IICD supported project: Kibengwe Rural Communication Access and Development Centre (RCA Kibengwe)

Countries: Tanzania [TZ]
Sectors: livelihood

Summary

The Kibengwe Rural Communication Access and Development Centre (RCA Kibengwe) was set up as a pilot project in the rural district of Bukoba to provide ICT facilities to rural communities in the Kagera region and encourage local communities to set up self-help groups based on knowledge sharing. The centre, which is linked to the internet via a satellite connection, gives local people access to a variety of ICT facilities. It also experiments with handheld devices and Open Source Software (OSS). The project has a strong research component and will deliver a model on how to set up a low-cost, sustainable, shareable infrastructure for remote rural areas to provide internet access to local communities. The project’s success can be attributed to the active role played by the local community and the public-private partnership between the government, private sector partners and NGOs, through which the RCA is run.

Update

Updated: 2007-03-12

With the basic infrastructure now in place, the telecentre is ready to be used by the local community. In order to overcome the natural hurdles which might stop people in the community from using internet facilities, and to show them the enormous potential ICT has for improving daily life, specific target groups such as farmers and students, have been identified and plans are being drawn up to encourage them to use the telecentre. Negotiations are also underway with the local NGO FADECO which promotes agriculture development of the grassroots communities in Karagwe district, Kagera region. FADECO already has an internet connection but could benefit from the RCA by expanding its access to different sites, using wireless technology and thus replicating the Kibengwe model. Kibengwe also stands to benefit from this partnership as FADECO is well-known and has developed an extensive network. Knowledge sharing activities in the region will be supported by SWOPnet.

Introduction

This project emerged from a local research study carried out by the University of Dar es Salaam, which indicated that good access to information in rural communities could help transform the provision of basic services in Tanzania. Public and private organisations subsequently joined forces with local and international NGOs to develop a model on how to provide affordable and sustainable rural community access. The project officially started in May 2003 with a stakeholder workshop held at the project site that was formally opened by the Bukoba Rural District Commissioner. At the end of the workshop, a local steering committee was appointed to oversee the project on behalf of other stakeholders. As the local community was involved in the project right from the start there is a strong sense of local ownership, which bodes well for the project’s long-term sustainability. The temporary building in which the telecentre is housed was provided by the community itself.

Objectives

The RCA Kibengwe project is divided into four phases, each of which aims to consolidate ownership of the project within the local community:

• Phase 1 (the current phase) aims to set up the infrastructure necessary to provide access to internet and other ICT services;
• Phase 2 will focus on establishing user groups and setting up activities aimed at community development using the ICTs available;
• Phase 3 will involve monitoring and evaluation (M&E) activities, gathering data and establishing lessons learned during the course of using ICTs for development at the community level; and,
• Phase 4 will develop a management formula that can be replicated in other regions and will stimulate regional networking among similar community facilities.

Planned outputs

The main outputs locally include the formation of self-sustained groups within the community that can use ICT for their specific economic and educational development targets. Basic ICT training and capacity building as well as initial monitoring of new groups will be necessary. The project promotes the development of a regional network in which this approach can be duplicated. Alongside its key objectives, the project is also expected to build a community hall for meetings and other recreational activities.

Development Impacts

• Students, teachers and other people in the area will have the opportunity to learn how to use computer and internet facilities and will be given access to them.
• Users will take advantage of the facility to boost their income and this will ultimately contribute to poverty alleviation initiatives within Tanzania.
• Women from the region will be able to use the internet to communicate with women living in other regions of the country and acquire information on, for example, how to form and run various development cooperative groups, which in turn will help to improve their social wellbeing.
• Internet will help to inform local people on how to prevent infection from HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases in their area.

Management and organisation

The project is managed by a board consisting of representatives from both the private and public sector including the University Computing Centre (UCC), Kagera Agricultural Environmental Management Programme (KAEMP), Bukoba District Council (BDC), World Vision Tanzania (WV) and a User Committee. Day to day operations are handled by a Project Manager supported by other staff members.

Market and finance

There are more than 3000 potential users in the project area, including local government officials, teachers, students, hospital staff, staff from other community services as well as members of the general public. Another way of making the project sustainable is by charging fees to institutions that use the RCA network to obtain internet access. A nearby school already pays a monthly fee to the telecentre for a wireless connection that provides three of its school computers with internet access. Meanwhile, a training centre and a missionary have also requested a connection.

Results

Since the implementation of the project started, computers and internet connections have been set up and the telecentre is now ready to be used. One school is already hooked up to the RCA network through a wireless connection and has internet access as a result. Two other local sites - a missionary post and a training centre – have requested a similar connection. Training staff have completed their introductory training course and the building that houses the equipment has been refurbished and is almost ready. The RCA website is fully operational although some pages are still empty

Project Owner : IICD, Kagera Agricultural Environmental Management Programme (KAEMP), University Computing Centre (UCC), Bukoba District Council (BDC) and World Vision Tanzania (WV).

Contact Organisation :

Project Contact : Nic Moens