IICD supported project: Mwanza Community Tele-Centres (CTC)

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Countries: Tanzania [TZ]
Sectors: livelihood
image: project in state 4

Summary

Investment in traditional terrestrial communication networks requires high traffic volumes in order to be economically viable. The Mwanza Community TeleCenter (CTC) highlights a promising solution by working to strengthen theses aspects of rural service provision that depend on information exchange, by means of satellite and wireless communications that reach the most remote rural areas as easily as downtown. Before CTC was set up in 1999 only one small access point was available in the entire region charging high rates. Through the development of an Internet café, training facilities and a dynamic community website and a highly interactive mailing list, the Mwanza CTC provides access to basic ICT services for a wide range of both lower and middle-income groups at very affordable prices, in addition to offering other facilities.

Update

Updated: 2005-07-04

Being the first of its kind in the region, the Mwanza Community TeleCenter has acquired a remarkable position. Though competition from other, newer, internet café’s is steep, the Mwanza CTC still has a large number of loyal users who regularly use the centre, making it financially sustainable. Journalists from the Mwanza Press Club have also received ICT training from CTC, as a result of which they now provide the <a href="http://www.mwanzacommunity.org">community website</a> (launched in June 2003) with regular news items of local relevance. CTC was a very good and competitive knowledge centre in the region until the University Computer Center of Dar es Salaam (UCC) started its branch in Mwanza. The CTC training centre has therefore fulfilled its mission as a knowledge centre for the region and transferred the training activities to UCC. However, the telecentre itself continues to deliver its other services. Negotiations are ongoing to have some special hours and assistance for youth groups.

Introduction

Inauguration of the Mwanza Community telecentre Tanzania's development plans give a very high priority to the improvement of public services-services such as education, health care, access to improved agricultural and environmental techniques, effective local government, together with new business and job creation. The focus of these plans is largely directed to rural areas where about 85% of the population lives. To achieving these plans, good access to information could help transform the rural provision of basic services in Tanzania. However, Tanzania's poor communications infrastructure is a major and often increasing constraint on development. During a Roundtable workshop on ‘Livelihood opportunities - Community development’, organized by IICD in 1999, stakeholders from a broad cross-section of organisations (government bodies, private enterprise and NGOs) came together and identified the need for affordable ICT training and access in the Mwanza region, particularly for people from the lower and middle income groups.

Objectives

To meet the needs for affordable ICT training and access, project has identified four key objectives:
• Transform communication and information exchange attitudes and practices in Mwanza by making optimal use of the existing infrastructure and by using appropriate new ICTs, particularly in remote urban centres;
• Create awareness among the local population, especially disadvantaged groups such as women and young people, of the many different practical ways in which ICTs can be used in everyday life and the benefits they can bring;
• Provide the general public with the ICT training and skills they need to play an active role in today’s Information and Knowledge society;
• Offer high capacity and high quality ICT services and facilities for public use in a sustainable way.

Development Impacts

The CTC contributes significantly to raising awareness of the benefits of ICT in the Mwanza region as well as stimulating their use. Regular visitors to the telecentre speak very highly of it. Training specific target groups such as journalists and young people may also catalyse further developments. A more formal evaluation of the project has yet to be made.

Management and organisation

Telecom Solutions Ltd. and the University of Dar es Salaam's Computing Centre (UCC) jointly own and operate this project. The project is organized as a self-managed, separate company known as the Community TeleCentre (CTC) Limited. This is to ensure sustainability through a built-in profit incentive and to ensure strong company performance. In terms of project supervision and management, a Project Board and Project Management have been put in place. The Board comprises some of the key people who first came up with the idea with this project and consists of (amongst others) Professor Beda Mutigawaya (Managing Director, UCC) and Mr. G. Alphonce (Director, CTC).

Market and finance

The CTC serves the Mwanza community as a whole. A market study carried out in 1999 for the CTC project revealed a strong demand for various ICT services. In addition to Internet Service Provider (ISP) services (e-mail, internet, web hosting and promotion, distance learning and information services), turnover is generated by an ICT resource centre that offers a variety of services including telephone/fax, video conferencing and computer courses.

Up until the end of 2004, the TeleCentre obtained most of its revenue from the computer courses it provided. However, this source of income dried up when the entire training component was transferred to UCC. Other sources of revenue now include mainly the Internet café. Also the photocopying and secretarial services contribute. In 2002, the opening of a number of new regional Internet cafés made the market highly competitive with low margins on a break-even point with the quality of the services. The situation seems to have stabilized now and the telecentre still manages to make some profit. Providing Internet services at a preferential rate for specific target groups has also proved feasible.

Results

Today, Mwanza CTC provides access to Internet facilities along with a horde of other ICT services to the people of Mwanza. As the first of its kind in the region, the Internet café soon became the pacesetter in the burgeoning Internet industry. The Internet café is frequented by the young, the elderly and a multitude of other segments of the local population. The CTC has become an ICT bridge in Mwanza - reducing the digital divide that is ubiquitous throughout Tanzania and the rest of Africa.

Project Owner : CTC Limited Liability Company: www.mwanzacommunity.org

Project Partners : IICD, University of Dar es Salaam Computing Center (UCC)

Project Contact : IICD