From peter@sn.apc.org Sun Apr 28 18:42:38 2002 From: peter@sn.apc.org (Peter Benjamin) Date: Sun, 28 Apr 2002 20:42:38 +0200 Subject: [Communitysa] Towards a Community Information Network for SADC Message-ID: <3CCC5EBE.32044.665A93@localhost> Towards a Community Information Network for Southern Africa This email is to ask if you would be interested in developing a Community Information Network for Southern Africa. The primary goal of this initiative is to support community ICT projects achieve greater access to information systems to support development in Southern Africa. This idea came from various meeting late last year and early this, especially the 'Dam the Digital Divide' workshop organised by OSISA parallel to the ITU Africa Telecom Conference. Over 100 activists from telecentres, schoolnets and other projects in Southern Africa resolved that there was a need for some structure to support community ICT projects in the region. The Open Society Initiative of Southern Africa (OSISA) is interested in supporting this, and a project proposal must be submitted to them by mid-May. Other funders have been approached and have shown some initial interest. This initiative could become part of the =91Telecentre Helpnet=92 proposed by IDRC and UNESCO. This message is to ask if you would like to be participate in this project. We are seeking partners in each country in SADC, and will develop the proposal collaboratively between those interested. The team of 5 that have taken on drafting the proposal are: Susan Mpe, Botswana nyc@botsnet.bw Agnes Phiri, Swaziland agnes.phiri@undp.org Nicholas Mulusa, Zambia nmulusa@caz.gov.zm Matthias Masawe, Tanzania mmasawe@hotmail.com Peter Benjamin, South Africa peter@sn.apc.org Anyone else who wants to be involved in developing the proposal is welcome to assist. We will be putting this together by the middle of May. We are asking for your support and involvement in this process, especially if you are based in Southern Africa / SADC. Below are the proposed outline of the project. For more information and to become involved, please email Peter Benjamin at peter@sn.apc.org Yours sincerely, Peter Benjamin OUTLINE OF COMMUNITY INFORMATION NETWORK FOR SOUTHERN AFRICA (CINSA) AIM: To support development and social justice through assisting Community ICT projects in Southern Africa. There are many Community ICT projects in SADC, including telecentre, Schoolnet, multi-purpose centres and community information projects. Many of these projects lack support in many areas (including training, access to services, technical support and financial resources). CINSA aims to be a support network to assist community ICT projects, and to make it easier to start similar projects. FUNCTIONS THAT CINSA CAN PLAY: * NETWORKING ROLE =B7 Newsletter (electronic & paper) =B7 Email list, website =B7 Directory of projects, initiatives, people =B7 Possible meetings (e.g. annual) The telecentres in Latin America and the Caribbean are organized in a grouping called 'Somos telecentres' ('We are telecentres' * see http://www.tele-centros.org) that we could learn from. * TRAINING =B7 Training in: Management, technology, computer skills, services, evaluation, train-the-trainers =B7 Certificate / diploma (accredited by universities) =B7 Mixture of both online training with some face-to-face sessions * SHARE SERVICE IDEAS =B7 Share information on successful services, e.g. access to distance education, e-commerce networks etc. =B7 Develop 'how to guides', e.g. for community directory, community newsletter =B7 Share existing resources, e.g. UNESCO Telecentre Cookbook, Technology toolbox, Colle & Roman Training resoruces, Wits training, CommUnity SA resources. =B7 Develop and share needs analysis and evaluation techniques. =B7 Share methods for information / content creation / indigenous knowledge. * TECHNICAL SUGGESTIONS =B7 Develop a clearing house for technology questions on various areas: =B7 Power sources (solar, generators, other) =B7 Connectivity (wireless, satellite, ISP) =B7 Computer access (e.g. recycled computer projects, simputer etc) =B7 Offer technical advice & support =B7 Link with similar initiatives (VITA, IDRC/UNESCO Telecentre Help Desk, GCN Telecentre network) * RESOURCES =B7 Develop resources that can be used by others in the network, such as: =B7 Example business plans =B7 Models for various service delivery =B7 Evaluation plans =B7 Training materials * RESEARCH & EVALUATION =B7 Share reports, methods and experiences on research and evaluation of CICT. =B7 Conduct & commission comparative research and evaluation across the various CICT in SADC. =B7 Promote community methods in evaluation and management of CICT. * "VOICE OF COMMUNITY ICT" =B7 Possibly, develop policy suggestions through the network of CICT in SADC. Feed experiences, ideas and needs into policy processes, 'bottom-up'. =B7 Possibly organise an input to the World Summit on the Information Society in 2003. Ideas on structure of the project Aim to be a support for existing Community ICT projects and a point of contact for any one interested in setting up public access to ICTs in SADC (whether NGO, private, govt etc.) Longer term aim: increase access to ICT and 'information society' for all in SADC by promoting small business and public access Governance by a board made up of people from throughout SADC (hopefully with inclusion of SADC, TRASA, African Connection and other relevant bodies) Longer-term sustainability of project: possibly move to a membership network for organizations & individuals Structure: With a representative organisation in each SADC country, nodal points in 4 countries (possibly LINK in SA, CIEUM in Mozambique and others). COUNTRY CONTACTS ANGOLA Ebonet is a commercial ISP active in establishing Public Access Points or Telecentres. They have two projects: "EMail for Everybody" is a partnership with the National Post Company, should operate as an independent company owner of the Telecentre. Telecentre Project: A proposal to Provincial Government of Luanda has been written (the capital city of Angola). A small program was promoted by ANGONET (www.angonet.org), a public room with Internet Access for local NGOs without their own facilities to use Email. Haymee Perez Cogle, PAcomm, Lda haymee@ebonet.net www.ebonet.net BOTSWANA Susan Mpe National Youth Centre nyc@botsnet.bw, mpesue@yahoo.com Ndipo Mokoka Worldview, Botswana view.bots@info.bw LESOTHO There are telecentres planned at the following centres: Maseru Resource Centre, Mafeteng Resource Centre, Mohale's Hoek Resource Centre, Leribe Resource Centre, Thomas Mofolo Library, Lesotho National Library Service, National Teacher Training College Library, Lerotholi Polytechnic Library, The British Council Library. Zawedde Nsibirwa, British Council Zawedde.Nsibirwa@bc-lesotho.bcouncil.org Thotoane Pekeche Transformation Resource Centre, Lesotho centre@lesoff.co.ls MOZAMBIQUE Namaacha and Manica Telecentres 2 pilot telecentre have been established by the University of Eduardo Mondlane, supported by the IDRC. http://www.telecentros.org.mz Polly Gastor CIUEM polly@nambu.uem.mz Fernando Neves Syscom syscompt@teledata.mz Americo F Muchanga Universidade Eduardo Mondlane americo@dzowo.uem.mz Emma Sylvester Bradley EDCI Research Centre emmasb@teledata.mz cpeci@teledata.mz NAMIBIA Ben Amathila Namibia bamathila@mib.gov.na Raashied Galant Namibia MISA research@misa.org.na SOUTH AFRICA The Universal Service Agency is the statutory body to support telecentres. It has set up 80, primarily in rural areas. Contact: Dipuo Mvelase dipuo@usa.org.za http://www.usa.org.za The LINK Centre (Learning, Information, Networking & Knowledge) of the University of the Witwatersrand has set up a newsletter (called CommUnity * unity through communications) and website of over 600 community ICT projects in South Africa Contact: Peter Benjamin peter@sn.apc.org, http://www.communitysa.org.za The British Council held the conference on Building the Information Community in Africa (BICA) conference in February 1999 which brought together over 200 telecentre activists, researchers, regulators and donors. http://www.bica99.org The Government Communication and Information Service is establishing 20 Multi-Purpose Community Centres, including telecentre services. These include a range of government services. Contact: Michael Currin Michael@gcis.pwv.gov.za Anriette Esterhuysen Assoc for Progressive Comms. Anriette@apc.org Heather Ford Electoral Institute for SA heather@eisa.org.za Emmanuel Njugan APC africa.rights@apc.org Alfred Toodz Kgolangana atoodi@yahoo.com Chris Armstrong National Community Radio Forum carmstrong@icon.co.za Jonathan Miller, Jonathan Miller & Associates jonmil@icon.co.za Esme Modisane MACIS, GCIS emodisan@callisto.cids.org.za Sandile Nolowonde Green Sandile21724@yahoo.com Glen Jordan Intavision glen@intavision.com Mike Jensen Many projects mikej@sn.apc.org SWAZILAND Agnes Phiri UNDP, Swaziland agnes.phiri@undp.org TANZANIA Sengerema Telecentre is an ITU-UNESCO-IDRC telecentre planned for a rural area of Tanzania. The executing agency will be TTCL, the national telephone company. http://www.itu.int/ITU-D- UniversalAccess Mr T. E. Mlaki Project Leader Sengerema Telecentre P.O Box 4302, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Enock Yonazi Tanzania Commission for Science & Technology eyonazi@hotmail.com Maneno Mengi maneno@africaonline.co.tz ICT and telecentre work in Tanzania Rakesh Kukreja Tanzania ICS(T) Ltd rakesh@icstz.com John Kajiba Tanzania ESRF jkajiba@esrf.or.tz Felician Nckeye Sengerema telecentre nckeyefb@hotmail.com Matthias Masawe Tanz. Comm. for Science & Tech mmasawe@hotmail.com Theophilus Mlaki Tanz. Comm. for Science & Tech tmlaki@hotmail.com ZAMBIA Chipata Telecentre The Chipata Chamber of Commerce (CoC), Eastern Province, Zambia, near the Malawi border, has launched a telecentre in Chipata as part of the Africa Connection rally in May 1999. This telecentre is targeting the local business community and the Chipata CoC anticipates that the telecentre will reach break-even point in six to nine months. It is a joint venture with Lusaka-based ISP ZamNet which is providing the leased line link to the Telecentre. Shula Habeenzu habeenzu@zamnet.zm Nicholas Mulusa Comms Authority, Zambia nmulusa@caz.gov.zm Golden Nachibipga NGO Coordinating Cttee, Zambia ngo-it@zamnet.zm, ngocc@zamnet.zm ZIMBABWE World Links - School-based Telecentre Zimbabwe World Links for Development Program has established 11 school-based telecentres. The "twelfth" centre a mobile van was just recently launched. Contact: Anthony Bloome abloome@africaonline.co.zw www.worldbank.org/worldlinks Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) ZFU is developing a project to support the implementation of public access communication and information centres (telecentres) in rural areas. 10 pilot telecentres are being established in the Midlands Province in Zimbabwe. Contact: Sven Enarson sccharar@samara.co.zw ORAP Rural Connectivity and Info Cafe Organization of Rural Associations for Progress (ORAP) is establishing telecentres for training, information provision, and rural connectivity. Contact: Patience P. Ndebele oraphq@acacia.samara.co.zw Batsina Mike Chiuhanga City University bmmc@soi.city.ac.uk From charlesmalan@freemail.absa.co.za Mon Apr 29 10:16:41 2002 From: charlesmalan@freemail.absa.co.za (Charles Malan) Date: Mon, 29 Apr 2002 12:16:41 +0200 Subject: [Communitysa] Re: [CI]: Towards a Community Information Network for SADC References: <3CCC5EBE.32044.665A93@localhost> Message-ID: <005001c1ef66$f94d9b40$878ccba3@jacklin> This is a timely and important initiative that clearly deserves wide support. You can certainly count on individual team members of the South African Telecentre Project (TCP) to contribute. Peter, who is a member of the team, knows that we have just submitted the final TCP report. It contains the results of an investigation into telecentres that support higher education (HE). FOTIM (Foundation of Tertiary Institutions of the Northern Metropolis) commissioned the project. The research showed that existing telecentres for HE have a high success rate and that there is considerable more scope for their use in distance education. The research should certainly feed into the proposed network. We will inform you all when the report is posted on the Web. In the meantime, background about the project and links are available at the Website: https://www.techpta.ac.za/study/telematic/fotim/index.htm . Any person can subscribe to the project's discussion list by clicking on the following link: http://www.sabinet.co.za/cgi-bin/majordomo?tcp:mail.sabinet.co.za. Charles Malan, project leader E-mail address: charcom@freemail.absa.co.za Cell (+27) 827138167 Tel. & fax (+27) 12 9974269 ----- Original Message ----- From: Peter Benjamin To: ; ; Cc: ; ; Sent: Sunday, April 28, 2002 8:42 PM Subject: [CI]: Towards a Community Information Network for SADC > Towards a Community Information Network for Southern > Africa > > This email is to ask if you would be interested in > developing a Community Information Network for > Southern Africa. The primary