentres 3.To boost the employment generation in rural areas and reduce urban migration 4.To facilitate local content creation, dissemination and sharing in Rwanda 5.To raise awareness of role of telecentres in the development of Rwanda 6.To promote innovative use of ICT4D and develop a sustainability mechanism for telecentres Values: integrity, respect, teamwork and professionalism Principles: collaboration, interdependency, hard work & result and personal mastery

RTN cannot do it alone; several key players have an important role in the establishment of the network  RTN RTN acts as an independent facilitator of telecentres and therefore has a central role in the network environment, working with telecentres, partners and government  Partners Private, public and civil society partner organizations deliver products, services and/or information that add value to community, telecentres, RTN and their own organizations  Government The government facilitates the network through legislative, technical, financial and human resource support The government uses the network as a delivery channel at national and local level  Development and technology partners Suppliers enable the network through knowledge, funding and technology  Telecentre managers Local entrepreneurs own, deploy and run telecentres 8

The RTN initiative contributes to the country’s goals, but government support is needed in four areas of the project  The government’s goal is to transform the country into a knowledge-based economy The goal of a knowledge-based economy is stated in Rwanda’s Vision 2020  A network of telecentres contributes to this goal and RTN can act as a major partner The network of telecentres is an essential step in the development of a knowledge- based economy in Rwanda RTN can support the government in running telecentres and making them more successful  Support from the government for the network of telecentres is needed in four areas: 9

 RTN supports new and operational telecentres based on an extensive service range RTN’s main role is to help new and operational telecentres to be sustainable and to make an impact on community 10 1.Project leadershipSupport for starting Telecentre Managers 2.TrainingRigorous training curriculum for Telecentre Managers 3.Partnerships Partnerships with private, public and civil society organizations 4.Technical assistanceHelpdesk and technical repair centre for technical problems 5.AdvocacyRTN as a spokesman for telecentres in Rwanda 6. Access to funding, knowledge and technology Access for telecentres to funding, knowledge and technology 7. Platform for sharing experiences and content Telecentres connected through online platform and meetings

To realize fast results and a shared way of working, RTN initiates uniform processes for new and existing telecentres  RTN uses an uniform process for bringing new RTN telecentres into operation To ensure a shared way of working and to realize fast results  The process is initiated by RTN; after being recruited the Telecentre Manager takes over Telecentre Manager is responsible for deployment of telecentre During critical steps in the process, the Telecentre Manager is supported by RTN 11  Existing telecentres are welcome to join the network, since it strengthens both the telecentre and RTN: The telecentre benefits from RTN service range to increase profit and impact on society RTN profits from increased size, strengthening the position of the network For existing telecentres joining RTN, a different and more simple process is used

Implementation of the RTN initiative is done based on seven tracks and kicked-off during the coming months  The roadmap for establishment of the network is based on seven tracks: 12 Track Build telecentres Existing telecentres  New telecentres  2Build RTN organization  3Build partnerships  4Build public/private cooperation  5Create awareness  6Raise funds  7Monitor progress The size of the ball indicates the tracks’ importance relative to the other tracks at any point in time