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Momodou
Denmark
11698 Posts |
 Posted - 29 Nov 2006 : 19:50:39
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CALLING FOR IDEAS TO FURTHER ICT DEVELOPMENT
The Commonwealth Secretariat is inviting governments, NGOs and academic institutions to submit project proposals that can help bridge the digital divide.
The call for projects comes on behalf of the Commonwealth Connects Programme, an initiative to improve information and communication technology (ICT) skills in the Commonwealth and use them as tools for development.
Full story available at http://www.thecommonwealth.org/news/34580/34581/156766/commonwealth_calls_for_ideas_to_further_ict_develo.htm
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Jack
Belgium
384 Posts |
Posted - 29 Nov 2006 : 23:00:43
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My home town is giving 50 Pc's to the BCC and installing a network within the BCC. They are also installing a computer class for the youth of Banjul.
3 ICT specialists are installing the network from tomorrow on till 15 dec.
Is that ok Momodou. :) |
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Momodou
Denmark
11698 Posts |
Posted - 29 Nov 2006 : 23:11:15
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quote:
Originally posted by Jack
My home town is giving 50 Pc's to the BCC and installing a network within the BCC. They are also installing a computer class for the youth of Banjul.
3 ICT specialists are installing the network from tomorrow on till 15 dec.
Is that ok Momodou. :)
Jack, yes its a step in the right direction and I am sure it will be appreciated. Thanks!!
Are the classes for the youth going to be free? |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Jack
Belgium
384 Posts |
Posted - 30 Nov 2006 : 09:58:16
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Hi Momodou,
I don't know yet. As you probably know is education an important item in the existing citylink between Banjul and Oostende. Last month there was a delegation of 39 Gambians here in Oostende (2 students and a headmaster per school of 12 secundary schools of Banjul). It is in this context the Bcc will give accomodation for these computer classes and we provide them with the pc's. More detail follow later.
ci jamaa |
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MADIBA
United Kingdom
1275 Posts |
Posted - 30 Nov 2006 : 15:53:53
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quote:
Originally posted by Jack
Hi Momodou,
I don't know yet. As you probably know is education an important item in the existing citylink between Banjul and Oostende. Last month there was a delegation of 39 Gambians here in Oostende (2 students and a headmaster per school of 12 secundary schools of Banjul). It is in this context the Bcc will give accomodation for these computer classes and we provide them with the pc's. More detail follow later.
ci jamaa
Your efforts are laudable. BUt a few pieces of advice from me. Firstly before your team of specialists leave Banjul, make sure that they arrange to hire in consultation with the BCC a qualified lab technician or systems administrator to look after the equipment. Or else you great investment may come to nought. Secondly prepare an appraisal plan before your team leaves. Thirdly and finally a small fee could be charged, that would be used as maintenance cost.
I finally thank you and your friends for this wonderful iniative and hope many more would follow and that the youths would realized how lucky they are. |
madiss |
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Jack
Belgium
384 Posts |
Posted - 30 Nov 2006 : 17:17:48
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Hi Madiss,
2 officers of the BCC got already a training here in Oostende a few months ago. The project has the ambition of being sustainable which means that we don't offer a thing or start up an initiative without being well considered before; and I mean as well here in Oostende as in Banjul.
And you don't have to thank me. I'm only a small part of the project. Me myself I'm directly involved in the environmental issues in BANJUL such as storm drains, solid waste collection and nature conservation (mangrove system). The purpose is that there will be a solution for the solid waste at the end of next year.
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 30 Nov 2006 : 18:04:13
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Jack, this is good news. And I wish you good success for the protection of the mangroves; they are so important for the coastal ecosystem. Though mangroves are a five star hotel for mosquitos, Gambia is very lucky to have them.