goal of this initiative is to > support community ICT projects achieve greater access > to information systems to support development in > Southern Africa. > > This idea came from various meeting late last year and > early this, especially the 'Dam the Digital Divide' > workshop organised by OSISA parallel to the ITU Africa > Telecom Conference. Over 100 activists from > telecentres, schoolnets and other projects in Southern > Africa resolved that there was a need for some structure > to support community ICT projects in the region. > > The Open Society Initiative of Southern Africa (OSISA) > is interested in supporting this, and a project proposal > must be submitted to them by mid-May. Other funders > have been approached and have shown some initial > interest. This initiative could become part of the > 'Telecentre Helpnet' proposed by IDRC and UNESCO. > > This message is to ask if you would like to be > participate in this project. We are seeking partners in > each country in SADC, and will develop the proposal > collaboratively between those interested. > > The team of 5 that have taken on drafting the proposal > are: > Susan Mpe, Botswana nyc@botsnet.bw > Agnes Phiri, Swaziland agnes.phiri@undp.org > Nicholas Mulusa, Zambia nmulusa@caz.gov.zm > Matthias Masawe, Tanzania mmasawe@hotmail.com > Peter Benjamin, South Africa peter@sn.apc.org > > Anyone else who wants to be involved in developing the > proposal is welcome to assist. We will be putting this > together by the middle of May. We are asking for your > support and involvement in this process, especially if you > are based in Southern Africa / SADC. > > Below are the proposed outline of the project. For more > information and to become involved, please email Peter > Benjamin at peter@sn.apc.org > > Yours sincerely, > Peter Benjamin > > OUTLINE OF COMMUNITY INFORMATION NETWORK > FOR SOUTHERN AFRICA (CINSA) > > AIM: > To support development and social justice through > assisting Community ICT > projects in Southern Africa. > > There are many Community ICT projects in SADC, > including telecentre, > Schoolnet, multi-purpose centres and community > information projects. Many > of these projects lack support in many areas (including > training, access > to services, technical support and financial resources). > CINSA aims to be > a support network to assist community ICT projects, and > to make it easier > to start similar projects. > > > FUNCTIONS THAT CINSA CAN PLAY: > > * NETWORKING ROLE > · Newsletter (electronic & paper) > · Email list, website > · Directory of projects, initiatives, people > · Possible meetings (e.g. annual) > The telecentres in Latin America and the Caribbean are > organized in a > grouping called 'Somos telecentres' ('We are > telecentres' * see > http://www.tele-centros.org) that we could learn from. > > * TRAINING > · Training in: Management, technology, computer skills, > services, > evaluation, train-the-trainers · Certificate / diploma > (accredited by > universities) · Mixture of both online training with some > face-to-face > sessions > > * SHARE SERVICE IDEAS > · Share information on successful services, e.g. access > to distance > education, e-commerce networks etc. · Develop 'how to > guides', e.g. for > community directory, community newsletter · Share > existing resources, e.g. > UNESCO Telecentre Cookbook, Technology toolbox, > Colle & Roman Training > resoruces, Wits training, CommUnity SA resources. · > Develop and share > needs analysis and evaluation techniques. · Share > methods for information > / content creation / indigenous knowledge. > > * TECHNICAL SUGGESTIONS > · Develop a clearing house for technology questions on > various areas: · > Power sources (solar, generators, other) · Connectivity > (wireless, > satellite, ISP) · Computer access (e.g. recycled > computer projects, > simputer etc) · Offer technical advice & support · Link > with similar > initiatives (VITA, IDRC/UNESCO Telecentre Help Desk, > GCN Telecentre > network) > > * RESOURCES > · Develop resources that can be used by others in the > network, such as: · > Example business plans · Models for various service > delivery · Evaluation > plans · Training materials > > * RESEARCH & EVALUATION > · Share reports, methods and experiences on research > and evaluation of > CICT. · Conduct & commission comparative research > and evaluation across > the various CICT in SADC. · Promote community > methods in evaluation and > management of CICT. > > * "VOICE OF COMMUNITY ICT" > · Possibly, develop policy suggestions through the > network of CICT in > SADC. Feed experiences, ideas and needs into policy > processes, > 'bottom-up'. · Possibly organise an input to the World > Summit on the > Information Society in 2003. > > > Ideas on structure of the project > Aim to be a support for existing Community ICT projects > and a point of contact for any one interested in setting up > public access to ICTs in SADC (whether NGO, private, > govt etc.) > > Longer term aim: increase access to ICT and > 'information society' for all > in SADC by promoting small business and public > access > > Governance by a board made up of people from > throughout SADC (hopefully > with inclusion of SADC, TRASA, African Connection > and other relevant > bodies) > > Longer-term sustainability of project: possibly move to a > membership > network for organizations & individuals > > Structure: With a representative organisation in each > SADC country, nodal > points in 4 countries (possibly LINK in SA, CIEUM in > Mozambique and > others). > > > COUNTRY CONTACTS > > ANGOLA > Ebonet is a commercial ISP active in establishing Public > Access Points or > Telecentres. They have two projects: "EMail for > Everybody" is a > partnership with the National Post Company, should > operate as an > independent company owner of the Telecentre. > Telecentre Project: A > proposal to Provincial Government of Luanda has been > written (the capital > city of Angola). A small program was promoted by > ANGONET > (www.angonet.org), a public room with Internet Access > for local NGOs > without their own facilities to use Email. Haymee Perez > Cogle, PAcomm, Lda > haymee@ebonet.net www.ebonet.net > > BOTSWANA > Susan Mpe National Youth Centre nyc@botsnet.bw, > mpesue@yahoo.com > Ndipo Mokoka Worldview, Botswana view.bots@info.bw > > LESOTHO > There are telecentres planned at the following centres: > Maseru Resource > Centre, Mafeteng Resource Centre, Mohale's Hoek > Resource Centre, Leribe > Resource Centre, Thomas Mofolo Library, Lesotho > National Library Service, > National Teacher Training College Library, Lerotholi > Polytechnic Library, > The British Council Library. Zawedde Nsibirwa, British > Council > Zawedde.Nsibirwa@bc-lesotho.bcouncil.org Thotoane > Pekeche Transformation > Resource Centre, Lesotho centre@lesoff.co.ls > > MOZAMBIQUE > Namaacha and Manica Telecentres 2 pilot telecentre > have been established > by the University of Eduardo Mondlane, supported by the > IDRC. > http://www.telecentros.org.mz Polly Gastor CIUEM > polly@nambu.uem.mz > Fernando Neves Syscom syscompt@teledata.mz > Americo F Muchanga Universidade > Eduardo Mondlane americo@dzowo.uem.mz Emma > Sylvester Bradley EDCI Research > Centre emmasb@teledata.mz cpeci@teledata.mz > > NAMIBIA > Ben Amathila Namibia bamathila@mib.gov.na > Raashied Galant Namibia MISA research@misa.org.na > > SOUTH AFRICA > The Universal Service Agency is the statutory body to > support telecentres. > It has set up 80, primarily in rural areas. Contact: Dipuo > Mvelase > dipuo@usa.org.za http://www.usa.org.za > > The LINK Centre (Learning, Information, Networking & > Knowledge) of the > University of the Witwatersrand has set up a newsletter > (called CommUnity > * unity through communications) and website of over 600 > community ICT > projects in South Africa Contact: Peter Benjamin > peter@sn.apc.org, > http://www.communitysa.org.za > > The British Council held the conference on Building the > Information > Community in Africa (BICA) conference in February > 1999 which brought > together over 200 telecentre activists, researchers, > regulators and > donors. http://www.bica99.org > > The Government Communication and Information > Service is establishing 20 > Multi-Purpose Community Centres, including telecentre > services. These > include a range of government services. Contact: > Michael Currin > Michael@gcis.pwv.gov.za > > Anriette Esterhuysen Assoc for Progressive Comms. > Anriette@apc.org > Heather Ford Electoral Institute for SA > heather@eisa.org.za > Emmanuel Njugan APC africa.rights@apc.org > Alfred Toodz Kgolangana atoodi@yahoo.com > Chris Armstrong National Community Radio Forum > carmstrong@icon.co.za > Jonathan Miller, Jonathan Miller & Associates > jonmil@icon.co.za > Esme Modisane MACIS, GCIS > emodisan@callisto.cids.org.za > Sandile Nolowonde Green > Sandile21724@yahoo.com > Glen Jordan Intavision glen@intavision.com > Mike Jensen Many projects mikej@sn.apc.org > > > SWAZILAND > Agnes Phiri UNDP, Swaziland agnes.phiri@undp.org > > TANZANIA > Sengerema Telecentre is an ITU-UNESCO-IDRC > telecentre planned for a rural > area of Tanzania. The executing agency will be TTCL, > the national > telephone company. http://www.itu.int/ITU-D- > UniversalAccess Mr T. E. Mlaki > Project Leader Sengerema Telecentre P.O Box 4302, > Dar es Salaam, Tanzania > Enock Yonazi Tanzania Commission for Science & > Technology > eyonazi@hotmail.com Maneno Mengi > maneno@africaonline.co.tz ICT and > telecentre work in Tanzania Rakesh Kukreja Tanzania > ICS(T) Ltd > rakesh@icstz.com John Kajiba Tanzania ESRF > jkajiba@esrf.or.tz Felician > Nckeye Sengerema telecentre nckeyefb@hotmail.com > Matthias Masawe Tanz. > Comm. for Science & Tech mmasawe@hotmail.com > Theophilus Mlaki Tanz. Comm. > for Science & Tech tmlaki@hotmail.com > > ZAMBIA > Chipata Telecentre The Chipata Chamber of > Commerce (CoC), Eastern > Province, Zambia, near the Malawi border, has launched > a telecentre in > Chipata as part of the Africa Connection rally in May > 1999. This > telecentre is targeting the local business community and > the Chipata CoC > anticipates that the telecentre will reach break-even > point in six to nine > months. It is a joint venture with Lusaka-based ISP > ZamNet which is > providing the leased line link to the Telecentre. Shula > Habeenzu > habeenzu@zamnet.zm Nicholas Mulusa Comms > Authority, Zambia > nmulusa@caz.gov.zm Golden Nachibipga NGO > Coordinating Cttee, Zambia > ngo-it@zamnet.zm, ngocc@zamnet.zm > > ZIMBABWE > World Links - School-based Telecentre Zimbabwe > World Links for Development > Program has established 11 school-based telecentres. > The "twelfth" centre > a mobile van was just recently launched. Contact: Anthony Bloome > abloome@africaonline.co.zw > www.worldbank.org/worldlinks > > Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) ZFU is developing a project to support the > implementation of public access communication and information centres > (telecentres) in rural areas. 10 pilot telecentres are being established > in the Midlands Province in Zimbabwe. Contact: Sven Enarson > sccharar@samara.co.zw > > > ORAP Rural Connectivity and Info Cafe Organization of Rural Associations > for Progress (ORAP) is establishing telecentres for training, information > provision, and rural connectivity. Contact: Patience P. > Ndebele > oraphq@acacia.samara.co.zw > > Batsina Mike Chiuhanga City University > bmmc@soi.city.ac.uk > > > > > > _______________________________________________________________________ > This listserve is a free service offered by the Vancouver CommunityNet > For more info on services offered by VCN see http://www.vcn.bc.ca/groups/ > From angelas@prcsu.durban.gov.za Wed Apr 24 13:48:10 2002 From: angelas@prcsu.durban.gov.za (Angela Spencer) Date: Wed, 24 Apr 2002 15:48:10 +0200 Subject: [Communitysa] Printing charges Message-ID: Hi I am working on a project to place pcs in all 80 branch libraries in the = Durban Unicity. We have a big problem collecting payment for printing. We = need to find a system whereby patrons can pay for their printing at a = coinbox at the terminal, and then collect their copies from the printer = situated next to the terminal. We don't want to involve our staff in the = transaction as they have enough work to do running the library.=20 The commercial solutions we have looked at thus far have been extremely = expensive. We have to recover the costs of printing from patrons because = we do not have funds to cover donated copies.=20 Does anyone have any ideas about how to resolve this problem, or similar = experiences they could share with us? Even the name of a company who = provides this kind of service would be useful.