Constance Georgina Walyaro
Education - Kenya (Central and East Africa)
Case Study: The Path-Breakers of the ICT Revolution
The only way that WSIS can effect real change and achieve its ambitious goals - equitable access to technology, and the harnessing of ICTS for development- is by ensuring the continued involvement of young people not just in implementation, but in decision-making processes as well. We are often the leading innovators in the use and spread of ICTS. All young people are uniquely positioned to effect change in the exponential because of their energy, their creativity, their enthusiasm to remain leaders in the ICT movement, and most importantly, their dedication to sustainable development in their communities, regions and globally. As both business and social entrepreneurs we are creatively using technology to address community needs and meet global challenges.
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTS) can be interpreted broadly as technologies that facilitate communication and the processing and transmission of information by electronic means. This definition encompasses the full range of ICTS, from radio and television to telephones (fixed and mobile), computers and the Internet. ICTS are widely recognized as very powerful tools with the potential to facilitate sustainable development, contribute greatly to the reduction of poverty as well as help address HIV/AIDS. They have important applications in many areas including healthcare, agriculture, business, education, environment, and governance; but still, they fail to reach the majority of the populations that need them the most. While many people in the developed world have the benefit of easy access to information through the Internet, email and telephony, billions in the developing world do not. This is known as the digital divide. It is not a problem in itself, but rather a symptom of deeper, more important divides: of income, development and literacy
The United Nations created the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in two phases: first in Geneva in December 2003, the second in Tunis, Tunisia in November 2005. WSIS brought together political, business and civil society leaders from across the globe to create a shared vision for the information society, and implement an Action Plan to ensure equitable access to technology, and harnessing of ICTS for development.
Early last year many LAC countries bid to undertake WSIS Youth Caucus Campaigns in preparation for WSIS Tunis 2005. Kenya was one of the 8 countries selected, and four organizations: Citron Wood, Waumini Radio, Goal ICT and MadeinKenya Network, were chosen as the National Campaign Coordinators for Kenyas WSIS Rural Youth National Information Society Campaign (RYNICS).
From the start, it was acknowledged that national campaign activities were a vital component of youth activity for the WSIS. This was both in order to foster bottom-up input into policy-making, having recognized that,
a) the most important and powerful place to influence the process and include youth perspectives in a substantial way was in our own countries, and
b) that the UN is primarily a forum for national governments.
With young people leading the way, we wanted to create a movement that would help realize the full potential of the information society nationally.
Campaign activities that had their climax at the first ever Kenya Youth and ICT Conventional 2005 that coincided with International Youth Day and Harambee Youth Week, include:
Advocating: ICT Policy and Practice
1. Youth and ICT & Young Women and ICT Sessions
2. E-Conference on Youth and ICT in Kenya
3. WSIS Youth Kenya hosted WSIS Youth Global Facilitator - Ms. Titilayo Akinsanm in Nairobi
4. Kenya Youth and ICT Convention:
Result: Kenya Youth Declaration on Implementation of the National ICT Policy and re-launch of WSIS Youth Kenya
50 young Kenyans from all 8 provinces attended
Presentations on issues of gender, employment, health, entrepreneurship, environment, role of media, local content and voice over IP, were made.
We plan to make this an annual event
5. Active Youth Representation in Policy Groups:
National ICT Policy Discussions. Position paper submitted to the Ministry of Information and Communication and KICTANet.
National WSIS Taskforce and Pavilion subcommittee
Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet)
Kenya ICT Federation
6. Active Youth Representation at Events
African Regional Youth Congress and Exposition
National ICT Stakeholders Conference where ICT Policy was finalized
Tokyo WSIS Thematic Conference, WSIS Prepcom Geneva, WSIS Tunisia 2005
Nepad E-Africa Conference
7. Policy page http://projects.takingitglobal.org/wsisyouthkenya
Projects: Promoting youth initiatives
1. Mapping and research of youth ICT 4 Dev. projects by Citron Wood.
463 groups mapped
Information collected is being used to build a national ICT4D database.
