Unesco fetes Kenyan for linking villages with ICT

By MARK OLOO

When arithmetic guru Thomas Fuller described passion without knowledge as fire without light, he knew the remark would be food for thought in the 21st century.

To him, learning something new, trying it differently and convincing oneself that you have no limits were the ingredients of a positive society.

Fuller’s school of thought has today whirled into the sustained push to fight ignorance, poverty and disease through creation of a knowledge-based society driven by information technology.

Mr James Nguo heads an information network that expands access to ICT in rural areas. [Photo: Courtesy]

The challenges, however, remain overbearing with access to the information grid remaining a pale reality for most of Africa. Kenya’s rural areas, inhabited by 80 per cent of the population, are alive to this.

According to findings of a Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) study on ICT access gaps conducted in July last year, prohibitive costs and lack of awareness are the main obstacles.

Computer usage in Kenya has risen from 12 per cent to 22 per cent in the last three years but way below the global average. The gap in Internet usage is as striking even with the landing of three fibre optic cables.

Grim figures

But despite this decisively grim picture, one man is fighting to convert the challenges into an opportunity by leveraging a network of information centres targeting to expand access to ICTs among rural and marginalised communities.

Mr James Nguo and his Arid Lands Information Network (Alin) on Thursday won a top Unesco prize for promoting rural communication in East Africa in line with ideals of the United Nations.

In recognition of Alin’s role in connecting remote villages with the rest of the world, Nguo received the Unesco-IPDC Prize for Rural Communication during the 25th Session of the Intergovernmental Council of the International Programme for the Development of Communication in Paris, France, at a gala attended by UN luminaries.

Unesco says his involvement in creating knowledge-based communities lays bare how technology can be used to raise living standards through customised agricultural and environmental information.

Fighting obstacles

The first Kenyan outfit to receive the prize, the awarding committee praised Alin as "an inspiration to everyone fighting to improve livelihoods through information".

Unesco Director-General Irina Bokova’s office said with readily available information resources, farmers are empowered to fight obstacles to the realisation of the UN Millennium Development Goals.

Nguo’s journey to international recognition began when, through Alin, he conceived the Maarifa (knowledge) centres concept, which boosts of thousands of computer users in rural areas of East Africa.

The maarifa centres are modelled like cyber cafes where farmers use computers free of charge to get various forms of literature, meet expert field officers, get access to video and other learning materials with customised information.

The centres are established in Isinya, Kyuso, Marigat, Mutomo, Ndhiwa, Ng’arua and Nguruman in Kenya and Kayanga and Shinyanga (Tanzania) and Koro, Awach and Metu in Uganda.

Field officers at the Maarifa centres train farmers on using the Internet to access information on crop and livestock production, disease and pest control, environmental management, market trends, gender, health and HIV and Aids.

Farmers are also trained on how to create blogs and websites to seek markets across the globe and expand their business opportunities. Audiences targeted are youths, students, teachers, development workers, farmers, pastoralists and traders.

Information is accessed at the centres via channels such as web portals, mobile phone platforms, video, workshops and exchange visits. The organisation also runs publications Baobab and JotoAfrica, distributed free to communities.

Bill Gates award

Last year, Alin won $1 million worth Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Access to Learning Award in recognition for its service to communities.

Nguo, who is the Alin regional director, also made it to the list of the CIO100, which recognised 100 organisations (and people within them) who use technology to deliver business value and growth. "The Alin family is happy to be honoured yet again at the international level with the Unesco award. It confirms our desire to improve access to ICTs and use technology to improve livelihoods," says Nguo.

He says lack of information within communities is an impediment to rural development, in the face of globalisation challenges. "We foresee a situation where we would use the Maarifa centres to include business outsourcing to expand opportunities for locals," Nguo told The Standard On Saturday on the telephone from the award ceremony.

Alin and the Napal Environment Journalists Forum will share the Unesco-IPDC Prize of US$20,000. The two were awarded on the basis of their furthering the use of traditional and new forms of communication, and implementing exceptional strategies to improve rural communication.

Nguo, who was recently named an Ashoka fellow in honour of his efforts to offer innovative solutions to social problems, says the bottom line of Alin’s endeavours is to ensure barriers to information among them illiteracy, language and lack of basic ICT skills are overcome.