=20 Thank you very much Kind regards Angela Spencer _________________________________________________________ Angela Spencer (Carnegie e-community Project Librarian) eThekweni Metro Library Services 99 Umgeni Road, Durban, 4001 PO Box 917, Durban, 4000 Tel. 0027 31 3094405 Fax 0027 31 3096033 email: angelas@prcsu.durban.gov.za web page: http://http://www.durban.gov.za/libraries/ecommunity.htm *The opinions expressed above are my own and not those of=20 eThekweni Metro Libraries or the eThekweni Metro Council From peter at sn.apc.org Sun Apr 28 20:42:38 2002 From: peter at sn.apc.org (Peter Benjamin) Date: Tue Feb 27 14:07:36 2007 Subject: [Communitysa] Towards a Community Information Network for SADC Message-ID: <3CCC5EBE.32044.665A93@localhost> Towards a Community Information Network for Southern Africa This email is to ask if you would be interested in developing a Community Information Network for Southern Africa. The primary goal of this initiative is to support community ICT projects achieve greater access to information systems to support development in Southern Africa. This idea came from various meeting late last year and early this, especially the 'Dam the Digital Divide' workshop organised by OSISA parallel to the ITU Africa Telecom Conference. Over 100 activists from telecentres, schoolnets and other projects in Southern Africa resolved that there was a need for some structure to support community ICT projects in the region. The Open Society Initiative of Southern Africa (OSISA) is interested in supporting this, and a project proposal must be submitted to them by mid-May. Other funders have been approached and have shown some initial interest. This initiative could become part of the ?Telecentre Helpnet? proposed by IDRC and UNESCO. This message is to ask if you would like to be participate in this project. We are seeking partners in each country in SADC, and will develop the proposal collaboratively between those interested. The team of 5 that have taken on drafting the proposal are: Susan Mpe, Botswana nyc@botsnet.bw Agnes Phiri, Swaziland agnes.phiri@undp.org Nicholas Mulusa, Zambia nmulusa@caz.gov.zm Matthias Masawe, Tanzania mmasawe@hotmail.com Peter Benjamin, South Africa peter@sn.apc.org Anyone else who wants to be involved in developing the proposal is welcome to assist. We will be putting this together by the middle of May. We are asking for your support and involvement in this process, especially if you are based in Southern Africa / SADC. Below are the proposed outline of the project. For more information and to become involved, please email Peter Benjamin at peter@sn.apc.org Yours sincerely, Peter Benjamin OUTLINE OF COMMUNITY INFORMATION NETWORK FOR SOUTHERN AFRICA (CINSA) AIM: To support development and social justice through assisting Community ICT projects in Southern Africa. There are many Community ICT projects in SADC, including telecentre, Schoolnet, multi-purpose centres and community information projects. Many of these projects lack support in many areas (including training, access to services, technical support and financial resources). CINSA aims to be a support network to assist community ICT projects, and to make it easier to start similar projects. FUNCTIONS THAT CINSA CAN PLAY: * NETWORKING ROLE ? Newsletter (electronic & paper) ? Email list, website ? Directory of projects, initiatives, people ? Possible meetings (e.g. annual) The telecentres in Latin America and the Caribbean are organized in a grouping called 'Somos telecentres' ('We are telecentres' * see http://www.tele-centros.org) that we could learn from. * TRAINING ? Training in: Management, technology, computer skills, services, evaluation, train-the-trainers ? Certificate / diploma (accredited by universities) ? Mixture of both online training with some face-to-face sessions * SHARE SERVICE IDEAS ? Share information on successful services, e.g. access to distance education, e-commerce networks etc. ? Develop 'how to guides', e.g. for community directory, community newsletter ? Share existing resources, e.g. UNESCO Telecentre Cookbook, Technology toolbox, Colle & Roman Training resoruces, Wits training, CommUnity SA resources. ? Develop and share needs analysis and evaluation techniques. ? Share methods for information / content creation / indigenous knowledge. * TECHNICAL SUGGESTIONS ? Develop a clearing house for technology questions on various areas: ? Power sources (solar, generators, other) ? Connectivity (wireless, satellite, ISP) ? Computer access (e.g. recycled computer projects, simputer etc) ? Offer technical advice & support ? Link with similar initiatives (VITA, IDRC/UNESCO Telecentre Help Desk, GCN Telecentre network) * RESOURCES ? Develop resources that can be used by others in the network, such as: ? Example business plans ? Models for various service delivery ? Evaluation plans ? Training materials * RESEARCH & EVALUATION ? Share reports, methods and experiences on research and evaluation of CICT. ? Conduct & commission comparative research and evaluation across the various CICT in SADC. ? Promote community methods in evaluation and management of CICT. * "VOICE OF COMMUNITY ICT" ? Possibly, develop policy suggestions through the network of CICT in SADC. Feed experiences, ideas and needs into policy processes, 'bottom-up'. ? Possibly organise an input to the World Summit on the Information Society in 2003. Ideas on structure of the project Aim to be a support for existing Community ICT projects and a point of contact for any one interested in setting up public access to ICTs in SADC (whether NGO, private, govt etc.) Longer term aim: increase access to ICT and 'information society' for all in SADC by promoting small business and public access Governance by a board made up of people from throughout SADC (hopefully with inclusion of SADC, TRASA, African Connection and other relevant bodies) Longer-term sustainability of project: possibly move to a membership network for organizations & individuals Structure: With a representative organisation in each SADC country, nodal points in 4 countries (possibly LINK in SA, CIEUM in Mozambique and others). COUNTRY CONTACTS ANGOLA Ebonet is a commercial ISP active in establishing Public Access Points or Telecentres. They have two projects: "EMail for Everybody" is a partnership with the National Post Company, should operate as an independent company owner of the Telecentre. Telecentre Project: A proposal to Provincial Government of Luanda has been written (the capital city of Angola). A small program was promoted by ANGONET (www.angonet.org), a public room with Internet Access for local NGOs without their own facilities to use Email. Haymee Perez Cogle, PAcomm, Lda haymee@ebonet.net www.ebonet.net BOTSWANA Susan Mpe National Youth Centre nyc@botsnet.bw, mpesue@yahoo.com Ndipo Mokoka Worldview, Botswana view.bots@info.bw LESOTHO There are telecentres planned at the following centres: Maseru Resource Centre, Mafeteng Resource Centre, Mohale's Hoek Resource Centre, Leribe Resource Centre, Thomas Mofolo Library, Lesotho National Library Service, National Teacher Training College Library, Lerotholi Polytechnic Library, The British Council Library. Zawedde Nsibirwa, British Council Zawedde.Nsibirwa@bc-lesotho.bcouncil.org Thotoane Pekeche Transformation Resource Centre, Lesotho centre@lesoff.co.ls MOZAMBIQUE Namaacha and Manica Telecentres 2 pilot telecentre have been established by the University of Eduardo Mondlane, supported by the IDRC. http://www.telecentros.org.mz Polly Gastor CIUEM polly@nambu.uem.mz Fernando Neves Syscom syscompt@teledata.mz Americo F Muchanga Universidade Eduardo Mondlane americo@dzowo.uem.mz Emma Sylvester Bradley EDCI Research Centre emmasb@teledata.mz cpeci@teledata.mz NAMIBIA Ben Amathila Namibia bamathila@mib.gov.na Raashied Galant Namibia MISA research@misa.org.na SOUTH AFRICA The Universal Service Agency is the statutory body to support telecentres. It has set up 80, primarily in rural areas. Contact: Dipuo Mvelase dipuo@usa.org.za http://www.usa.org.za The LINK Centre (Learning, Information, Networking & Knowledge) of the University of the Witwatersrand has set up a newsletter (called CommUnity * unity through communications) and website of over 600 community ICT projects in South Africa Contact: Peter Benjamin peter@sn.apc.org, http://www.communitysa.org.za The British Council held the conference on Building the Information Community in Africa (BICA) conference in February 1999 which brought together over 200 telecentre activists, researchers, regulators and donors. http://www.bica99.org The Government Communication and Information Service is establishing 20 Multi-Purpose Community Centres, including telecentre services. These include a range of government services. Contact: Michael Currin Michael@gcis.pwv.gov.za Anriette Esterhuysen Assoc for Progressive Comms. Anriette@apc.org Heather Ford Electoral Institute for SA heather@eisa.org.za Emmanuel Njugan APC africa.rights@apc.org Alfred Toodz Kgolangana atoodi@yahoo.com Chris Armstrong National Community Radio Forum carmstrong@icon.co.za Jonathan Miller, Jonathan Miller & Associates jonmil@icon.co.za Esme Modisane MACIS, GCIS emodisan@callisto.cids.org.za Sandile Nolowonde Green Sandile21724@yahoo.com Glen Jordan Intavision glen@intavision.com Mike Jensen Many projects mikej@sn.apc.org SWAZILAND Agnes Phiri UNDP, Swaziland agnes.phiri@undp.org TANZANIA Sengerema Telecentre is an ITU-UNESCO-IDRC telecentre planned for a rural area of Tanzania. The executing agency will be TTCL, the national telephone company. http://www.itu.int/ITU-D- UniversalAccess Mr T. E. Mlaki Project Leader Sengerema Telecentre P.O Box 4302, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Enock Yonazi Tanzania Commission for Science & Technology eyonazi@hotmail.com Maneno Mengi maneno@africaonline.co.tz ICT and telecentre work in Tanzania Rakesh Kukreja Tanzania ICS(T) Ltd rakesh@icstz.com John Kajiba Tanzania ESRF jkajiba@esrf.or.tz Felician Nckeye Sengerema telecentre nckeyefb@hotmail.com Matthias Masawe Tanz. Comm. for Science & Tech mmasawe@hotmail.com Theophilus Mlaki Tanz. Comm. for Science & Tech tmlaki@hotmail.com ZAMBIA Chipata Telecentre The Chipata Chamber of Commerce (CoC), Eastern Province, Zambia, near the Malawi border, has launched a telecentre in Chipata as part of the Africa Connection rally in May 1999. This telecentre is targeting the local business community and the Chipata CoC anticipates that the telecentre will reach break-even point in six to nine months. It is a joint venture with Lusaka-based ISP ZamNet which is providing the leased line link to the Telecentre. Shula Habeenzu habeenzu@zamnet.zm Nicholas Mulusa Comms Authority, Zambia nmulusa@caz.gov.zm Golden Nachibipga NGO Coordinating Cttee, Zambia ngo-it@zamnet.zm, ngocc@zamnet.zm ZIMBABWE World Links - School-based Telecentre Zimbabwe World Links for Development Program has established 11 school-based telecentres. The "twelfth" centre a mobile van was just recently launched. Contact: Anthony Bloome abloome@africaonline.co.zw www.worldbank.org/worldlinks Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) ZFU is developing a project to support the implementation of public access communication and information centres (telecentres) in rural areas. 10 pilot telecentres are being established in the Midlands Province in Zimbabwe. Contact: Sven Enarson sccharar@samara.co.zw ORAP Rural Connectivity and Info Cafe Organization of Rural Associations for Progress (ORAP) is establishing telecentres for training, information provision, and rural connectivity. Contact: Patience P. Ndebele oraphq@acacia.samara.co.zw Batsina Mike Chiuhanga City University bmmc@soi.city.ac.uk From charlesmalan at freemail.absa.co.za Mon Apr 29 12:16:41 2002 From: charlesmalan at freemail.absa.co.za (Charles Malan) Date: Tue Feb 27 14:07:36 2007 Subject: [Communitysa] Re: [CI]: Towards a Community Information Network for SADC References: <3CCC5EBE.32044.665A93@localhost> Message-ID: <005001c1ef66$f94d9b40$878ccba3@jacklin> This is a timely and important initiative that clearly deserves wide support. You can certainly count on individual team members of the South African Telecentre Project (TCP) to contribute. Peter, who is a member of the team, knows that we have just submitted the final TCP report. It contains the results of an investigation into telecentres that support higher education (HE). FOTIM (Foundation of Tertiary Institutions of the Northern Metropolis) commissioned the project. The research showed that existing telecentres for HE have a high success rate and that there is considerable more scope for their use in distance education. The research should certainly feed into the proposed network. We will inform you all when the report is posted on the Web. In the meantime, background about the project and links are available at the Website: https://www.techpta.ac.za/study/telematic/fotim/index.htm . Any person can subscribe to the project's discussion list by clicking on the following link: http://www.sabinet.co.za/cgi-bin/majordomo?tcp:mail.sabinet.co.za. Charles Malan, project leader E-mail address: charcom@freemail.absa.co.za Cell (+27) 827138167 Tel. & fax (+27) 12 9974269 ----- Original Message ----- From: Peter Benjamin To: ; ; Cc: ; ; Sent: Sunday, April 28, 2002 8:42 PM Subject: [CI]: Towards a Community Information Network for SADC > Towards a Community Information Network for Southern > Africa > > This email is to ask if you would be interested in > developing a Community Information Network for > Southern Africa. The