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Achievements of theAchievements of the UNDP Internet Support UNDP Internet Support ProjectProject

Isatou Secka-JahIsatou Secka-Jah

National CoordinatorNational Coordinator

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backgroundbackground

3 year3 year $100, 000 launched by the $100, 000 launched by the UNDP Banjul Office in 1998UNDP Banjul Office in 1998

Set up in Set up in parallelparallel to The Gambia’s to The Gambia’s Internet InitiativeInternet Initiative

the the Monitoring and backstoppingMonitoring and backstopping of of The Gambia’s IIAThe Gambia’s IIA

activities were coordinated through activities were coordinated through a a nationally recruited professionalnationally recruited professional

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ObjectivesObjectives

Practical Approach• establish connectivity of identified

national institutions to the Internet• build capacity of connected national

institutions on the use and maintenance of Internet services

• advocate the beneficial use of the Internet nationally

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ObjectivesObjectives

• assess the universal access requirements of The Gambia and the viability of the project

• ensure the sustainability of The Gambia's Internet Initiative

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Achievements Achievements

ConnectivityConnectivity• identification of key national identification of key national

institutionsinstitutions• dialup and leased connectivitydialup and leased connectivity• acquisition of small equipment, acquisition of small equipment,

modem/computersmodem/computers• negotiated costs for leased negotiated costs for leased

connectivity for educational connectivity for educational Institutions/NGOsInstitutions/NGOs

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AchievementsAchievements

TrainingTraining• Awareness SeminarsAwareness Seminars

– Overview of Internet Applications, Overview of Internet Applications, Internet Needs Assessment, Content Internet Needs Assessment, Content DevelopmentDevelopment

• WorkshopsWorkshops– Internet Basics & Effective UseInternet Basics & Effective Use– Managing Internet ServicesManaging Internet Services

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BeneficiariesBeneficiaries- Connectivity/Training- Connectivity/Training

Education Education Rural Development Rural Development Institute, Gambia College, GTTI, MDI, Institute, Gambia College, GTTI, MDI, University of The Gambia, NARIUniversity of The Gambia, NARI

Media Media Gambia Press Union, National Gambia Press Union, National Library, Broadcasting ProjectLibrary, Broadcasting Project

HealthHealth Royal Victoria Hospital, Royal Victoria Hospital, Bansang Hospital, Bansang Hospital,

NGOsNGOs Tango, Action-Aid Tango, Action-Aid

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BeneficiariesBeneficiaries- Connectivity/Training- Connectivity/Training

Government InstitutionsGovernment Institutions DOSWCI, DOSWCI, DOSY& S, PMO, DOS T & I, Vice DOSY& S, PMO, DOS T & I, Vice President’s OfficePresident’s Office

Other InstitutionsOther Institutions National National Assembly, National Youth Council, Assembly, National Youth Council, NYSS, Women’s Bureau, SPACO, NYSS, Women’s Bureau, SPACO, Functional Literacy Project, Functional Literacy Project, Chamber of Commerce Chamber of Commerce

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AdvocacyAdvocacy

Presentations at forumsPresentations at forums • NYC Divisional Forums, APSO Conference, NYC Divisional Forums, APSO Conference,

Science Clinic for GirlsScience Clinic for Girls Internet Awareness WeekInternet Awareness Week

• country wide Schools Tour, TV country wide Schools Tour, TV Documentaries, Radio Shows, Documentaries, Radio Shows,

Annual NewsletterAnnual Newsletter• captures local Internet News & captures local Internet News &

technological development around worldtechnological development around world

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Technical BackstoppingTechnical Backstopping

Technical support of Gateway & Technical support of Gateway & BackboneBackbone• maintenance/troubleshooting/maintenance/troubleshooting/

upgradingupgrading Web PresenceWeb Presence

• UN AgenciesUN Agencies• other local institutionsother local institutions

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AchievementsAchievements

Sustainability/Handing Over Sustainability/Handing Over ActivitiesActivities• formation of Internet Society Gambia formation of Internet Society Gambia

ChapterChapter– represents the local internet communityrepresents the local internet community– partnership/speak with one voice to address partnership/speak with one voice to address

issues of common concernissues of common concern– ensure continuityensure continuity– taken over annual Internet Awareness taken over annual Internet Awareness

Week/ Internet NewsletterWeek/ Internet Newsletter

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Sustainability/Handing Over Sustainability/Handing Over ActivitiesActivities evaluation of universal evaluation of universal access requirementsaccess requirements

– identifying grey areasidentifying grey areas, sustaining costs, , sustaining costs, maintaining networks, improving access maintaining networks, improving access penetration, keeping up with penetration, keeping up with technological advancementtechnological advancement

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Best PracticesBest Practices

Pooling of local expertisePooling of local expertise• setting of NTRCsetting of NTRC

involvement of beneficiaries from startinvolvement of beneficiaries from start identifying and focusing on special identifying and focusing on special

interest groups interest groups cost sharingcost sharing

• recurrent costsrecurrent costs• phasing out of assistancephasing out of assistance

involvement of decision-makersinvolvement of decision-makers

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ConstraintsConstraints

Lack of basic Infrastructure - Lack of basic Infrastructure - computers, electricity etccomputers, electricity etc

lack of technical know-howlack of technical know-how• high illiteracy, povertyhigh illiteracy, poverty

small budgetsmall budget high reccurent costshigh reccurent costs

• both for Service Providers/Usersboth for Service Providers/Users

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Follow-up activitiesFollow-up activities

Development of local contentDevelopment of local content• local information databaselocal information database• expose gambian businesses using e-expose gambian businesses using e-

commercecommerce development of technical capacitydevelopment of technical capacity

• help higher level institutions (Univ of help higher level institutions (Univ of Gambia) to develop and build capacity Gambia) to develop and build capacity

• setting up of specialized local academies setting up of specialized local academies e.g ciscoe.g cisco

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Follow-up activitiesFollow-up activities

ICT in schoolsICT in schools• build ICT build ICT infrastructureinfrastructure• introduce ICT introduce ICT curricularcurricular• build build E-SchoolE-School network - facilitate network - facilitate

distance learningdistance learning Development of a comprehensive Development of a comprehensive

ICT policy and ICT policy and action-planaction-plan