This proposal outlines some of major setbacks Malawi is facing in light of the current information revolution and the emerging information society, and the initiatives that the Young Advocates for the Advancement of ICT-related Development (Y.A.A.ICT-D) is embarking upon in order to make a difference to the current landscape.

This project will also help build the capacity of our organization in providing training to members of the society. The dual purpose of this project therefore is build our capacity in responding to the computer literacy needs of the society and providing the missing link in the ICT development through the development of hard and soft capacities of the targeted communities.

Apart from providing ICT training, the two Telecenters will also provide a missing link for the two communities to share information on different issues this will be done by way of village sites which will include profiles of the villages and what activities are taking place in their respective areas so that we are able to link villages that share some similarities. This information would also be viewed by other communities elsewhere and relationships with far flung communities cannot be ruled out in this regard. In the long term we would like to develop online-forum (communities) of like minded individuals and groups in the two communities so that they are able to share their challenges and get assistance from their peers on how best to handle their challenges. There will be a wide range of issues to be discussed.

Aside from that the centers would be quite ideal in linking the communities with organizations or NGOs that work in the communities as well as those that would be interested in working in the communities later as they would know the profiles of the communities before hand. It would also be easier to reach the communities with any piece of vital information and more importantly the communities would be linked with their community sons and daughters who are not residing in the communities on a regular basis. .

The objectives of the project are:

1. To test and implement two youth-led Multi-purpose Community Telecenters (MCTs) in Malawi;

2. To provide training to the community on ICTs to enable them use ICT tools for their own benefit, hence reduce the high levels of ICT illiteracy in the country;

3. Train the youth across Malawi on how to run Telecenters so that they are sustainable;

4. Encourage and promote community owned ICT projects; and

5. Generate income for the community; hence improve their livelihoods and delivery of key services;

The success of this project however is contingent upon adequate technical and financial resources; hence our request on the same.

Y.A.A.ICT-D will in conjunction with some members of the community over see the operations of the two centers. It is expected that before the onset of the project a Steering Committee comprising members of the community and Y.A.A.ICT-D will come up with the Coordinating team, which is going to comprise young people as well as traditional leaders from the two areas. The coordinating team shall report to the Steering Committee on a regular basis so that progress is closely monitored and shortfalls are addressed with utmost urgency. In order to ensure smooth operation of the centers employed Managers with a qualification in ICT would take charge of the centers.

We believe that by entrusting the ownership of the center in the hands of the communities they would feel duty bound to jealously guard against any misuse and abuse by some community members. “There is strong evidence that community owned ICT initiatives have the capacity to mobilize resources at low or no cost, through for instance voluntary labour, access to rights of way and the use of public opinions, shared use of community facilities, and in-kind payment for services.” (S. Siochru et al, 1999). The other benefits of a community owned ICT center are:

Low prices since their primary goal are to “maximize the benefits to the community through the availability and use of the service by the community.

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The services and tariffs are in accordance with the needs of the communities since they are designed with their input.

· The profits are re-invested in the enterprise and therefore kept within the community since no single individual owns it, hence sustaining the life span of the center.

· Development of skills and organizational capacities by the members of the community, which may be applied, to other developmental projects in their community.

· The communities would be looked upon as models by the other communities and would therefore be compelled to match such a status with good results and as a following on effect the community will be motivated to look for more ways of generating incomes from the center hence sustaining the initiative on a long term basis.

The centers will determine what kind of services they would offer over time as and when the demand for certain services is high, but the following is the list of probable services the centers would offer;

· Telephone calls (make calls, receive calls)

· E-mail and Internet access (send/receive e-mail, browse the web)

· Word processing (typing and formatting of letters, job applications and other documents).

· Desktop publishing (newsletters, flyers, stationery, business cards, tickets, circulars, pamphlets, logos and computer artwork)

· Education and training (Adult and Community Education)

· Computer training (basic computer literacy to the aged, women and children)

· Scanning

· Photocopying

· Binding

· Laminating

· Fax communications (send and receive documents to and from anywhere in the country or the world)

· Still camera hire

· Sell airtime for mobile and fixed phones

In the long run the services are going to change because as the communities gain more skills they will be demanding sophisticated services that they cannot demand at the onset due to lack of corresponding expertise.

Apart from offering commercial services the centers shall also provide the following services:

· Public access and/or open-lab time

· Children training activities

· After school activities for school going youth

· Adult education programmes

It is our hope that by having the foregoing programs which are tailored to incorporate all community members and accord them the opportunity to use the centers’ facilities i.e. computers and the communication technologies to enhance their own lives through skills development we would also be empowering them to participate in society. On the other hand open lab times would help school going youth to reinforce their learning in formal classes by exploring the subjects further and practice what they have learnt. It will also help train the locales on how to use the available tools so that they are highly patronized. We expect to have full-fledged training in the first month of the project so that the locales are acquainted with the tools available at the two centers.

The computer training program is expected to address the problem of lack of expertise which if not addressed may stifle the sustainability of the centers. The key elements of the program would be:

· Basic word processing and office software;

· Computer hardware troubleshooting

· Internet access and computer networking; and

· Website development for youth groups and civil society groups.

And in a bid to ensure that the services at the centers are not monopolized by a single age group activities will be arranged for the aged, women, the disabled and children who may not have the expertise.