primary goal of this initiative is to > support community ICT projects achieve greater access > to information systems to support development in > Southern Africa. > > This idea came from various meeting late last year and > early this, especially the 'Dam the Digital Divide' > workshop organised by OSISA parallel to the ITU Africa > Telecom Conference. Over 100 activists from > telecentres, schoolnets and other projects in Southern > Africa resolved that there was a need for some structure > to support community ICT projects in the region. > > The Open Society Initiative of Southern Africa (OSISA) > is interested in supporting this, and a project proposal > must be submitted to them by mid-May. Other funders > have been approached and have shown some initial > interest. This initiative could become part of the > 'Telecentre Helpnet' proposed by IDRC and UNESCO. > > This message is to ask if you would like to be > participate in this project. We are seeking partners in > each country in SADC, and will develop the proposal > collaboratively between those interested. > > The team of 5 that have taken on drafting the proposal > are: > Susan Mpe, Botswana nyc@botsnet.bw > Agnes Phiri, Swaziland agnes.phiri@undp.org > Nicholas Mulusa, Zambia nmulusa@caz.gov.zm > Matthias Masawe, Tanzania mmasawe@hotmail.com > Peter Benjamin, South Africa peter@sn.apc.org > > Anyone else who wants to be involved in developing the > proposal is welcome to assist. We will be putting this > together by the middle of May. We are asking for your > support and involvement in this process, especially if you > are based in Southern Africa / SADC. > > Below are the proposed outline of the project. For more > information and to become involved, please email Peter > Benjamin at peter@sn.apc.org > > Yours sincerely, > Peter Benjamin > > OUTLINE OF COMMUNITY INFORMATION NETWORK > FOR SOUTHERN AFRICA (CINSA) > > AIM: > To support development and social justice through > assisting Community ICT > projects in Southern Africa. > > There are many Community ICT projects in SADC, > including telecentre, > Schoolnet, multi-purpose centres and community > information projects. Many > of these projects lack support in many areas (including > training, access > to services, technical support and financial resources). > CINSA aims to be > a support network to assist community ICT projects, and > to make it easier > to start similar projects. > > > FUNCTIONS THAT CINSA CAN PLAY: > > * NETWORKING ROLE > ? Newsletter (electronic & paper) > ? Email list, website > ? Directory of projects, initiatives, people > ? Possible meetings (e.g. annual) > The telecentres in Latin America and the Caribbean are > organized in a > grouping called 'Somos telecentres' ('We are > telecentres' * see > http://www.tele-centros.org) that we could learn from. > > * TRAINING > ? Training in: Management, technology, computer skills, > services, > evaluation, train-the-trainers ? Certificate / diploma > (accredited by > universities) ? Mixture of both online training with some > face-to-face > sessions > > * SHARE SERVICE IDEAS > ? Share information on successful services, e.g. access > to distance > education, e-commerce networks etc. ? Develop 'how to > guides', e.g. for > community directory, community newsletter ? Share > existing resources, e.g. > UNESCO Telecentre Cookbook, Technology toolbox, > Colle & Roman Training > resoruces, Wits training, CommUnity SA resources. ? > Develop and share > needs analysis and evaluation techniques. ? Share > methods for information > / content creation / indigenous knowledge. > > * TECHNICAL SUGGESTIONS > ? Develop a clearing house for technology questions on > various areas: ? > Power sources (solar, generators, other) ? Connectivity > (wireless, > satellite, ISP) ? Computer access (e.g. recycled > computer projects, > simputer etc) ? Offer technical advice & support ? Link > with similar > initiatives (VITA, IDRC/UNESCO Telecentre Help Desk, > GCN Telecentre > network) > > * RESOURCES > ? Develop resources that can be used by others in the > network, such as: ? > Example business plans ? Models for various service > delivery ? Evaluation > plans ? Training materials > > * RESEARCH & EVALUATION > ? Share reports, methods and experiences on research > and evaluation of > CICT. ? Conduct & commission comparative research > and evaluation across > the various CICT in SADC. ? Promote community > methods in evaluation and > management of CICT. > > * "VOICE OF COMMUNITY ICT" > ? Possibly, develop policy suggestions through the > network of CICT in > SADC. Feed experiences, ideas and needs into policy > processes, > 'bottom-up'. ? Possibly organise an input to the World > Summit on the > Information Society in 2003. > > > Ideas on structure of the project > Aim to be a support for existing Community ICT projects > and a point of contact for any one interested in setting up > public access to ICTs in SADC (whether NGO, private, > govt etc.) > > Longer term aim: increase access to ICT and > 'information society' for all > in SADC by promoting small business and public > access > > Governance by a board made up of people from > throughout SADC (hopefully > with inclusion of SADC, TRASA, African Connection > and other relevant > bodies) > > Longer-term sustainability of project: possibly move to a > membership > network for organizations & individuals > > Structure: With a representative organisation in each > SADC country, nodal > points in 4 countries (possibly LINK in SA, CIEUM in > Mozambique and > others). > > > COUNTRY CONTACTS > > ANGOLA > Ebonet is a commercial ISP active in establishing Public > Access Points or > Telecentres. They have two projects: "EMail for > Everybody" is a > partnership with the National Post Company, should > operate as an > independent company owner of the Telecentre. > Telecentre Project: A > proposal to Provincial Government of Luanda has been > written (the capital > city of Angola). A small program was promoted by > ANGONET > (www.angonet.org), a public room with Internet Access > for local NGOs > without their own facilities to use Email. Haymee Perez > Cogle, PAcomm, Lda > haymee@ebonet.net www.ebonet.net > > BOTSWANA > Susan Mpe National Youth Centre nyc@botsnet.bw, > mpesue@yahoo.com > Ndipo Mokoka Worldview, Botswana view.bots@info.bw > > LESOTHO > There are telecentres planned at the following centres: > Maseru Resource > Centre, Mafeteng Resource Centre, Mohale's Hoek > Resource Centre, Leribe > Resource Centre, Thomas Mofolo Library, Lesotho > National Library Service, > National Teacher Training College Library, Lerotholi > Polytechnic Library, > The British Council Library. Zawedde Nsibirwa, British > Council > Zawedde.Nsibirwa@bc-lesotho.bcouncil.org Thotoane > Pekeche Transformation > Resource Centre, Lesotho centre@lesoff.co.ls > > MOZAMBIQUE > Namaacha and Manica Telecentres 2 pilot telecentre > have been established > by the University of Eduardo Mondlane, supported by the > IDRC. > http://www.telecentros.org.mz Polly Gastor CIUEM > polly@nambu.uem.mz > Fernando Neves Syscom syscompt@teledata.mz > Americo F Muchanga Universidade > Eduardo Mondlane americo@dzowo.uem.mz Emma > Sylvester Bradley EDCI Research > Centre emmasb@teledata.mz cpeci@teledata.mz > > NAMIBIA > Ben Amathila Namibia bamathila@mib.gov.na > Raashied Galant Namibia MISA research@misa.org.na > > SOUTH AFRICA > The Universal Service Agency is the statutory body to > support telecentres. > It has set up 80, primarily in rural areas. Contact: Dipuo > Mvelase > dipuo@usa.org.za http://www.usa.org.za > > The LINK Centre (Learning, Information, Networking & > Knowledge) of the > University of the Witwatersrand has set up a newsletter > (called CommUnity > * unity through communications) and website of over 600 > community ICT > projects in South Africa Contact: Peter Benjamin > peter@sn.apc.org, > http://www.communitysa.org.za > > The British Council held the conference on Building the > Information > Community in Africa (BICA) conference in February > 1999 which brought > together over 200 telecentre activists, researchers, > regulators and > donors. http://www.bica99.org > > The Government Communication and Information > Service is establishing 20 > Multi-Purpose Community Centres, including telecentre > services. These > include a range of government services. Contact: > Michael Currin > Michael@gcis.pwv.gov.za > > Anriette Esterhuysen Assoc for Progressive Comms. > Anriette@apc.org > Heather Ford Electoral Institute for SA > heather@eisa.org.za > Emmanuel Njugan APC africa.rights@apc.org > Alfred Toodz Kgolangana atoodi@yahoo.com > Chris Armstrong National Community Radio Forum > carmstrong@icon.co.za > Jonathan Miller, Jonathan Miller & Associates > jonmil@icon.co.za > Esme Modisane MACIS, GCIS > emodisan@callisto.cids.org.za > Sandile Nolowonde Green > Sandile21724@yahoo.com > Glen Jordan Intavision glen@intavision.com > Mike Jensen Many projects mikej@sn.apc.org > > > SWAZILAND > Agnes Phiri UNDP, Swaziland agnes.phiri@undp.org > > TANZANIA > Sengerema Telecentre is an ITU-UNESCO-IDRC > telecentre planned for a rural > area of Tanzania. The executing agency will be TTCL, > the national > telephone company. http://www.itu.int/ITU-D- > UniversalAccess Mr T. E. Mlaki > Project Leader Sengerema Telecentre P.O Box 4302, > Dar es Salaam, Tanzania > Enock Yonazi Tanzania Commission for Science & > Technology > eyonazi@hotmail.com Maneno Mengi > maneno@africaonline.co.tz ICT and > telecentre work in Tanzania Rakesh Kukreja Tanzania > ICS(T) Ltd > rakesh@icstz.com John Kajiba Tanzania ESRF > jkajiba@esrf.or.tz Felician > Nckeye Sengerema telecentre nckeyefb@hotmail.com > Matthias Masawe Tanz. > Comm. for Science & Tech mmasawe@hotmail.com > Theophilus Mlaki Tanz. Comm. > for Science & Tech tmlaki@hotmail.com > > ZAMBIA > Chipata Telecentre The Chipata Chamber of > Commerce (CoC), Eastern > Province, Zambia, near the Malawi border, has launched > a telecentre in > Chipata as part of the Africa Connection rally in May > 1999. This > telecentre is targeting the local business community and > the Chipata CoC > anticipates that the telecentre will reach break-even > point in six to nine > months. It is a joint venture with Lusaka-based ISP > ZamNet which is > providing the leased line link to the Telecentre. Shula > Habeenzu > habeenzu@zamnet.zm Nicholas Mulusa Comms > Authority, Zambia > nmulusa@caz.gov.zm Golden Nachibipga NGO > Coordinating Cttee, Zambia > ngo-it@zamnet.zm, ngocc@zamnet.zm > > ZIMBABWE > World Links - School-based Telecentre Zimbabwe > World Links for Development > Program has established 11 school-based telecentres. > The "twelfth" centre > a mobile van was just recently launched. Contact: Anthony Bloome > abloome@africaonline.co.zw > www.worldbank.org/worldlinks > > Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) ZFU is developing a project to support the > implementation of public access communication and information centres > (telecentres) in rural areas. 10 pilot telecentres are being established > in the Midlands Province in Zimbabwe. Contact: Sven Enarson > sccharar@samara.co.zw > > > ORAP Rural Connectivity and Info Cafe Organization of Rural Associations > for Progress (ORAP) is establishing telecentres for training, information > provision, and rural connectivity. Contact: Patience P. > Ndebele > oraphq@acacia.samara.co.zw > > Batsina Mike Chiuhanga City University > bmmc@soi.city.ac.uk > > > > > > _______________________________________________________________________ > This listserve is a free service offered by the Vancouver CommunityNet > For more info on services offered by VCN see http://www.vcn.bc.ca/groups/ > From angelas at prcsu.durban.gov.za Wed Apr 24 15:48:10 2002 From: angelas at prcsu.durban.gov.za (Angela Spencer) Date: Tue Feb 27 14:07:36 2007 Subject: [Communitysa] Printing charges Message-ID: Hi I am working on a project to place pcs in all 80 branch libraries in the Durban Unicity. We have a big problem collecting payment for printing. We need to find a system whereby patrons can pay for their printing at a coinbox at the terminal, and then collect their copies from the printer situated next to the terminal. We don't want to involve our staff in the transaction as they have enough work to do running the library. The commercial solutions we have looked at thus far have been extremely expensive. We have to recover the costs of printing from patrons because we do not have funds to cover donated copies. Does anyone have any ideas about how to resolve this problem, or similar experiences they could share with us? Even the name of a company who provides this kind of service would be useful. Thank you very much Kind regards Angela Spencer _________________________________________________________ Angela Spencer (Carnegie e-community Project Librarian) eThekweni Metro Library Services 99 Umgeni Road, Durban, 4001 PO Box 917, Durban, 4000 Tel. 0027 31 3094405 Fax 0027 31 3096033 email: angelas@prcsu.durban.gov.za web page: http://http://www.durban.gov.za/libraries/ecommunity.htm *The opinions expressed above are my own and not those of eThekweni