Is it true that Oostende plans to abolish all traffic regulation, and what do you think about that? |
Edited by - serenata on 30 Nov 2006 18:04:56 |
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Jack
Belgium
384 Posts |
Posted - 30 Nov 2006 : 18:43:44
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Serenata,
The storm drains in Banjul are a major problem referring to the mosquito, rather than the mangrovesystem. If the storm drains function well they should be dry the whole dry season. Most of the compounds put their waste water in the storm drains, although there are sues in every street. Because of the sand, dust and solid waste in these drains there remains stagnant sweet water almost the whole year. And that is the habitat of the mosquito and malaria...
Abolish all traffic regulation ? Never heard of that . Moreover that's just not possible because traffic does not resort under the competences of the local government. Most traffic rules are still a federal issue (at the level of the Belgian government). What kind of traffic do you mean : on the road, by ship, aeroplane (as we have an airport in Oostende) ? |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 30 Nov 2006 : 18:44:33
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gOOD JOBS FELLOWS. I am prou of you. If every Gambian abroad does something we could change a lot. I was more concerened about sustainability but which seems to be taken care of.
A small user fee is necessary. A free service only leads to laziness and poor sense of ownership. They must have a stake in it to take it seriously. |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 30 Nov 2006 : 19:22:40
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| Jack, I mean car traffic. 'Der Spiegel' wrote that several EU communities (many of them are much smaller than Oostende) try to get along with lesser traffic signs or abolish them totally, and that Oostende also plans to do it. If you can read German, I think it is also on 'Spiegel Online' (www.spiegel.de), but I don't know the date. |
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MADIBA
United Kingdom
1275 Posts |
Posted - 30 Nov 2006 : 20:08:20
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quote:
Originally posted by Jack
Hi Madiss,
2 officers of the BCC got already a training here in Oostende a few months ago. The project has the ambition of being sustainable which means that we don't offer a thing or start up an initiative without being well considered before; and I mean as well here in Oostende as in Banjul.
And you don't have to thank me. I'm only a small part of the project. Me myself I'm directly involved in the environmental issues in BANJUL such as storm drains, solid waste collection and nature conservation (mangrove system). The purpose is that there will be a solution for the solid waste at the end of next year.
Am glad that you have already taken your disposition.
I still insist to thank you and the bigger part Good luck my brother. |
madiss |
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Jack
Belgium
384 Posts |
Posted - 30 Nov 2006 : 22:32:58
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Oh that Serenata,
Well thats an evolution which is already going on for many many years : banning the car out of inner town. Its not really big news here and not a plan anymore. It is reality. Cars aren't allowed in a lot of streets of the inner city. It started with banning the car out of shopping streets. Now the policy is to ban parking places in town and concentrate them at the periphery of the city. From these parkingplaces there are small busses (every 5 or 10 min) who bring you all over the city.
An other policy is to reduce the width of the streets to reduce speed or discouraging traffic. In most urban areas and the areas where schools are the speed is limited to 30 km/hr.
At the same time the governments (local,regional and federal) do a lot of efforts to stimulate the public transport (bus, train, ) or to using the bike. Some citys, like Hasselt (close to Germany) made public transport totally free for everyone day in day out.
For example in Oostende we get a financial bonus of 75 euro a year if we use the bike to go to work and leave the car at home.
But this is far off topic. |
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akvadrako
Gambia
3 Posts |
Posted - 19 Dec 2006 : 14:17:10
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I'm no NGO or instituation, but I've witnessed the state of ICT in the Gambia for a while and I feel that to really promote it's development there needs to be a need for it.
Most Gambians are probably unaware of sites like http://www.rentacoder.com where they could make western wages doing small projects for companies worldwide. There are plently of projects on the site that could be done without much education as long as you have somebody overseeing your work.
So what I would like to see is something like an internet café, but instead of charging for access you go in and pick from some projects the overseer has selected, then work on it and the overseer would pay you for your work.
It could be fairly informal and at first it would be tough to get people with the right skills. But over time more people would see how easy it is to make money with IT. The key is the openness of the building. Where there aren't high barriers to entry like a degree or a job interview. All that it depends upon is your own talent.
Best of all if something like this could work this would be an export where the Gambians involved are contributing to the global community instead of just being the benifactor of a donation. |
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