Digital Doorway to Rural Connectivity Network

Free / subsidised exposure to ICT ICTs as information tools Actively participate in information society Computer Literacy Benefit from information society Participate in information society 2002/3 Cwili & Mamelodi 2004 – 5 Massification2006: Rural Connectivity Network Digital Doorway to Rural Connectivity Network

Cwili to Mamelodi Installed November 2002 Windows based Single seater User comments very positive: “ Computer helps me because it is very educational” “I also write my CV on this computer” “I did not know computers before it came here” “It teaches us how to use computers” “…computer because it help us find important things we do not know …” BUT: Too many users for single DD Reliability problems due to unstable operating system Frustration and vandalism Difficult to customise to our requirements Housing not ergonomical and difficult to install PC Platform not always stable Moved to single seater open source configuration in Mamelodi

Massification installations countrywide Four seaters Fully open source & improved hardware platform Can customise to requirements Reliability and robustness improved significantly Accessible Digital Doorway User comments: “…DD will be used by +/- 25,000 community members this year …” “…a first in our community: no access to computers before …” “I visit the DD to learn about computers” “I used the DD to help me with school work” “…DD is a place where young people of community can socialise; keeps them out of trouble…” A&E: 96% of community members like having DD around

Assessment and Evaluation Suggested areas of improvement Connectivity Improved sustainability on programme and site level important Brand DD centres and create awareness Develop smaller DD of which more can be deployed Develop a technical maintenance support model Develop local community champion base Structure access and applications for each user group “… provides free access to computers, contributes towards the development of ICT literacy skills and it provides a complementary learning environment. The young people who frequent it also view it as a recreation space and it thus has the potential to demonstrate the joy of learning in an uncontrolled environment to young people who often have very little other facilities. It is an ideal alternative for the segment of our society that is financially not able to provide a computer at home but that has similar aspirations for their children as all parents have.

Rural Connectivity Network Build on success and learning to date Implement recommendations Use DD to introduce communities to advantages of connectivity Expand IT literacy component Provide communities with access to electronic services Ensure sustainability Must save community time and money Integrate with other initiatives Service delivery platform Government Industry (e.g. banking) Enable rural and peri-urban people to enjoy same advantages of access to information and services as enjoyed by the urban population

Rural Connectivity Network