Solomon Success - Company Registry Reform in Solomon Islands
Rural Networking in Solomon Islands
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Transcript of Rural Networking in Solomon Islands
Rural Networking in Rural Networking in Solomon IslandsSolomon Islands
RaRandall Bilikindall BilikiPFnetPFnet ManagerManager
People First NetworkPeople First NetworkP.O. Box 919P.O. Box 919
HoniaraHoniaraSolomon IslandsSolomon Islands
[email protected]@pipolfastaem.gov.sb
www.peoplefirst.net.sbwww.peoplefirst.net.sb
Country Facts and Country Facts and ConstraintsConstraints
Small Island Geography –100s of remote, scattered
communitiesHigh Costs –
Monopolies, restrictive regulations, costly imports
Lack of Focus in government –Limited awareness, no ICT
strategyEffects of conflict –
Collapsed economy, mistrust, ICT perceived as low priority in
reconstruction
The People The People First Network First Network (PFnet)(PFnet)
……to promote and facilitate ……to promote and facilitate equitable and sustainable equitable and sustainable rural developmentrural development and and peace buildingpeace building by enabling by enabling better information sharing and better information sharing and knowledge building among knowledge building among and across communities and across communities forming the Solomon forming the Solomon Islands……Islands……
www.peoplefirst.net.sbwww.peoplefirst.net.sb
Rural Development Volunteers Association
(RDVA)
1. Facilitate Facilitate affordable affordable
accessaccess
ObjectivesObjectives
2. Facilitate rural 2. Facilitate rural development development and peace-and peace-related related information flows information flows among all social among all social groups;groups;
3. Facilitate the 3. Facilitate the exchange of exchange of information information
between between communities and communities and
stakeholders;stakeholders;
Rural wireless networking in HF Rural wireless networking in HF bandband
Management Committees
Operators
Community intermediaries
Technical intermediaries
12 stations with another 12 scheduled by June 2004
Distance education Sustainable livelihoods
Rural credit + solar power + communications =
Rural “business incubator”Farmer’s networking
Applications
Disaster management Women’s networking
Community consultations:
i.e. Constitutional reform
Community policing
Rights awareness
ServicesServices
Email – community and private accountsEmail – community and private accounts Searching on the Internet Searching on the Internet News reports (2-way)News reports (2-way) Sharing information from/with partnersSharing information from/with partners Secretarial servicesSecretarial services Rural consultations and feedbackRural consultations and feedback Weather warnings and disaster reportingWeather warnings and disaster reporting
TEK email search engine (MIT)
http://tek.sourceforge.net
Tools for creative bandwidth Tools for creative bandwidth managementmanagement
RANET / Worldspace
Internet Centre in Honiara generates revenues to support the activities
Rural Development e-Citizen Rural Development e-Citizen PortalPortal
Film UN in Action, (4 min) by UN TV at PFnet Pirupiru Email station, July 2003
Monitoring and ResearchMonitoring and ResearchMonthly email usage (sent and received)
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Oct
-01
Dec-0
1
Feb-0
2
Apr-0
2
Jun-
02
Aug-0
2
Oct
-02
Dec-0
2
Feb-0
3
Apr-0
3
Jun-
03
Aug-0
3
Monthly revenue (Sasamungga) , all services (SBD)
$0.00
$200.00
$400.00
$600.00
$800.00
$1,000.00
$1,200.00
Oct-01
Dec-0
1
Feb-0
2
Apr-0
2
Jun-
02
Aug-0
2
Oct-02
Dec-0
2
Feb-0
3
Apr-0
3
Jun-
03
Aug-0
3
Insert graphs of station usage from Selo’s latest monthly report
Insert summary of user profiles in bullet points, for all the emails sent so far, all stations. Consult selo’s latest data on the web site. Summarise
• sample size
• % women
• educational level
• ages
• destinations
• main subjects
Only briefly! No time for detail – say it is all on the web site
Current ResearchCurrent Research
Social impactsSocial impacts Factors affecting uptake / Factors affecting uptake /
appropriationappropriation
January 2004January 2004 JICA fundedJICA funded USP with UNDP and PFnetUSP with UNDP and PFnet 5 locations to be studied5 locations to be studied
Research onResearch onNational ICT StrategyNational ICT Strategy