Metro Libraries or the eThekweni Metro Council From peter at sn.apc.org Sun Apr 28 20:42:38 2002 From: peter at sn.apc.org (Peter Benjamin) Date: Tue Apr 17 18:11:20 2007 Subject: [Communitysa] Towards a Community Information Network for SADC Message-ID: <3CCC5EBE.32044.665A93@localhost> Towards a Community Information Network for Southern Africa This email is to ask if you would be interested in developing a Community Information Network for Southern Africa. The primary goal of this initiative is to support community ICT projects achieve greater access to information systems to support development in Southern Africa. This idea came from various meeting late last year and early this, especially the 'Dam the Digital Divide' workshop organised by OSISA parallel to the ITU Africa Telecom Conference. Over 100 activists from telecentres, schoolnets and other projects in Southern Africa resolved that there was a need for some structure to support community ICT projects in the region. The Open Society Initiative of Southern Africa (OSISA) is interested in supporting this, and a project proposal must be submitted to them by mid-May. Other funders have been approached and have shown some initial interest. This initiative could become part of the ?Telecentre Helpnet? proposed by IDRC and UNESCO. This message is to ask if you would like to be participate in this project. We are seeking partners in each country in SADC, and will develop the proposal collaboratively between those interested. The team of 5 that have taken on drafting the proposal are: Susan Mpe, Botswana nyc@botsnet.bw Agnes Phiri, Swaziland agnes.phiri@undp.org Nicholas Mulusa, Zambia nmulusa@caz.gov.zm Matthias Masawe, Tanzania mmasawe@hotmail.com Peter Benjamin, South Africa peter@sn.apc.org Anyone else who wants to be involved in developing the proposal is welcome to assist. We will be putting this together by the middle of May. We are asking for your support and involvement in this process, especially if you are based in Southern Africa / SADC. Below are the proposed outline of the project. For more information and to become involved, please email Peter Benjamin at peter@sn.apc.org Yours sincerely, Peter Benjamin OUTLINE OF COMMUNITY INFORMATION NETWORK FOR SOUTHERN AFRICA (CINSA) AIM: To support development and social justice through assisting Community ICT projects in Southern Africa. There are many Community ICT projects in SADC, including telecentre, Schoolnet, multi-purpose centres and community information projects. Many of these projects lack support in many areas (including training, access to services, technical support and financial resources). CINSA aims to be a support network to assist community ICT projects, and to make it easier to start similar projects. FUNCTIONS THAT CINSA CAN PLAY: * NETWORKING ROLE ? Newsletter (electronic & paper) ? Email list, website ? Directory of projects, initiatives, people ? Possible meetings (e.g. annual) The telecentres in Latin America and the Caribbean are organized in a grouping called 'Somos telecentres' ('We are telecentres' * see http://www.tele-centros.org) that we could learn from. * TRAINING ? Training in: Management, technology, computer skills, services, evaluation, train-the-trainers ? Certificate / diploma (accredited by universities) ? Mixture of both online training with some face-to-face sessions * SHARE SERVICE IDEAS ? Share information on successful services, e.g. access to distance education, e-commerce networks etc. ? Develop 'how to guides', e.g. for community directory, community newsletter ? Share existing resources, e.g. UNESCO Telecentre Cookbook, Technology toolbox, Colle & Roman Training resoruces, Wits training, CommUnity SA resources. ? Develop and share needs analysis and evaluation techniques. ? Share methods for information / content creation / indigenous knowledge. * TECHNICAL SUGGESTIONS ? Develop a clearing house for technology questions on various areas: ? Power sources (solar, generators, other) ? Connectivity (wireless, satellite, ISP) ? Computer access (e.g. recycled computer projects, simputer etc) ? Offer technical advice & support ? Link with similar initiatives (VITA, IDRC/UNESCO Telecentre Help Desk, GCN Telecentre network) * RESOURCES ? Develop resources that can be used by others in the network, such as: ? Example business plans ? Models for various service delivery ? Evaluation plans ? Training materials * RESEARCH & EVALUATION ? Share reports, methods and experiences on research and evaluation of CICT. ? Conduct & commission comparative research and evaluation across the various CICT in SADC. ? Promote community methods in evaluation and management of CICT. * "VOICE OF COMMUNITY ICT" ? Possibly, develop policy suggestions through the network of CICT in SADC. Feed experiences, ideas and needs into policy processes, 'bottom-up'. ? Possibly organise an input to the World Summit on the Information Society in 2003. Ideas on structure of the project Aim to be a support for existing Community ICT projects and a point of contact for any one interested in setting up public access to ICTs in SADC (whether NGO, private, govt etc.) Longer term aim: increase access to ICT and 'information society' for all in SADC by promoting small business and public access Governance by a board made up of people from throughout SADC (hopefully with inclusion of SADC, TRASA, African Connection and other relevant bodies) Longer-term sustainability of project: possibly move to a membership network for organizations & individuals Structure: With a representative organisation in each SADC country, nodal points in 4 countries (possibly LINK in SA, CIEUM in Mozambique and others). COUNTRY CONTACTS ANGOLA Ebonet is a commercial ISP active in establishing Public Access Points or Telecentres. They have two projects: "EMail for Everybody" is a partnership with the National Post Company, should operate as an independent company owner of the Telecentre. Telecentre Project: A proposal to Provincial Government of Luanda has been written (the capital city of Angola). A small program was promoted by ANGONET (www.angonet.org), a public room with Internet Access for local NGOs without their own facilities to use Email. Haymee Perez Cogle, PAcomm, Lda haymee@ebonet.net www.ebonet.net BOTSWANA Susan Mpe National Youth Centre nyc@botsnet.bw, mpesue@yahoo.com Ndipo Mokoka Worldview, Botswana view.bots@info.bw LESOTHO There are telecentres planned at the following centres: Maseru Resource Centre, Mafeteng Resource Centre, Mohale's Hoek Resource Centre, Leribe Resource Centre, Thomas Mofolo Library, Lesotho National Library Service, National Teacher Training College Library, Lerotholi Polytechnic Library, The British Council Library. Zawedde Nsibirwa, British Council Zawedde.Nsibirwa@bc-lesotho.bcouncil.org Thotoane Pekeche Transformation Resource Centre, Lesotho centre@lesoff.co.ls MOZAMBIQUE Namaacha and Manica Telecentres 2 pilot telecentre have been established by the University of Eduardo Mondlane, supported by the IDRC. http://www.telecentros.org.mz Polly Gastor CIUEM polly@nambu.uem.mz Fernando Neves Syscom syscompt@teledata.mz Americo F Muchanga Universidade Eduardo Mondlane americo@dzowo.uem.mz Emma Sylvester Bradley EDCI Research Centre emmasb@teledata.mz cpeci@teledata.mz NAMIBIA Ben Amathila Namibia bamathila@mib.gov.na Raashied Galant Namibia MISA research@misa.org.na SOUTH AFRICA The Universal Service Agency is the statutory body to support telecentres. It has set up 80, primarily in rural areas. Contact: Dipuo Mvelase dipuo@usa.org.za http://www.usa.org.za The LINK Centre (Learning, Information, Networking & Knowledge) of the University of the Witwatersrand has set up a newsletter (called CommUnity * unity through communications) and website of over 600 community ICT projects in South Africa Contact: Peter Benjamin peter@sn.apc.org, http://www.communitysa.org.za The British Council held the conference on Building the Information Community in Africa (BICA) conference in February 1999 which brought together over 200 telecentre activists, researchers, regulators and donors. http://www.bica99.org The Government Communication and Information Service is establishing 20 Multi-Purpose Community Centres, including telecentre services. These include a range of government services. Contact: Michael Currin Michael@gcis.pwv.gov.za Anriette Esterhuysen Assoc for Progressive Comms. Anriette@apc.org Heather Ford Electoral Institute for SA heather@eisa.org.za Emmanuel Njugan APC africa.rights@apc.org Alfred Toodz Kgolangana atoodi@yahoo.com Chris Armstrong National Community Radio Forum carmstrong@icon.co.za Jonathan Miller, Jonathan Miller & Associates jonmil@icon.co.za Esme Modisane MACIS, GCIS emodisan@callisto.cids.org.za Sandile Nolowonde Green Sandile21724@yahoo.com Glen Jordan Intavision glen@intavision.com Mike Jensen Many projects mikej@sn.apc.org SWAZILAND Agnes Phiri UNDP, Swaziland agnes.phiri@undp.org TANZANIA Sengerema Telecentre is an ITU-UNESCO-IDRC telecentre planned for a rural area of Tanzania. The executing agency will be TTCL, the national telephone company. http://www.itu.int/ITU-D- UniversalAccess Mr T. E. Mlaki Project Leader Sengerema Telecentre P.O Box 4302, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Enock Yonazi Tanzania Commission for Science & Technology eyonazi@hotmail.com Maneno Mengi maneno@africaonline.co.tz ICT and telecentre work in Tanzania Rakesh Kukreja Tanzania ICS(T) Ltd rakesh@icstz.com John Kajiba Tanzania ESRF jkajiba@esrf.or.tz Felician Nckeye Sengerema telecentre nckeyefb@hotmail.com Matthias Masawe Tanz. Comm. for Science & Tech mmasawe@hotmail.com Theophilus Mlaki Tanz. Comm. for Science & Tech tmlaki@hotmail.com ZAMBIA Chipata Telecentre The Chipata Chamber of Commerce (CoC), Eastern Province, Zambia, near the Malawi border, has launched a telecentre in Chipata as part of the Africa Connection rally in May 1999. This telecentre is targeting the local business community and the Chipata CoC anticipates that the telecentre will reach break-even point in six to nine months. It is a joint venture with Lusaka-based ISP ZamNet which is providing the leased line link to the Telecentre. Shula Habeenzu habeenzu@zamnet.zm Nicholas Mulusa Comms Authority, Zambia nmulusa@caz.gov.zm Golden Nachibipga NGO Coordinating Cttee, Zambia ngo-it@zamnet.zm, ngocc@zamnet.zm ZIMBABWE World Links - School-based Telecentre Zimbabwe World Links for Development Program has established 11 school-based telecentres. The "twelfth" centre a mobile van was just recently launched. Contact: Anthony Bloome abloome@africaonline.co.zw www.worldbank.org/worldlinks Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) ZFU is developing a project to support the implementation of public access communication and information centres (telecentres) in rural areas. 10 pilot telecentres are being established in the Midlands Province in Zimbabwe. Contact: Sven Enarson sccharar@samara.co.zw ORAP Rural Connectivity and Info Cafe Organization of Rural Associations for Progress (ORAP) is establishing telecentres for training, information provision, and rural connectivity. Contact: Patience P. Ndebele oraphq@acacia.samara.co.zw Batsina Mike Chiuhanga City University bmmc@soi.city.ac.uk From charlesmalan at freemail.absa.co.za Mon Apr 29 12:16:41 2002 From: charlesmalan at freemail.absa.co.za (Charles Malan) Date: Tue Apr 17 18:11:20 2007 Subject: [Communitysa] Re: [CI]: Towards a Community Information Network for SADC References: <3CCC5EBE.32044.665A93@localhost> Message-ID: <005001c1ef66$f94d9b40$878ccba3@jacklin> This is a timely and important initiative that clearly deserves wide support. You can certainly count on individual team members of the South African Telecentre Project (TCP) to contribute. Peter, who is a member of the team, knows that we have just submitted the final TCP report. It contains the results of an investigation into telecentres that support higher education (HE). FOTIM (Foundation of Tertiary Institutions of the Northern Metropolis) commissioned the project. The research showed that existing telecentres for HE have a high success rate and that there is considerable more scope for their use in distance education. The research should certainly feed into the proposed network. We will inform you all when the report is posted on the Web. In the meantime, background about the project and links are available at the Website: https://www.techpta.ac.za/study/telematic/fotim/index.htm . Any person can subscribe to the project's discussion list by clicking on the following link: http://www.sabinet.co.za/cgi-bin/majordomo?tcp:mail.sabinet.co.za. Charles Malan, project leader E-mail address: charcom@freemail.absa.co.za Cell (+27) 827138167 Tel. & fax (+27) 12 9974269 ----- Original Message ----- From: Peter Benjamin To: ; ; Cc: ; ; Sent: Sunday, April 28, 2002 8:42 PM Subject: [CI]: Towards a Community Information Network for SADC > Towards a Community Information Network for Southern > Africa > > This email is to ask if you would be interested in > developing a Community Information Network for > Southern Africa. The primary goal of this