EU sets aside 9.1 Billion Euros for Euro-Africa ICT Partnership!

Pambazuka reports that the European Union(EU) has set aside a total sum of 9.1 billion Euros for funding of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-based research in Africa through the EuroAfrica-ICT Strategic Partnership. The partnership, which is part of the Seventh EU Framework Programme for Research and Development (FP7), is a project that would last till 2010 and is driven by activities of the European Commission, Directorate General of Information Society and Media and is aimed at exploring the potential for a deeper and broader Science and Technology (S&T) cooperation on ICT between EU and the sub-Saharan Africa region.

A look at the EuroAfrica-ICT Strategic Partnership site indicates that this project is being implemented by a consortium led by Sigma Consultants, specialized - through its Orionis division - in support services devoted to S&T international cooperation in the ICT field. This consortium includes two key African institutes specializing in the ICT field, the Meraka Institute of the CSIR (South Africa) and the Panos Institute West Africa (Senegal) through its CIPACO initiative. They are now facilitating contacts between European and sub-Saharan African organizations interested in the development of cooperation projects in the ICT field. You can register online if you are interested in taking part in this program.


MY OBSERVATIONS!

1. It is good to see that the Senegalese and the South Africans are involved. But I am of the view that the implementation consortium should have included institutes from at least three more countries in Sub-Saharan Africa in order to ensure fairness. Sub-Saharan Africa is a huge region with diverse ICT needs. Our interests cannot be fairly represented by the two institutes. Some top ICT researchers and academicians from across the continent should also be included in the consortium in order to represent the interests of their countries and regions. My fear is that at the end of the day, the poorest countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa, which, in my view, are supposed to be the major beneficiaries of this initiative, will be left empty handed. This will create a digital divide within a digital divide (digital divide 2.0)!
2. My second observation relates to the timing of the project. Why should the project last till 2010? Are there any plans beyond 2010? Why is the life of this project coinciding with the FIFA World Cup which will be hosted by South Africa, one of the two African key players in the implementation consortium, in 2010?Unless the European Union gives us a proper explanation, the timing of the project creates an impression that the EU is interested in Africa just because of the FIFA World Cup. After that, this EuroAfrica-ICT initiative will no longer be useful because the EU will have accomplished their goal:(

New Low Cost Solar Computer in Uganda

Balancing Act reports that a UK firm, Inveneo Inc has launched a low cost solar/battery powered computer onto the Ugandan market. After searching for Inveneo on Google, I have discovered that these people have a great vision--Connecting villages around the world. (In some circles, someone would have said turn to your neighbour and say it is a good vision)

Inveneo points out that over 2 billion people in the developing world live in rural and remote communities that lack basic access to information and communication technologies--telephony, computing, Internet access. In response to this need, Inveneo, a non-profit social enterprise, creates and sells highly affordable and sustainable ICTs that are specifically designed for organizations--governments,NGOs,private enterprises--that serve rural communities with vital services that include education, health care,economic development,relief and telecentres. This is great stuff! You can visit their site and make a paypal donation. Theirs is indeed a great cause. You will actually see more posts on the activities of Inveneo Inc on this blog in the near future. Today, we will just talk about the low cost solar computer which they have launched in Uganda. Balancing Act reports that

the computers at Ush1.6 million (US$941) a piece are mainly targeting the rural areas that have no or limited access to conventional electricity. With five hours of good sunlight a day, the computer will offer unlimited service to the user.

I am of the view that US$941 is still on a higher side even though Alintuma Nsambu, the Uganda state minister for ICT, says that this computer will be affordable because it will be tax-free. Most people in the rural areas cannot afford paying this amount. It is, therefore, my wish to see other people joining hands with Inveneo Inc by making donations in form of money and expertise in order to develop mass production techniques. The increased volumes will bring down the prices as suggested by Inveneo's chief executive officer, Mark Summer.

Let me wind up this posting, by inviting Inveneo Inc to Malawi. We also have villages which need to be connected to other villages around the world. We will receive you with both hands! Even the President, Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika, will be happy to have you around :).

Wireless Network for Health Applications project at the Malawi Polytechnic

In an effort to make engineering relevant to the society, the Electrical Engineering department at the Malawi Polytechnic, a constituent college of the University of Malawi has been running the Wireless Network for Health Applications project since mid 2006. This work is being done with collaboration from the Radio Communications Unit, Aeronomy and Radio Propagation Laboratory, Abdus Salam ICTP, Trieste, Italy. The goal of this project is to improve the delivery of health services by improving access to information and timely communication through low cost wireless-based communication network and basic telemedicine applications in the city of Blantyre. Some of the specific objectives of the project include the following:

1. To improve access to information and ease of communication for the delivery of health services through increased Internet connectivity bandwidth, low cost wireless-based network and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP);
2. To use basic telemedicine applications for the delivery of health services, such as exchange of medical records, statistics, epidemic surveillance data, transmission of X-rays; and consultations with specialists through email; thus availing expert opinion at the which otherwise is available only at referral hospitals
3. To increase knowledge and skills of staff at Ndirande and Limbe health centres in City of Blantyre on how to use ICT facilities for the delivery of health services.
4. To develop an appropriate model for wireless-based communication network for health applications to be replicated in other areas.

The project is comprised of two phases: network implementation and installation of telemedicine applications. The first phase involved the development of a wireless network connecting Ndirande and Limbe Health Centres to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH), the biggest hospital in the City of Blantyre, through the Polytechnic. As of now, it is possible to access the Internet from the two health centres through the Polytechnic as a gateway. The Blantyre Malaria Project (BMP) housed within the premises of Ndirande Health Centre can upload research data to their server in USA. It is also possible to make VoIP phone calls between the two health centres and QECH.

Now that I am back to the land of the lake, I am pleased to let you know that I am part of this project. As the project goes into the second phase, there is a need for collaboration with organizations or institutions which specialize in telemedicine applications. As we mind more about the communication aspects of the project, you can help us with the telemedicine aspects of the same. If you are either part of or you know such organizations or institutions, please get in touch with me through nyirendac at gmail.com.

Now into 2007:Sad news

I have taken some time before making a posting after entering 2007. Well, I went to Malawi for Christmas and New Year holidays. I had a good time with my family such that I had a self-imposed three week break from the internet except for time-sensitive emails. As a result, my blog activities were grounded.

I arrived in South Africa on Friday, 19 January 2006 after a long bus ride. Soon after arrival, I rushed to an internet cafe to check if there were any time-sensitive emails.I, however, had the greatest shock of my life. An avalanche of emails about the untimely death of Mangaliso Jere, one of my young uncles, had accumulated in my ICTAM mailbox (ICTAM =ICT Association of Malawi).I was dumb-founded.I could not believe what I was reading.For some time, I just sat before that computer in that Sunnyside cafe. Although I tried to control myself, some people could still notice that all was not well with me. After some time, I gathered some strength and sneaked out of the cafe.I phoned some relatives back home.They explained to me the circumstances through which we lost Mangaliso (I will not explain them here). I discovered that Mangaliso left us while I was on the bus coming down to RSA. Up to now, it still looks like its a dream that Manga is no more. Personally, I say, rest in peace MANGA. For abuya, Mrs Jere (Manga's mother), I know that you are strong woman but this is just too much for you. Since 1990, the times have not been good for you.My prayer is that the Almighty God will surround you with his lovingkindness and peace that transcends all understanding.