Rural information capacity building through a solar-powered Multipurpose Community Telecentre

Author : Dr. Osei Darkwa
Date added : 2002-04-15

Brief Project Background

Project started in 1998 when the initiator of the project, Dr. Darkwa, president of the Ghana Computer Literacy and Distance Education, Incorporated (GhaCLAD), met with a cross section of the Patriensa community at the Chief''s palace to discuss their felt needs. Based on the opinions expressed at the forum, it was decided that the best development model to address the multiple needs of the community is a Multipurpose Community Telecentre. The community forum culminated in the formation of a non-profit organization, the Asante Akim Multipurpose Community Telecentre (AAMCT). The newly formed organization was charged with the responsibility of establishing the project. Among others, the AAMCT seeks to bring the benefits of the information revolution to disadvantaged groups in rural areas who lack access to any form of electronic networks. It aims to utilize information for capacity building as a way of accelerating socio-economic development. Consistent with the goals of the AAMCT, the project seeks:

· To bring the benefits of the new information and communication technologies (ICTs), in particular the Internet and electronic communication networks (ECNs), to the Asante Akim district.

· To empower the people of Asante Akim with the ability to apply information and communication technologies to their own development.

· To use ICT to create, produce, sponsor, and distribute training technologies and media, including materials and programs of an artistic, civic, cultural, informational, instructional, or scientific nature.

· To employ ICT to gather and disseminate local knowledge systems. The resulting knowledge systems (oral histories, knowledge about plant medicine, indigenous apprenticeship systems, music, dance, storytelling, etc.) from the AAMCT will be marketed worldwide; sales and licensing of these digital products will help to support the community center and its future expansion. The result will be a treasure chest of images and sound, a living expression of Patriensah''s priceless traditions that will be fashioned into a Cultural Ecology Gallery, available online worldwide (see the project website at http://www.patriensa.com).


The project makes a connection between solar power, wireless communications and traditional music, artwork, poetry and dance?

Greenstar, a US non-profit organization specializes in operating solar-powered telecentres in rural community around the world. When Greenstar''s founders learned of Patriensa''s vision for an IT-based future for the small village, they realized this community had the desire and energy to be a great partner. After extensive research, Greenstar decided that Ghana was the best place to begin its Africa expansions. A new partnership was then established between GhaCLAD, Greenstar, and the people of Patriensa.

Telecentres are innovative ways of addressing the multiple challenges confronting rural populations. The solar-powered AAMCT is a commercially viable model in building a sustainable innovative solar-powered multipurpose community telecentre (MCT), at Patriensah, in the Asante Akim region. The AAMCT employs computer-equipped training facilities to economically empower the people of Asante Akim and promote capacity building, and promote the health, social, cultural and economic growth of people in the Asante Akim district using indigenous as well as emerging communications systems. It seeks to create jobs, promote skill development, microcredit, electronic commerce, digital culture, poverty alleviation; and the overall growth of the people of the Asante Akim district. The project is an experiment to create a new model for delivering multiple services under a single roof with the aid of information communications technology. The AAMCT is the first digitized village in Ghana.

The solar system at the Center includes the following:

a. C2024, 2000W/24 Sinewave inverter with 30A Solar charge controller and AC battery charger.
b. 6 x 250Ah/12V Akku Deep Cycle Battery.
c. 8 x SP 75, 75 watts Siemens Solar panel.
d. 200A DC Fuse
e. 4 Flourescent lights, 4 Ceiling Fans Cables and accessories.
f. a powerful photovoltaic power array

Other accessories at the AAMCT include a Sol-Saver water purifier, provided by Safe Water Systems of Hawaii; a digital camera; a satellite telephone, supplied by Iridium, with a special data connection that will provide a direct link to the Worldwide Web for the village. The Iridium satellite phone is the first such installation in Africa, and allows for full email services, a basic Web connection, and global telephone access. A specially-designed "e-PC" from Hewlett-Packard is used for Internet connection.