initiative is to > support community ICT projects achieve greater access > to information systems to support development in > Southern Africa. > > This idea came from various meeting late last year and > early this, especially the 'Dam the Digital Divide' > workshop organised by OSISA parallel to the ITU Africa > Telecom Conference. Over 100 activists from > telecentres, schoolnets and other projects in Southern > Africa resolved that there was a need for some structure > to support community ICT projects in the region. > > The Open Society Initiative of Southern Africa (OSISA) > is interested in supporting this, and a project proposal > must be submitted to them by mid-May. Other funders > have been approached and have shown some initial > interest. This initiative could become part of the > 'Telecentre Helpnet' proposed by IDRC and UNESCO. > > This message is to ask if you would like to be > participate in this project. We are seeking partners in > each country in SADC, and will develop the proposal > collaboratively between those interested. > > The team of 5 that have taken on drafting the proposal > are: > Susan Mpe, Botswana nyc@botsnet.bw > Agnes Phiri, Swaziland agnes.phiri@undp.org > Nicholas Mulusa, Zambia nmulusa@caz.gov.zm > Matthias Masawe, Tanzania mmasawe@hotmail.com > Peter Benjamin, South Africa peter@sn.apc.org > > Anyone else who wants to be involved in developing the > proposal is welcome to assist. We will be putting this > together by the middle of May. We are asking for your > support and involvement in this process, especially if you > are based in Southern Africa / SADC. > > Below are the proposed outline of the project. For more > information and to become involved, please email Peter > Benjamin at peter@sn.apc.org > > Yours sincerely, > Peter Benjamin > > OUTLINE OF COMMUNITY INFORMATION NETWORK > FOR SOUTHERN AFRICA (CINSA) > > AIM: > To support development and social justice through > assisting Community ICT > projects in Southern Africa. > > There are many Community ICT projects in SADC, > including telecentre, > Schoolnet, multi-purpose centres and community > information projects. Many > of these projects lack support in many areas (including > training, access > to services, technical support and financial resources). > CINSA aims to be > a support network to assist community ICT projects, and > to make it easier > to start similar projects. > > > FUNCTIONS THAT CINSA CAN PLAY: > > * NETWORKING ROLE > ? Newsletter (electronic & paper) > ? Email list, website > ? Directory of projects, initiatives, people > ? Possible meetings (e.g. annual) > The telecentres in Latin America and the Caribbean are > organized in a > grouping called 'Somos telecentres' ('We are > telecentres' * see > http://www.tele-centros.org) that we could learn from. > > * TRAINING > ? Training in: Management, technology, computer skills, > services, > evaluation, train-the-trainers ? Certificate / diploma > (accredited by > universities) ? Mixture of both online training with some > face-to-face > sessions > > * SHARE SERVICE IDEAS > ? Share information on successful services, e.g. access > to distance > education, e-commerce networks etc. ? Develop 'how to > guides', e.g. for > community directory, community newsletter ? Share > existing resources, e.g. > UNESCO Telecentre Cookbook, Technology toolbox, > Colle & Roman Training > resoruces, Wits training, CommUnity SA resources. ? > Develop and share > needs analysis and evaluation techniques. ? Share > methods for information > / content creation / indigenous knowledge. > > * TECHNICAL SUGGESTIONS > ? Develop a clearing house for technology questions on > various areas: ? > Power sources (solar, generators, other) ? Connectivity > (wireless, > satellite, ISP) ? Computer access (e.g. recycled > computer projects, > simputer etc) ? Offer technical advice & support ? Link > with similar > initiatives (VITA, IDRC/UNESCO Telecentre Help Desk, > GCN Telecentre > network) > > * RESOURCES > ? Develop resources that can be used by others in the > network, such as: ? > Example business plans ? Models for various service > delivery ? Evaluation > plans ? Training materials > > * RESEARCH & EVALUATION > ? Share reports, methods and experiences on research > and evaluation of > CICT. ? Conduct & commission comparative research > and evaluation across > the various CICT in SADC. ? Promote community > methods in evaluation and > management of CICT. > > * "VOICE OF COMMUNITY ICT" > ? Possibly, develop policy suggestions through the > network of CICT in > SADC. Feed experiences, ideas and needs into policy > processes, > 'bottom-up'. ? Possibly organise an input to the World > Summit on the > Information Society in 2003. > > > Ideas on structure of the project > Aim to be a support for existing Community ICT projects > and a point of contact for any one interested in setting up > public access to ICTs in SADC (whether NGO, private, > govt etc.) > > Longer term aim: increase access to ICT and > 'information society' for all > in SADC by promoting small business and public > access > > Governance by a board made up of people from > throughout SADC (hopefully > with inclusion of SADC, TRASA, African Connection > and other relevant > bodies) > > Longer-term sustainability of project: possibly move to a > membership > network for organizations & individuals > > Structure: With a representative organisation in each > SADC country, nodal > points in 4 countries (possibly LINK in SA, CIEUM in > Mozambique and > others). > > > COUNTRY CONTACTS > > ANGOLA > Ebonet is a commercial ISP active in establishing Public > Access Points or > Telecentres. They have two projects: "EMail for > Everybody" is a > partnership with the National Post Company, should > operate as an > independent company owner of the Telecentre. > Telecentre Project: A > proposal to Provincial Government of Luanda has been > written (the capital > city of Angola). A small program was promoted by > ANGONET > (www.angonet.org), a public room with Internet Access > for local NGOs > without their own facilities to use Email. Haymee Perez > Cogle, PAcomm, Lda > haymee@ebonet.net www.ebonet.net > > BOTSWANA > Susan Mpe National Youth Centre nyc@botsnet.bw, > mpesue@yahoo.com > Ndipo Mokoka Worldview, Botswana view.bots@info.bw > > LESOTHO > There are telecentres planned at the following centres: > Maseru Resource > Centre, Mafeteng Resource Centre, Mohale's Hoek > Resource Centre, Leribe > Resource Centre, Thomas Mofolo Library, Lesotho > National Library Service, > National Teacher Training College Library, Lerotholi > Polytechnic Library, > The British Council Library. Zawedde Nsibirwa, British > Council > Zawedde.Nsibirwa@bc-lesotho.bcouncil.org Thotoane > Pekeche Transformation > Resource Centre, Lesotho centre@lesoff.co.ls > > MOZAMBIQUE > Namaacha and Manica Telecentres 2 pilot telecentre > have been established > by the University of Eduardo Mondlane, supported by the > IDRC. > http://www.telecentros.org.mz Polly Gastor CIUEM > polly@nambu.uem.mz > Fernando Neves Syscom syscompt@teledata.mz > Americo F Muchanga Universidade > Eduardo Mondlane americo@dzowo.uem.mz Emma > Sylvester Bradley EDCI Research > Centre emmasb@teledata.mz cpeci@teledata.mz > > NAMIBIA > Ben Amathila Namibia bamathila@mib.gov.na > Raashied Galant Namibia MISA research@misa.org.na > > SOUTH AFRICA > The Universal Service Agency is the statutory body to > support telecentres. > It has set up 80, primarily in rural areas. Contact: Dipuo > Mvelase > dipuo@usa.org.za http://www.usa.org.za > > The LINK Centre (Learning, Information, Networking & > Knowledge) of the > University of the Witwatersrand has set up a newsletter > (called CommUnity > * unity through communications) and website of over 600 > community ICT > projects in South Africa Contact: Peter Benjamin > peter@sn.apc.org, > http://www.communitysa.org.za > > The British Council held the conference on Building the > Information > Community in Africa (BICA) conference in February > 1999 which brought > together over 200 telecentre activists, researchers, > regulators and > donors. http://www.bica99.org > > The Government Communication and Information > Service is establishing 20 > Multi-Purpose Community Centres, including telecentre > services. These > include a range of government services. Contact: > Michael Currin > Michael@gcis.pwv.gov.za > > Anriette Esterhuysen Assoc for Progressive Comms. > Anriette@apc.org > Heather Ford Electoral Institute for SA > heather@eisa.org.za > Emmanuel Njugan APC africa.rights@apc.org > Alfred Toodz Kgolangana atoodi@yahoo.com > Chris Armstrong National Community Radio Forum > carmstrong@icon.co.za > Jonathan Miller, Jonathan Miller & Associates > jonmil@icon.co.za > Esme Modisane MACIS, GCIS > emodisan@callisto.cids.org.za > Sandile Nolowonde Green > Sandile21724@yahoo.com > Glen Jordan Intavision glen@intavision.com > Mike Jensen Many projects mikej@sn.apc.org > > > SWAZILAND > Agnes Phiri UNDP, Swaziland agnes.phiri@undp.org > > TANZANIA > Sengerema Telecentre is an ITU-UNESCO-IDRC > telecentre planned for a rural > area of Tanzania. The executing agency will be TTCL, > the national > telephone company. http://www.itu.int/ITU-D- > UniversalAccess Mr T. E. Mlaki > Project Leader Sengerema Telecentre P.O Box 4302, > Dar es Salaam, Tanzania > Enock Yonazi Tanzania Commission for Science & > Technology > eyonazi@hotmail.com Maneno Mengi > maneno@africaonline.co.tz ICT and > telecentre work in Tanzania Rakesh Kukreja Tanzania > ICS(T) Ltd > rakesh@icstz.com John Kajiba Tanzania ESRF > jkajiba@esrf.or.tz Felician > Nckeye Sengerema telecentre nckeyefb@hotmail.com > Matthias Masawe Tanz. > Comm. for Science & Tech mmasawe@hotmail.com > Theophilus Mlaki Tanz. Comm. > for Science & Tech tmlaki@hotmail.com > > ZAMBIA > Chipata Telecentre The Chipata Chamber of > Commerce (CoC), Eastern > Province, Zambia, near the Malawi border, has launched > a telecentre in > Chipata as part of the Africa Connection rally in May > 1999. This > telecentre is targeting the local business community and > the Chipata CoC > anticipates that the telecentre will reach break-even > point in six to nine > months. It is a joint venture with Lusaka-based ISP > ZamNet which is > providing the leased line link to the Telecentre. Shula > Habeenzu > habeenzu@zamnet.zm Nicholas Mulusa Comms > Authority, Zambia > nmulusa@caz.gov.zm Golden Nachibipga NGO > Coordinating Cttee, Zambia > ngo-it@zamnet.zm, ngocc@zamnet.zm > > ZIMBABWE > World Links - School-based Telecentre Zimbabwe > World Links for Development > Program has established 11 school-based telecentres. > The "twelfth" centre > a mobile van was just recently launched. Contact: Anthony Bloome > abloome@africaonline.co.zw > www.worldbank.org/worldlinks > > Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) ZFU is developing a project to support the > implementation of public access communication and information centres > (telecentres) in rural areas. 10 pilot telecentres are being established > in the Midlands Province in Zimbabwe. Contact: Sven Enarson > sccharar@samara.co.zw > > > ORAP Rural Connectivity and Info Cafe Organization of Rural Associations > for Progress (ORAP) is establishing telecentres for training, information > provision, and rural connectivity. Contact: Patience P. > Ndebele > oraphq@acacia.samara.co.zw > > Batsina Mike Chiuhanga City University > bmmc@soi.city.ac.uk > > > > > > _______________________________________________________________________ > This listserve is a free service offered by the Vancouver CommunityNet > For more info on services offered by VCN see http://www.vcn.bc.ca/groups/ > From angelas at prcsu.durban.gov.za Wed Apr 24 15:48:10 2002 From: angelas at prcsu.durban.gov.za (Angela Spencer) Date: Tue Apr 17 18:11:20 2007 Subject: [Communitysa] Printing charges Message-ID: Hi I am working on a project to place pcs in all 80 branch libraries in the Durban Unicity. We have a big problem collecting payment for printing. We need to find a system whereby patrons can pay for their printing at a coinbox at the terminal, and then collect their copies from the printer situated next to the terminal. We don't want to involve our staff in the transaction as they have enough work to do running the library. The commercial solutions we have looked at thus far have been extremely expensive. We have to recover the costs of printing from patrons because we do not have funds to cover donated copies. Does anyone have any ideas about how to resolve this problem, or similar experiences they could share with us? Even the name of a company who provides this kind of service would be useful. Thank you very much Kind regards Angela Spencer _________________________________________________________ Angela Spencer (Carnegie e-community Project Librarian) eThekweni Metro Library Services 99 Umgeni Road, Durban, 4001 PO Box 917, Durban, 4000 Tel. 0027 31 3094405 Fax 0027 31 3096033 email: angelas@prcsu.durban.gov.za web page: http://http://www.durban.gov.za/libraries/ecommunity.htm *The opinions expressed above are my own and not those of eThekweni Metro Libraries or the