Big Blue: Zimbabwe World Links for Development mobile ICT lab

Author : Anthony Bloome
Date added : 2001-04-12

Brief Project Background

World Links for Development - Zimbabwe Mobile ICT Van. A large 3 tonne van was converted into a mobile information and communications technology telecentre which has been travelling around the countryside and introducting computers and Internet to schoolchildren and the general public in rural communities. The van has a rear projection video-screen, 10 networked computers, is wired for dial-up connectivity (when there's access to a phone plug-in) and comes with Windows and Office software, educational software and has World Links trained trainers on board.

The World Links Organization is focused on promoting ICT literacy, access and training to developing countries around the world. To date, the program is in 27 developing countries providing comprehensive training in the use of ICT across the curriculum and for community development. Principle objectives include enhancing teaching and learning through ICT in the classroom integration, youth exchanges through online collaborative projects and youth development through increased employment opportunities through ICT literacy.

The Zimbabwe World Links for Development Program began in 1998 and to date has established 13 school-based telecentres and is currently developing another 45 sites. Much of this support has come through the World Bank and World Links Organization, but the Ministry of Education has been incredibly supportive as well, providing full-time teachers to each of the WorLD sites.

Another example of this proactive support is the contribution of a large van which was converted over a six month period through funds provided by the World Links Organization by local Zimbabwe-WorLD staff and Ministry of Education officials for use as a mobile ICT computer lab. The van is equipped similar to any of the fixed location WorLD labs with ten networked computers running Windows and Office 95/98. It also has a rear projection video screen which can display videos to large groups. The van is affectionately known as "Big Blue".

The van is innovative inasfar as addressing the common question of digital divide and rural access. As an autonomous lab which can be connected to the phone line through dial-up and soon through wireless connections it can enable users in rural communities to experience ICT resources and tools firsthand.

On each trip into the countryside, the Ministry of Education provides the driver and one or two teachers who have been trained by the Zimbabwe-WorLD program in the use of ICT as a learning tool and resource.

Results

The van is exceeded all of our expectations. It has been heavily booked, typically rotating trips to various sites around the country and staying up to a period of three weeks at each site. The Ministry of Education has been so impresssed with the program that is has volunteered a second van which will also be developed as a mobile ICT lab.

Participation has been enhanced by providing access to this technology to rural communities which heretofore did not have access to this type of technology. Obviously, this is an innovative approach to questions of the digital divide.

More exciting is that development agencies have also requested use of the van to reach their target populations. One Danish agency in exchange for using the van for a week in a rural area agreed to underwrite the development of a computer lab in one of the schools near where the van had visited. This is a good model for once having created the appetite for ICT resources and training leaving something more tangible and permanent in place.

Lessons

Major barriers to the project included the length of time it took to come up with an interior design that would keep the computers secure in travel; only one van to service all rural areas in the country; and unavailability of fuel during increasing times of fuel shortage in the country.

Advice: Think out the interior design well in advance, including anticipating how many users can access the computers within at one time. (The van can accomodate 20 users although the space is somewhat crowded.) The exterior panel of the van can be used as space for corporate sponsors a good way to underwrite recurrent costs involved. Need dedicated and motivated staff to carry this out.

Development Impacts

Yes, it has. It is reaching clients who have never seen computers and providing them with access and sensitization to technology which could contribute to their professional and personal development. As the program approaches technology only as an instrument which is valuable to the extent that the content and clients can benefit from it through relevancy to educational outcomes and occupational development, the training that is provided by WorLD-trained teachers demonstrates this use of the technology.

In conjuction with the Zimbabwe-WorLD program other 13 -- and soon to be -- 45 school-based telecentres the program is developing a national SchoolNet which will contribute to the country's ICT development, particularly through schools throughout the country.

The van is just one of the innovative models which the World Organization is promoting/piloting to help alleviate issues of digital divide. We hope that "Big Blue" and "Big Yellow" will provide useful evidence of the value of the project and these innovative approaches. As the form does not permit the addition of jpgs or gifs, we would be happy to send several photos of the van in use. Please feel free to contact me at my e-mail address above for more information.

Project Information

Organisation : World Bank and World Links Organization
URL : http://www.world-links.org
Total budget in US$ : US$7000
Country of activity: Zimbabwe [ZW]

Are there any partners involved : yes
What is partners role?: Ministry of Education donated the unconverted van; Compaq - 5 new computers, Discovery Channel Global Educ Fund - tv/vcr

Contact Information

Anthony Bloome
abloome@worldbank.org

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