Currently no ICT Strategy in place in S.I.Currently no ICT Strategy in place in S.I. Regional ICT Policy Plan (2001)Regional ICT Policy Plan (2001)
Effects:Effects: Lack of focus Lack of focus Partners not collaborating – no synergyPartners not collaborating – no synergy Dependant on personalitiesDependant on personalities ICT not used widely in Solomon IslandsICT not used widely in Solomon Islands
ICT Strategy Building ICT Strategy Building workshopworkshop
Held to:Held to: Identify why ICT4D is not use more Identify why ICT4D is not use more
widelywidely Build a consensus on priority objectivesBuild a consensus on priority objectives Provide guiding documentation for ICT Provide guiding documentation for ICT
strategy buildingstrategy building
OutcomesOutcomes
Problem and objectives trees Problem and objectives trees constructed using OOPPconstructed using OOPP
Priority objectives clusters identifiedPriority objectives clusters identified Document published (e.J.o.I.S.D.C)Document published (e.J.o.I.S.D.C) Solomon Islands ICT Working Group Solomon Islands ICT Working Group
created as national steering councilcreated as national steering council Included in e-Pacifika (UNDP)Included in e-Pacifika (UNDP)
Problem Tree
55 problems associated with the use of ICT in development in Solomon Islands
Mapped onto a corresponding Objectives Tree
Objective clusters
identified
ICT4D strategy: ICT4D strategy: Objective clustersObjective clusters
AffordableAccess
Equipment/Access
Networking/Awareness
Education/Training
Policy
Distance education trialsDistance education trialsPeople First Network
University of South Pacific Centre, Honiara
ObjectivesObjectivesOVERALL OVERALL
To pTo provide improved educational opportunities rovide improved educational opportunities for Solomon Islanders, especially in rural areasfor Solomon Islanders, especially in rural areas
SPECIFICSPECIFIC PPilot a distance learning computer centre ilot a distance learning computer centre Trial the delivery of USP modules by emailTrial the delivery of USP modules by email Provide baseline research data on impacts Provide baseline research data on impacts Build rural and national capacity Build rural and national capacity and awarenessand awareness
What we didWhat we did Computer centre in rural villageComputer centre in rural village Enrolled and trained 20 USP studentsEnrolled and trained 20 USP students Supervised 10 students in distance studiesSupervised 10 students in distance studies Assignments, tutorials and counselling by Assignments, tutorials and counselling by
emailemail Research interview programResearch interview program Participatory evaluation and workshop for Participatory evaluation and workshop for
education stakeholderseducation stakeholders
(June-October 2002)(June-October 2002)
EvaluationEvaluation
The trials proved the utility of the ICTThe trials proved the utility of the ICT Improved success rates, turnaround and Improved success rates, turnaround and
student-tutor relationshipsstudent-tutor relationships All participants needed training to use All participants needed training to use
the low-bandwidth systemthe low-bandwidth system All academic staff should be involvedAll academic staff should be involved Main problem concerned access to Main problem concerned access to
reference materialreference material
Follow upFollow up
Proposed project starting March 2004Proposed project starting March 2004 E-learning centres in 9 rural schoolsE-learning centres in 9 rural schools Funded by EU (circa Euro 1.2m)Funded by EU (circa Euro 1.2m) Integrated education strengtheningIntegrated education strengthening Need for local solutionsNeed for local solutions VSATVSAT Partnership with Solomon Telekom Partnership with Solomon Telekom
Funding since Oct 2000 (US$)Funding since Oct 2000 (US$) Government of Japan Government of Japan 140K140K NZAid NZAid 125K125K UNDP (direct)UNDP (direct) 66K66K UNDP (through SIDAPP)UNDP (through SIDAPP) 60K 60K Government of BritainGovernment of Britain 60K60K EU – supported 4 community stations directly EU – supported 4 community stations directly 32K32K Government of R.O.C.Government of R.O.C. 20K20K APDIPAPDIP 9K9K AusAid – supported 1 community directly AusAid – supported 1 community directly 8K8K OxfamOxfam 1K1K