The database was used to find the diverse candidates for the radio programmes and to select delegates for the Kenya Youth and Information Society Convention 2005 and to ensure that there were participants representative of the broader national youth population with respect to age, gender, ethnicity, region, and area of expertise within the information society. In particular, encouraging young women, ethnic minorities and indigenous people to participate, thus strengthening engagement of rural youth. We had representatives from all the provinces
The database is already supporting Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS East Africa region activities [www.youthaidscoalitio.org] the Citron Wood OIYP Trade Justice Project and other Citron Wood projects.
2. Radio Coverage of youth ICT 4 Development projects on 'The Break' on Radio Waumini 88.5FM every Tuesday. A weekly one-hour radio show dedicated to youth and ICT issues, was produced and presented by Anthony Wafula.
Financial and logistical constraints limited planned visits to projects in all 8 provinces.
Plans are underway to improve coverage
3. Free SMS News Service for the deaf set up by OneWorld International was promoted by WSIS Youth Kenya
87 hearing impaired people have received relief food
4. Project website www.madeinkenya.org and moBlogging facility was developed and designed by Cedilla IT
Provision of free webspace, hosting and email access to women and ICT project , http://merge.madeinkenya.org- was appreciated, but has little impact as majority of those in the MERGE project are located in the remote areas of Rongai, Rift Valley, and have internet access
5. WSIS Youth Kenya List serve: ttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/wsisyouthkenya
over 100 members
The Coordinating team of the Rural Youth National Information Society Campaign in Kenya is made up of the individuals listed below:
Antony Wafula of Radio Waumini, WSIS Youth Kenya and Kictanet
Constance Georgina Khaendi Walyaro of Citron Wood, Oxfam International Youth Parliament, Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS, WSIS Youth Kenya and Kictaner
Lucy Wanjiru Njogu of Goal-ICT, WSIS Youth Kenya and Kictanet
Wainaina Mungai of the Made in Kenya Network, WSIS Youth Kenya and Kictanet
Get Informed! Get Involved! Bridge the Digital Divide!
Major objectives of the RYNICS campaign have been to create/increase awareness of ICTS and the information society as well as increase youth involvement in the processes. We have been very successes at this. There is still continuous involvement of young people, communities and stakeholders in deliberations to identify priorities and strategies to facilitate equitable access to ICTS and the harnessing of technology for development. These consultations help us to develop greater understanding of the role young people play and how we can continue to empower them to effect greater positive and sustainable change.
At WSIS Tunis, I had the opportunity to present the outcomes of our campaign. I also had the opportunity to highlight the RYNICS and Mapping Research exercise during my presentation, at the WTO Ministerial in Hong Kong. Following deliberations at WSIS with stakeholders, other young innovators and leaders, partners, and later; further consultations with Citron Wood Executive board - with our long-term goal of creating a legacy of the WSIS process - we further developed and upgraded the Mapping and Research exercise to project status. In essence, we are using the WSIS process and the many opportunities it has presented to continue supporting and empowering young people. ICTS have brought about revolutionary changes impacting every aspect of our society: connecting cultures, creating new opportunities for education, restructuring employment, generating new economies, and changing citizens relation to government. We want to increase the positive impacts of ICT4D with emphasis on ASALS, rural areas and slum communities. Through young people we want to ensure that ICTS contribute in meaningful, substantive and sustainable ways to reduce poverty, address HIV/AIDS and achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
The Mapping and Research exercise on rural youth led and youth orientated ICT for development (ICT4D) initiatives in Kenya was initiated and carried out by Citron Wood. The exercise was a baseline study to help us comprehend the status of ICTS and the information society among young people-while creating awareness- with a special focus on rural and slum areas across Kenya.