There is 600W of solar power running an office in the building.

The AAMCT has three landline phones and a 24 hour support line.

The AAMCT is managed by a 5 member Steering Committee. The Steering committee has the power to hire additional individuals to assist in managing and steering the affairs of the AAMCT. In addition, it reviews models of information communications technology demonstration projects addressing specific concerns in designated areas in the country and other parts of the world. The day-to-day operations of the center is in the hands of a Center Director, Mr. Obeng Sarpong, who oversees the activities of the AAMCT. A part-time technical coordinator, and three administrative assistants assist the Center Director in running the AAMCT. Two volunteers, two instructors, and two security guards provide security and messaging services at the Center. Also hired is a community outreach and development director with the primary responsibility to promote the Center and to oversee public relations and development planning.

To sustain the project, the AAMCT charges fees for its services. The revenue received from the services, however, will not be the primary purpose of the center. The centre will establish a microcredit project, by digitizing indigenous cultural resources (such as music, artwork, stories, poetry, etc.) and market the resources over the Internet. Business people can use the facility and develop new skills and services there, at a fee. They can also use the infrastructure to develop products and services that add value to their products. Long?term sustainability of the center is expected to be achieved through fees?for?service paid by NGOs, the public and in particular, the state, which will be able to increase the efficiency and quality of public services and make savings in delivery of, for example, education and healthcare.

In January of 2000, Greenstar, a non-profit organization based in the United States with expertise in initiating solar-powered technology centers in developing countries heard about the AAMCT. They visited the project site and were impressed with the level of community involvement in the project. Greenstar decided to be a project partner by funding the solar component of the project. On Auguat 4, 2001, the project was launched at Patriensah, Ghana, by the Minister of Local Government, Hon. Baah Wiredu. With the launch of the first solar-powered center and the development of a partnership, Patriensa became transformed into the first digitized village in Ghana. The people of Patriensa and the Asante Akim district have begun the digitization of the village's art, music and other cultural assets in a novel investment in their future. Community and school-based organizations are being taught computer skills. The goal is to produce a pool of computer literate personnel to help feed the computer needs of Ghana and the global economy. Fact is, we live in a new economy. The new economy is global, it is a networked economy and, it is a knowledge-based economy. One of the most important tools people need today in order to be competitive in the new economy is the computer; one of the most important skills people need to acquire today is computer skills. This project seeks to provide people in the district with the tools and skills they need to be more competitive in today's economy.

The day the project was launched (August 4), GhaCLAD, Greenstar, and the community recorded the work of musicians from the village, took video of performers and pictures of the launching cultural festivities, and continues to work with the community to develop art works and literatures and other expressions of the community's rich Ashanti heritage. The pieces will be turned into digital products to be marketed in the US, Europe and elsewhere, sharing the profits with the people of Patriensah.

Today, the activities of Grenstar and GhaCLAD in the Asante Akim district is bringing the benefits of the information revolution to the people of Asante Akim and the country in general.

Results

The project has created the following opportunities for the people of Asante Akim:

a. Digitization of Indigenous resources ("digital culture)
This entails electronic capacity building, local/indigenous knowledge building and digitization of indigenous knowledge. Music and art work from the Asante Akim district is now being offered to the global community through the project's website.

b. Community Media Access and Online Electronic Information
Through comuputer networks and Internet connection at the AAMCT, the Asante Akim district now has a wider access to information technology. They can now share in the benefits of the information revolution.

c. Small Business Support
Through ICT-related services provided by the AAMCT, small businesses within the Asante Akim district now have technology support for their businesses. Among the services offered to small businesses are computer training, scanning, printing, word processing, and phone service.

d. Public Access to Computer andthe Internet
The AAMCT offers members of the Asante Akim community the opportunity to use computer and communications technologies to explore their own interests, to develop skills, and to discover what the technology can do to enhance their well-being.