eThekweni Metro Council From peter at sn.apc.org Sun Apr 28 20:42:38 2002 From: peter at sn.apc.org (Peter Benjamin) Date: Wed May 23 10:56:49 2007 Subject: [Communitysa] Towards a Community Information Network for SADC Message-ID: <3CCC5EBE.32044.665A93@localhost> Towards a Community Information Network for Southern Africa This email is to ask if you would be interested in developing a Community Information Network for Southern Africa. The primary goal of this initiative is to support community ICT projects achieve greater access to information systems to support development in Southern Africa. This idea came from various meeting late last year and early this, especially the 'Dam the Digital Divide' workshop organised by OSISA parallel to the ITU Africa Telecom Conference. Over 100 activists from telecentres, schoolnets and other projects in Southern Africa resolved that there was a need for some structure to support community ICT projects in the region. The Open Society Initiative of Southern Africa (OSISA) is interested in supporting this, and a project proposal must be submitted to them by mid-May. Other funders have been approached and have shown some initial interest. This initiative could become part of the ?Telecentre Helpnet? proposed by IDRC and UNESCO. This message is to ask if you would like to be participate in this project. We are seeking partners in each country in SADC, and will develop the proposal collaboratively between those interested. The team of 5 that have taken on drafting the proposal are: Susan Mpe, Botswana nyc@botsnet.bw Agnes Phiri, Swaziland agnes.phiri@undp.org Nicholas Mulusa, Zambia nmulusa@caz.gov.zm Matthias Masawe, Tanzania mmasawe@hotmail.com Peter Benjamin, South Africa peter@sn.apc.org Anyone else who wants to be involved in developing the proposal is welcome to assist. We will be putting this together by the middle of May. We are asking for your support and involvement in this process, especially if you are based in Southern Africa / SADC. Below are the proposed outline of the project. For more information and to become involved, please email Peter Benjamin at peter@sn.apc.org Yours sincerely, Peter Benjamin OUTLINE OF COMMUNITY INFORMATION NETWORK FOR SOUTHERN AFRICA (CINSA) AIM: To support development and social justice through assisting Community ICT projects in Southern Africa. There are many Community ICT projects in SADC, including telecentre, Schoolnet, multi-purpose centres and community information projects. Many of these projects lack support in many areas (including training, access to services, technical support and financial resources). CINSA aims to be a support network to assist community ICT projects, and to make it easier to start similar projects. FUNCTIONS THAT CINSA CAN PLAY: * NETWORKING ROLE ? Newsletter (electronic & paper) ? Email list, website ? Directory of projects, initiatives, people ? Possible meetings (e.g. annual) The telecentres in Latin America and the Caribbean are organized in a grouping called 'Somos telecentres' ('We are telecentres' * see http://www.tele-centros.org) that we could learn from. * TRAINING ? Training in: Management, technology, computer skills, services, evaluation, train-the-trainers ? Certificate / diploma (accredited by universities) ? Mixture of both online training with some face-to-face sessions * SHARE SERVICE IDEAS ? Share information on successful services, e.g. access to distance education, e-commerce networks etc. ? Develop 'how to guides', e.g. for community directory, community newsletter ? Share existing resources, e.g. UNESCO Telecentre Cookbook, Technology toolbox, Colle & Roman Training resoruces, Wits training, CommUnity SA resources. ? Develop and share needs analysis and evaluation techniques. ? Share methods for information / content creation / indigenous knowledge. * TECHNICAL SUGGESTIONS ? Develop a clearing house for technology questions on various areas: ? Power sources (solar, generators, other) ? Connectivity (wireless, satellite, ISP) ? Computer access (e.g. recycled computer projects, simputer etc) ? Offer technical advice & support ? Link with similar initiatives (VITA, IDRC/UNESCO Telecentre Help Desk, GCN Telecentre network) * RESOURCES ? Develop resources that can be used by others in the network, such as: ? Example business plans ? Models for various service delivery ? Evaluation plans ? Training materials * RESEARCH & EVALUATION ? Share reports, methods and experiences on research and evaluation of CICT. ? Conduct & commission comparative research and evaluation across the various CICT in SADC. ? Promote community methods in evaluation and management of CICT. * "VOICE OF COMMUNITY ICT" ? Possibly, develop policy suggestions through the network of CICT in SADC. Feed experiences, ideas and needs into policy processes, 'bottom-up'. ? Possibly organise an input to the World Summit on the Information Society in 2003. Ideas on structure of the project Aim to be a support for existing Community ICT projects and a point of contact for any one interested in setting up public access to ICTs in SADC (whether NGO, private, govt etc.) Longer term aim: increase access to ICT and 'information society' for all in SADC by promoting small business and public access Governance by a board made up of people from throughout SADC (hopefully with inclusion of SADC, TRASA, African Connection and other relevant bodies) Longer-term sustainability of project: possibly move to a membership network for organizations & individuals Structure: With a representative organisation in each SADC country, nodal points in 4 countries (possibly LINK in SA, CIEUM in Mozambique and others). COUNTRY CONTACTS ANGOLA Ebonet is a commercial ISP active in establishing Public Access Points or Telecentres. They have two projects: "EMail for Everybody" is a partnership with the National Post Company, should operate as an independent company owner of the Telecentre. Telecentre Project: A proposal to Provincial Government of Luanda has been written (the capital city of Angola). A small program was promoted by ANGONET (www.angonet.org), a public room with Internet Access for local NGOs without their own facilities to use Email. Haymee Perez Cogle, PAcomm, Lda haymee@ebonet.net www.ebonet.net BOTSWANA Susan Mpe National Youth Centre nyc@botsnet.bw, mpesue@yahoo.com Ndipo Mokoka Worldview, Botswana view.bots@info.bw LESOTHO There are telecentres planned at the following centres: Maseru Resource Centre, Mafeteng Resource Centre, Mohale's Hoek Resource Centre, Leribe Resource Centre, Thomas Mofolo Library, Lesotho National Library Service, National Teacher Training College Library, Lerotholi Polytechnic Library, The British Council Library. Zawedde Nsibirwa, British Council Zawedde.Nsibirwa@bc-lesotho.bcouncil.org Thotoane Pekeche Transformation Resource Centre, Lesotho centre@lesoff.co.ls MOZAMBIQUE Namaacha and Manica Telecentres 2 pilot telecentre have been established by the University of Eduardo Mondlane, supported by the IDRC. http://www.telecentros.org.mz Polly Gastor CIUEM polly@nambu.uem.mz Fernando Neves Syscom syscompt@teledata.mz Americo F Muchanga Universidade Eduardo Mondlane americo@dzowo.uem.mz Emma Sylvester Bradley EDCI Research Centre emmasb@teledata.mz cpeci@teledata.mz NAMIBIA Ben Amathila Namibia bamathila@mib.gov.na Raashied Galant Namibia MISA research@misa.org.na SOUTH AFRICA The Universal Service Agency is the statutory body to support telecentres. It has set up 80, primarily in rural areas. Contact: Dipuo Mvelase dipuo@usa.org.za http://www.usa.org.za The LINK Centre (Learning, Information, Networking & Knowledge) of the University of the Witwatersrand has set up a newsletter (called CommUnity * unity through communications) and website of over 600 community ICT projects in South Africa Contact: Peter Benjamin peter@sn.apc.org, http://www.communitysa.org.za The British Council held the conference on Building the Information Community in Africa (BICA) conference in February 1999 which brought together over 200 telecentre activists, researchers, regulators and donors. http://www.bica99.org The Government Communication and Information Service is establishing 20 Multi-Purpose Community Centres, including telecentre services. These include a range of government services. Contact: Michael Currin Michael@gcis.pwv.gov.za Anriette Esterhuysen Assoc for Progressive Comms. Anriette@apc.org Heather Ford Electoral Institute for SA heather@eisa.org.za Emmanuel Njugan APC africa.rights@apc.org Alfred Toodz Kgolangana atoodi@yahoo.com Chris Armstrong National Community Radio Forum carmstrong@icon.co.za Jonathan Miller, Jonathan Miller & Associates jonmil@icon.co.za Esme Modisane MACIS, GCIS emodisan@callisto.cids.org.za Sandile Nolowonde Green Sandile21724@yahoo.com Glen Jordan Intavision glen@intavision.com Mike Jensen Many projects mikej@sn.apc.org SWAZILAND Agnes Phiri UNDP, Swaziland agnes.phiri@undp.org TANZANIA Sengerema Telecentre is an ITU-UNESCO-IDRC telecentre planned for a rural area of Tanzania. The executing agency will be TTCL, the national telephone company. http://www.itu.int/ITU-D- UniversalAccess Mr T. E. Mlaki Project Leader Sengerema Telecentre P.O Box 4302, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Enock Yonazi Tanzania Commission for Science & Technology eyonazi@hotmail.com Maneno Mengi maneno@africaonline.co.tz ICT and telecentre work in Tanzania Rakesh Kukreja Tanzania ICS(T) Ltd rakesh@icstz.com John Kajiba Tanzania ESRF jkajiba@esrf.or.tz Felician Nckeye Sengerema telecentre nckeyefb@hotmail.com Matthias Masawe Tanz. Comm. for Science & Tech mmasawe@hotmail.com Theophilus Mlaki Tanz. Comm. for Science & Tech tmlaki@hotmail.com ZAMBIA Chipata Telecentre The Chipata Chamber of Commerce (CoC), Eastern Province, Zambia, near the Malawi border, has launched a telecentre in Chipata as part of the Africa Connection rally in May 1999. This telecentre is targeting the local business community and the Chipata CoC anticipates that the telecentre will reach break-even point in six to nine months. It is a joint venture with Lusaka-based ISP ZamNet which is providing the leased line link to the Telecentre. Shula Habeenzu habeenzu@zamnet.zm Nicholas Mulusa Comms Authority, Zambia nmulusa@caz.gov.zm Golden Nachibipga NGO Coordinating Cttee, Zambia ngo-it@zamnet.zm, ngocc@zamnet.zm ZIMBABWE World Links - School-based Telecentre Zimbabwe World Links for Development Program has established 11 school-based telecentres. The "twelfth" centre a mobile van was just recently launched. Contact: Anthony Bloome abloome@africaonline.co.zw www.worldbank.org/worldlinks Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) ZFU is developing a project to support the implementation of public access communication and information centres (telecentres) in rural areas. 10 pilot telecentres are being established in the Midlands Province in Zimbabwe. Contact: Sven Enarson sccharar@samara.co.zw ORAP Rural Connectivity and Info Cafe Organization of Rural Associations for Progress (ORAP) is establishing telecentres for training, information provision, and rural connectivity. Contact: Patience P. Ndebele oraphq@acacia.samara.co.zw Batsina Mike Chiuhanga City University bmmc@soi.city.ac.uk From charlesmalan at freemail.absa.co.za Mon Apr 29 12:16:41 2002 From: charlesmalan at freemail.absa.co.za (Charles Malan) Date: Wed May 23 10:56:49 2007 Subject: [Communitysa] Re: [CI]: Towards a Community Information Network for SADC References: <3CCC5EBE.32044.665A93@localhost> Message-ID: <005001c1ef66$f94d9b40$878ccba3@jacklin> This is a timely and important initiative that clearly deserves wide support. You can certainly count on individual team members of the South African Telecentre Project (TCP) to contribute. Peter, who is a member of the team, knows that we have just submitted the final TCP report. It contains the results of an investigation into telecentres that support higher education (HE). FOTIM (Foundation of Tertiary Institutions of the Northern Metropolis) commissioned the project. The research showed that existing telecentres for HE have a high success rate and that there is considerable more scope for their use in distance education. The research should certainly feed into the proposed network. We will inform you all when the report is posted on the Web. In the meantime, background about the project and links are available at the Website: https://www.techpta.ac.za/study/telematic/fotim/index.htm . Any person can subscribe to the project's discussion list by clicking on the following link: http://www.sabinet.co.za/cgi-bin/majordomo?tcp:mail.sabinet.co.za. Charles Malan, project leader E-mail address: charcom@freemail.absa.co.za Cell (+27) 827138167 Tel. & fax (+27) 12 9974269 ----- Original Message ----- From: Peter Benjamin To: ; ; Cc: ; ; Sent: Sunday, April 28, 2002 8:42 PM Subject: [CI]: Towards a Community Information Network for SADC > Towards a Community Information Network for Southern > Africa > > This email is to ask if you would be interested in > developing a Community Information Network for > Southern Africa. The primary goal of this initiative is to > support