The Mapping and Research Exercise (MR Phase I) begin in April 2005. The national database is already being used and was launched to coincide with WSIS 2005 in Tunisia. In the Mapping and Research Project, (MR Phase II), the database will is being upgraded and a web portal with GIS to assist with information management, being created. Mapping and Research, and Data collection will continue so as to accommodate upcoming ICT4D projects and to enable information and resource upgrading. The portal, which will be in English (the official language) and Swahili (the national language) will be a vital depot of free/low-cost, reliable, easily accessible information and resources to support and empower young people - and their communities by connecting them to necessary technological and organizational capacity at the local, regional, and international levels.
In Phase II our objectives:
1. Continue creating awareness about the Information Society, the WSIS process, harnessing ICTS4D. and The MR Project
2. Continue Mapping and Research: examine youth organizations, their communities, ICT profile and collect relevant data, plus, identify community needs and find solutions
3. Provide training in basic computer and Internet skills to ensure that these young people know how to utilize and benefit from the immense resources and information provided through the MR Project and ICTS in general.
4. Establish Provincial Focal Points (PFP)/ Provincial District Representatives (PDR): these are exception young people, representative of the broader national youth population, who can adequately represent their provinces/ districts and will effectively work with us to bring sustainable development to their regions. They will be our continuous link to communities their provinces/ districts. Their role will is to identify and keep us updated about issues, concerns, challenges, needs within in their locality. We at the Secretariat will continuously be researching, consulting and finding ways to best address these issues (e.g. early warning systems), and others we detect, and most importantly relay needed information/ resources quickly back to affected communities through the PFPs & PDRs and our networks, utilizing the most effective approach. The database, web portal and GIS will also be continuously upgraded with this information and resources.
5. Connect the unconnected - facilitating greater mobile penetration in the grassroots. The mobile phone is the technology with the greatest impact on development. Research demonstrates that having access to telecommunication can considerably enhance the economic and social conditions of people in slums and rural communities by improving access to family, education, health and financial services and by enabling the development of agricultural and non-agricultural economic activity. The most sensible and effective way of using technology to promote bottom up development while effectively responding to the digital divide is by promoting the use of mobile phones. They do not rely on permanent electricity supply, they can be widely shared and rented out, and can be used by people who cannot read or write, and even the worlds poorest people are already rushing to embrace the mobile phone because their economic benefits are obvious. The impact of mobile phones is twice as big in developing nations as in developed ones. An extra 10 phones per 100 people in a typical developing country increases GDP growth by 0.6 percentage points. Mobile phones raise long-term growth rates.
6. Continue to actively engage young people in the information society, Further, we will lobby for effective implementation of policy recommendations including:
o Effective implementation of that the recently passed Kenya National ICT policy, to which we effectively contributed
o Effective integration of ICT education and training at all levels in education curricula, including Teacher Training, to ensure that young people know how to create and consume technology.
o Creation of ICT solutions that are affordable and appropriate, i.e. develop local content, preserve cultural heritage and meet the development needs of communities, including vulnerable and disadvantaged. E.g. working with operators to develop new extremely cheap handsets (on which they can still make a small profit) and to boost adoption in the poor world.
o The development of partnership networks across sectors to leverage resources, knowledge and skills that can facilitate entrepreneurship opportunities.
o Reduction of taxes on handsets and airtime. Most governments want say they want to extend access to communications to close the digital divide. Special mobile phone taxes have exactly the opposite effect.
Inadequate Infrastructure is a major challenge. We are working with the governments, investors, donors to increase and improve existing infrastructure, and find effective alternatives, e.g.: electricity from renewable energy, solar, wind, geothermal.
Another issue that has been of concern is the backlash against deployment of rural ICTS because of images of dusty rooms across the countryside piled up with unused computers. It is very true that a computer serves little purpose if you have no electricity, no food and cannot read. 99% of the benefits of a PC/ICTS come when the recipients and users are provided reasonable health and literacy. That is why through this project we are making sure that ICTS are being made even more relevant to those at the lower end of the social and economic ladder. And this way we can ensure that money channelled to rural technology is going to good use. Further, because research indicates that rural ICTS appear particularly useful to i) the literate, ii) the wealthier and iii) the young people, this project has i) a major training component, and ii) young people as the focus group (iii) facilitating wealth creation for their communities.