e. Career Development & Job Preparation
The AAMCT provides this service to the large army of unemployed youth in the district. Job
skills training includes classes teaching basic computer literacy, keyboarding skills, word processing, graphics applications, spreadsheets, databases and other office skills classes.
Job search activities include resume writing workshops; classes teaching interviewing skills such as what questions to ask and what is likely to be asked; workplace behavior training; and, how and where to look for a job.

f. IT Training in Courseware for Various Certifications
The AAMCT prepares people to meet the increasing computer needs of schools, business, and industry by providing skills in microcomputers, operating systems, database management, word processing, spreadsheets, office skills, the world wide web, and PC troubleshooting. The program assists trainees upgrade existing skills and develop new skills.

The AAMCT offers various levels of training, from basic to advanced levels. The computing facilities at the AAMCT is also used to assist organizations prepare for customer demand for Microsoft, Cisco, Novell, Oracle, and CompTIA certification.

Lessons

We are of the view that the provision of access to information and communication services in rural and remote areas is the key to accelerating their development. We have learnt a lot of lessons with the initiation of this project. There is wealth of local knowledge and wisdom in rural areas. And, there is the need to tap and share the wealth of wisdom and experiences available in these areas with the rest of the world, through ICT.

We've also learnt that people living in rural areas face a number of economic, social, cultural and legal barriers to their advancement. Very limited income generating opportunities exist for rural people outside domestic agriculture. But, ICT could be used to empower powerless rural communities in Ghana and other parts of the world?

We learnt that our success in being able to use ICT to address the needs of rural people depends on the following factors:
- Our ability to explain to the people the exact nature of the project and how it will help address their felt needs.
- The level of expected participation and involvement in steering the project once the construction phase is over. Thus, community ownership and community control are vital ingredients for the success of any ICT project in rural areas.
- Our ability to generate new resources, and new revenues to make our visions more than idle dreams.
- Building "smart partnerships" with the community and institutions who have the needed funds for the project. This is what we call "friendraising" and fundraising.

We learnt that many people in the area are looking for options to further their education, have better access to health care services, increase their incomes, and share in the benefits of the information economy.

We also learnt that if we stand together with community people, and pull resources together, success is likely to come our way. Without a collaborative effort, the outcome of our venture within the district wouldn't have been predictable.

Development Impacts

The project is still emerging. And, over the next 2 years, we'll be embaking on a major expansion program. Specifically, the following services will be added to the activities of the AAMCT.

a. Distance Education. Our proposed model uses the power of information communication technologies to overcome the financial, physical and informational barriers that prevent increased access to high quality higher education in several African countries. The model will use "second media age" communication technology to make it possible for senior secondary school graduates, only a fraction of whom can be accommodated in the country's tertiary institutions, to enroll directly, and without leaving their homes, in U.S. community colleges, as well as higher institutions in other parts of the world.

Our proposal is based on the following assumptions:
- Computer literacy and internet access have become critical requirements for economic advancement and democratic participation. It can be predicted that over half of all new jobs will require some form of technical skills, and most high paying jobs will require some form of computer literacy.

- Literacy itself is being defined in terms of the ability to manage and process information, not just the ability to read.

- Growth in the high productivity capital intensive sectors of an economy is linked to the development of a skilled and competent computer literate work force that can support those emerging industries.

- Ghana needs for the growth of its modernizing economy the kind of technical and vocational tertiary education programs offered by US and community colleges in other parts of the world. The JSS, the SSS , and the Polytechnic system is built on this concept.

- Until such time as Ghana has the money for its own expanded tertiary institutions, and the necessary faculty, it would accelerate the development of Ghana's economy if the many secondary school graduates of Ghana that cannot now be accommodated in Ghana's universities and polytechnics could be enrolled in academic institutions worldwide via distance education. In addition to these graduates a global-Ghanaian community college could do education and training for those now in the workforce; for women at home; and for other sectors of Ghana needing or wanting learning.