community ICT projects achieve greater access > to information systems to support development in > Southern Africa. > > This idea came from various meeting late last year and > early this, especially the 'Dam the Digital Divide' > workshop organised by OSISA parallel to the ITU Africa > Telecom Conference. Over 100 activists from > telecentres, schoolnets and other projects in Southern > Africa resolved that there was a need for some structure > to support community ICT projects in the region. > > The Open Society Initiative of Southern Africa (OSISA) > is interested in supporting this, and a project proposal > must be submitted to them by mid-May. Other funders > have been approached and have shown some initial > interest. This initiative could become part of the > 'Telecentre Helpnet' proposed by IDRC and UNESCO. > > This message is to ask if you would like to be > participate in this project. We are seeking partners in > each country in SADC, and will develop the proposal > collaboratively between those interested. > > The team of 5 that have taken on drafting the proposal > are: > Susan Mpe, Botswana nyc@botsnet.bw > Agnes Phiri, Swaziland agnes.phiri@undp.org > Nicholas Mulusa, Zambia nmulusa@caz.gov.zm > Matthias Masawe, Tanzania mmasawe@hotmail.com > Peter Benjamin, South Africa peter@sn.apc.org > > Anyone else who wants to be involved in developing the > proposal is welcome to assist. We will be putting this > together by the middle of May. We are asking for your > support and involvement in this process, especially if you > are based in Southern Africa / SADC. > > Below are the proposed outline of the project. For more > information and to become involved, please email Peter > Benjamin at peter@sn.apc.org > > Yours sincerely, > Peter Benjamin > > OUTLINE OF COMMUNITY INFORMATION NETWORK > FOR SOUTHERN AFRICA (CINSA) > > AIM: > To support development and social justice through > assisting Community ICT > projects in Southern Africa. > > There are many Community ICT projects in SADC, > including telecentre, > Schoolnet, multi-purpose centres and community > information projects. Many > of these projects lack support in many areas (including > training, access > to services, technical support and financial resources). > CINSA aims to be > a support network to assist community ICT projects, and > to make it easier > to start similar projects. > > > FUNCTIONS THAT CINSA CAN PLAY: > > * NETWORKING ROLE > ? Newsletter (electronic & paper) > ? Email list, website > ? Directory of projects, initiatives, people > ? Possible meetings (e.g. annual) > The telecentres in Latin America and the Caribbean are > organized in a > grouping called 'Somos telecentres' ('We are > telecentres' * see > http://www.tele-centros.org) that we could learn from. > > * TRAINING > ? Training in: Management, technology, computer skills, > services, > evaluation, train-the-trainers ? Certificate / diploma > (accredited by > universities) ? Mixture of both online training with some > face-to-face > sessions > > * SHARE SERVICE IDEAS > ? Share information on successful services, e.g. access > to distance > education, e-commerce networks etc. ? Develop 'how to > guides', e.g. for > community directory, community newsletter ? Share > existing resources, e.g. > UNESCO Telecentre Cookbook, Technology toolbox, > Colle & Roman Training > resoruces, Wits training, CommUnity SA resources. ? > Develop and share > needs analysis and evaluation techniques. ? Share > methods for information > / content creation / indigenous knowledge. > > * TECHNICAL SUGGESTIONS > ? Develop a clearing house for technology questions on > various areas: ? > Power sources (solar, generators, other) ? Connectivity > (wireless, > satellite, ISP) ? Computer access (e.g. recycled > computer projects, > simputer etc) ? Offer technical advice & support ? Link > with similar > initiatives (VITA, IDRC/UNESCO Telecentre Help Desk, > GCN Telecentre > network) > > * RESOURCES > ? Develop resources that can be used by others in the > network, such as: ? > Example business plans ? Models for various service > delivery ? Evaluation > plans ? Training materials > > * RESEARCH & EVALUATION > ? Share reports, methods and experiences on research > and evaluation of > CICT. ? Conduct & commission comparative research > and evaluation across > the various CICT in SADC. ? Promote community > methods in evaluation and > management of CICT. > > * "VOICE OF COMMUNITY ICT" > ? Possibly, develop policy suggestions through the > network of CICT in > SADC. Feed experiences, ideas and needs into policy > processes, > 'bottom-up'. ? Possibly organise an input to the World > Summit on the > Information Society in 2003. > > > Ideas on structure of the project > Aim to be a support for existing Community ICT projects > and a point of contact for any one interested in setting up > public access to ICTs in SADC (whether NGO, private, > govt etc.) > > Longer term aim: increase access to ICT and > 'information society' for all > in SADC by promoting small business and public > access > > Governance by a board made up of people from > throughout SADC (hopefully > with inclusion of SADC, TRASA, African Connection > and other relevant > bodies) > > Longer-term sustainability of project: possibly move to a > membership > network for organizations & individuals > > Structure: With a representative organisation in each > SADC country, nodal > points in 4 countries (possibly LINK in SA, CIEUM in > Mozambique and > others). > > > COUNTRY CONTACTS > > ANGOLA > Ebonet is a commercial ISP active in establishing Public > Access Points or > Telecentres. They have two projects: "EMail for > Everybody" is a > partnership with the National Post Company, should > operate as an > independent company owner of the Telecentre. > Telecentre Project: A > proposal to Provincial Government of Luanda has been > written (the capital > city of Angola). A small program was promoted by > ANGONET > (www.angonet.org), a public room with Internet Access > for local NGOs > without their own facilities to use Email. Haymee Perez > Cogle, PAcomm, Lda > haymee@ebonet.net www.ebonet.net > > BOTSWANA > Susan Mpe National Youth Centre nyc@botsnet.bw, > mpesue@yahoo.com > Ndipo Mokoka Worldview, Botswana view.bots@info.bw > > LESOTHO > There are telecentres planned at the following centres: > Maseru Resource > Centre, Mafeteng Resource Centre, Mohale's Hoek > Resource Centre, Leribe > Resource Centre, Thomas Mofolo Library, Lesotho > National Library Service, > National Teacher Training College Library, Lerotholi > Polytechnic Library, > The British Council Library. Zawedde Nsibirwa, British > Council > Zawedde.Nsibirwa@bc-lesotho.bcouncil.org Thotoane > Pekeche Transformation > Resource Centre, Lesotho centre@lesoff.co.ls > > MOZAMBIQUE > Namaacha and Manica Telecentres 2 pilot telecentre > have been established > by the University of Eduardo Mondlane, supported by the > IDRC. > http://www.telecentros.org.mz Polly Gastor CIUEM > polly@nambu.uem.mz > Fernando Neves Syscom syscompt@teledata.mz > Americo F Muchanga Universidade > Eduardo Mondlane americo@dzowo.uem.mz Emma > Sylvester Bradley EDCI Research > Centre emmasb@teledata.mz cpeci@teledata.mz > > NAMIBIA > Ben Amathila Namibia bamathila@mib.gov.na > Raashied Galant Namibia MISA research@misa.org.na > > SOUTH AFRICA > The Universal Service Agency is the statutory body to > support telecentres. > It has set up 80, primarily in rural areas. Contact: Dipuo > Mvelase > dipuo@usa.org.za http://www.usa.org.za > > The LINK Centre (Learning, Information, Networking & > Knowledge) of the > University of the Witwatersrand has set up a newsletter > (called CommUnity > * unity through communications) and website of over 600 > community ICT > projects in South Africa Contact: Peter Benjamin > peter@sn.apc.org, > http://www.communitysa.org.za > > The British Council held the conference on Building the > Information > Community in Africa (BICA) conference in February > 1999 which brought > together over 200 telecentre activists, researchers, > regulators and > donors. http://www.bica99.org > > The Government Communication and Information > Service is establishing 20 > Multi-Purpose Community Centres, including telecentre > services. These > include a range of government services. Contact: > Michael Currin > Michael@gcis.pwv.gov.za > > Anriette Esterhuysen Assoc for Progressive Comms. > Anriette@apc.org > Heather Ford Electoral Institute for SA > heather@eisa.org.za > Emmanuel Njugan APC africa.rights@apc.org > Alfred Toodz Kgolangana atoodi@yahoo.com > Chris Armstrong National Community Radio Forum > carmstrong@icon.co.za > Jonathan Miller, Jonathan Miller & Associates > jonmil@icon.co.za > Esme Modisane MACIS, GCIS > emodisan@callisto.cids.org.za > Sandile Nolowonde Green > Sandile21724@yahoo.com > Glen Jordan Intavision glen@intavision.com > Mike Jensen Many projects mikej@sn.apc.org > > > SWAZILAND > Agnes Phiri UNDP, Swaziland agnes.phiri@undp.org > > TANZANIA > Sengerema Telecentre is an ITU-UNESCO-IDRC > telecentre planned for a rural > area of Tanzania. The executing agency will be TTCL, > the national > telephone company. http://www.itu.int/ITU-D- > UniversalAccess Mr T. E. Mlaki > Project Leader Sengerema Telecentre P.O Box 4302, > Dar es Salaam, Tanzania > Enock Yonazi Tanzania Commission for Science & > Technology > eyonazi@hotmail.com Maneno Mengi > maneno@africaonline.co.tz ICT and > telecentre work in Tanzania Rakesh Kukreja Tanzania > ICS(T) Ltd > rakesh@icstz.com John Kajiba Tanzania ESRF > jkajiba@esrf.or.tz Felician > Nckeye Sengerema telecentre nckeyefb@hotmail.com > Matthias Masawe Tanz. > Comm. for Science & Tech mmasawe@hotmail.com > Theophilus Mlaki Tanz. Comm. > for Science & Tech tmlaki@hotmail.com > > ZAMBIA > Chipata Telecentre The Chipata Chamber of > Commerce (CoC), Eastern > Province, Zambia, near the Malawi border, has launched > a telecentre in > Chipata as part of the Africa Connection rally in May > 1999. This > telecentre is targeting the local business community and > the Chipata CoC > anticipates that the telecentre will reach break-even > point in six to nine > months. It is a joint venture with Lusaka-based ISP > ZamNet which is > providing the leased line link to the Telecentre. Shula > Habeenzu > habeenzu@zamnet.zm Nicholas Mulusa Comms > Authority, Zambia > nmulusa@caz.gov.zm Golden Nachibipga NGO > Coordinating Cttee, Zambia > ngo-it@zamnet.zm, ngocc@zamnet.zm > > ZIMBABWE > World Links - School-based Telecentre Zimbabwe > World Links for Development > Program has established 11 school-based telecentres. > The "twelfth" centre > a mobile van was just recently launched. Contact: Anthony Bloome > abloome@africaonline.co.zw > www.worldbank.org/worldlinks > > Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) ZFU is developing a project to support the > implementation of public access communication and information centres > (telecentres) in rural areas. 10 pilot telecentres are being established > in the Midlands Province in Zimbabwe. Contact: Sven Enarson > sccharar@samara.co.zw > > > ORAP Rural Connectivity and Info Cafe Organization of Rural Associations > for Progress (ORAP) is establishing telecentres for training, information > provision, and rural connectivity. Contact: Patience P. > Ndebele > oraphq@acacia.samara.co.zw > > Batsina Mike Chiuhanga City University > bmmc@soi.city.ac.uk > > > > > > _______________________________________________________________________ > This listserve is a free service offered by the Vancouver CommunityNet > For more info on services offered by VCN see http://www.vcn.bc.ca/groups/ > From angelas at prcsu.durban.gov.za Wed Apr 24 15:48:10 2002 From: angelas at prcsu.durban.gov.za (Angela Spencer) Date: Wed May 23 10:56:49 2007 Subject: [Communitysa] Printing charges Message-ID: Hi I am working on a project to place pcs in all 80 branch libraries in the Durban Unicity. We have a big problem collecting payment for printing. We need to find a system whereby patrons can pay for their printing at a coinbox at the terminal, and then collect their copies from the printer situated next to the terminal. We don't want to involve our staff in the transaction as they have enough work to do running the library. The commercial solutions we have looked at thus far have been extremely expensive. We have to recover the costs of printing from patrons because we do not have funds to cover donated copies. Does anyone have any ideas about how to resolve this problem, or similar experiences they could share with us? Even the name of a company who provides this kind of service would be useful. Thank you very much Kind regards Angela Spencer _________________________________________________________ Angela Spencer (Carnegie e-community Project Librarian) eThekweni Metro Library Services 99 Umgeni Road, Durban, 4001 PO Box 917, Durban, 4000 Tel. 0027 31 3094405 Fax 0027 31 3096033 email: angelas@prcsu.durban.gov.za web page: http://http://www.durban.gov.za/libraries/ecommunity.htm *The opinions expressed above are my own and not those of eThekweni Metro Libraries or the eThekweni Metro Council