ICT successes shared with government leaders in Mwanza, Tanzania

Speakers from IICD-supported projects in the education, health, agriculture and governance sectors were invited to share their ICT experiences with 40 government leaders and councillors from Magu and Mwanza districts in Tanzania in June 2007. For many of the participants, particularly the councillors, each of whom represented several villages, ICT was little more than a theoretical concept. One councillor commented: “ Out of the 150 people who live in my village only five families have access to electricity and three people have a mobile phone .”

The workshop participants learned about the possibilities that ICT can offer to speed up development, some of which were located very close to their homes. For example, the CROMABU Crop Marketing Bureau provides information on crop-growing techniques and market prices to farmers in Magu and links the rural communities from this district to the outside world via its website at www.cromabul.com . Access to this kind of information has increased the income of around 7,000 farmers in the area.

Another ICT success story from the region comes from the ELCT hospital in Mwanza. The hospital has been able to improve its health services by installing a Health Management Information System (HMIS). Information analysis, patient records, recording medical cases, visits, diagnoses, treatments, medicine stock, income and billing has been made simple, efficient and transparent thanks to the HMIS.

Speakers from Dar es Salaam revealed how GIS is being used to calculate property tax, how students can now find their exam results on the internet, and how several ministries are now offering public services online. A success story about community radio illustrated that it is not only computers that improve the flow of information and communication.

What is the next step?

What is the next step? At the end of the workshop the participants adopted a resolution, stating they will each work with their respective local governments to identify how ICT can catalyse development. They pledged that they:

• have been highly sensitised by the workshop on matters relating to ICT for Development;
• will go to their individual Councils and start the process of identifying their needs with the aim of fully utilising ICT for Development in their respective Councils;
• will plan to make sure that employees from their Councils will be computer literate;
• will request more support from COSTECH, IICD, SWOPnet and the Central Government to support their Councils to be networked with their wards;
• will cooperate with SWOPnet Mwanza Chapter in achieving their goals in utilising ICTs for catalysing development in their respective areas.

Only a few weeks after the workshop, a group of 19 Magu government officials enrolled in an ICT training course, which shows that ICT is now considered a priority.