- There are academic institutions in the US and elsewhere, that offer at a distance complete degree programs in such applied fields as computer science, business, environmental science. Students in the college's local community, or elsewhere in the US, or anywhere in the world that has Internet and Web connection can enroll in these courses. In theory (to begin with) Ghanaian students can enroll in these courses immediately, and take instruction along with the US students and others.

- Since we will be using the Internet and the Web communication between Ghanaians and students from other parts of the world, teachers, businesspeople, funders and others will not be limited to course-related matters only, but will allow via email and computer conferencing the development of dialogs and discussions of common interests.

- The proposed design features and emphasizes the "virtual campus" rather than courses, and the "campus" metaphor allows us to include online "buildings" on AVCC's virtual campus that do many of the research activities, conferences, workshops, institutes, that go on in a "real" college or university to serve and improve business and industry. When a Ghanaian student, or official, or business person logs on to AVCC he or she sees "buildings" and other "places." When we expand to other nations, AVCC will begin with icons that feature the subcampus of each nation: he or she will click "Ghana," whereas elsewhere someone will click "Kenya". The Ghanaian "campus" will have a number of "buildings." These buildings will be those found on any well-supported campus: one or more classroom buildings; library; counseling center.


b. Telehealth/Telemedicine: Over the next year or so, we want to implement a very basic, effective and low-cost telemedicine concept at the AAMCT. A group we have contacted has developed an intelligent tool for managing simple medical questions and cases. They have a software tool, and a growing network of doctors around the world who are participating in their network. See http://www.bktelemed.com/. Here's how it would work. Someone is sick at the village. He or she sees a doctor or paramedic, who takes notes on the patient's condition, takes a couple of photographs using the digital camera, enters the information and photo into the Telemed software and dials the telephone to connect our laptop to the Internet. The complete record is added to the Telemed system, and is instantly available around the world as a request for help. In many countries, relevant experts in the field can now see the AAMCT case on their computer screens, comment and offer assistance, information and advice; this information goes back into the Telemed system. Within a few days, when the doctor or paramedic iat the AAMCT connects to the Internet again, several expert opinions are waiting for him, with specific suggestions and questions. All the experts can see each others' advice, and can refine a response for the doctor at the AAMCT. This dialog process continues until the case is resolved.

Fact is, there are a great many complex, expensive, high-tech implementations of telemedicine that take forever to implement, and are relevant to big city hospitals in the industrial world. Very few are immediately relevant to the special environment of the rural village in the developing world. This could be one such solution, and it is our plan to implement this model as soon as possible.

We are talking with one Mike McDonald, one of the world's foremost experts on telemedicine for communities, about the implementation of this model.

c. Adult Education & Services. The AAMCT will establish adult activities to include the following:
· Adult Basic Education (ABE) classes
· Life-long Learning Opportunities
· Basic computer comfort (to introduceadults to the keyboard, the mouse, how to turn the machine on and off, and some basic applications which will enable adults to use the computer without supervision and prepare them for more advanced computer training in the future).
· Mentoring younger people
· Telecommunications contact with relatives and friends
· Family tree programs and family history productions

d. Cisco Networking Academy: The AAMCT was recently approved as a local Cisco Networking Academy. Students will begin classes sometime this summer. This will be after the establishment of a Cisco lab.

Project Information

Organisation : Ghana Computer Literacy & Distance Education, Incorporated (GhaCLAD)
URL : http://www.patriensa.com http://www.ghaclad.org
Total budget in US$ : $55,000
Country of activity: Ghana [GH]

Are there any partners involved : yes
What is partners role?: Greenstar invested in the AAMCT with a set of solar panels, a laptop computer and a satellite telephone to link to the Internet. The community is using these facilities for education, especially in information technology and establishing a "digital culture" business model for the country. Greenstar continues to pay for monthly Internet connectivity. Also, Greenstar supports the "digital culture" component of the center.

Contact Information

Dr. Osei Darkwa
odarkwa@yahoo.com

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