Business concepts
From UgaBYTES Collaboration wikipedia
Tanzania Telecentre Network
In Tanzania, so far activities engaged in by the telecentres include; Environmental activities such as hygiene, Sale of refurbished computers business order to support other activities, Supply power to the community by use of power cards. These generate relatively lower revenue and need to be improved. However issues are not yet discussed at national level and require a plan and mechanism for implementation with a clear remittance system.
Big projects
Publication house is yet to be set up by March 2008 with weekly publications on community news and other relevant issues such as advertising, death announcements and local tourism. This project is encouraged by the growing market of the region.
Rwanda Telecenrte Network
In Rwanda, nothing is on ground yet but some of the proposed products, services yet to be offered include; -Providing services to Telecentres by acting as a link between them and Telecommunication companies. -Providing e-Health, e-learning geared by government, Rwanda Telecentre Network will work with government to help disseminate these services to community. RTN has set 2008 at year of acquiring full self sustainability. -Public phone system ‘Chivane’ will be used to raise money - Sale of Electro gas is yet to be developed.
To achieve the above proposed projects, RTN has come up with the following as way forward; -Plans to get in contact with all telecentres and organizations sponsoring telecentres are underway. -Dealing with service providers in order to charge a fee so as to sustain networks and telecentre projects geared at building the community. -Work with government to disseminate the projects that are to be put in place.
Major projects
-Public phone system (vuganet). -Electro gas power utility service using cash power cards to buy power. Distribution of the cards will be at the telecentre. -RTN is open to new ideas incase they crop up thus will be flexible in their operations.
Burundi Community Telecentre Network The budding Burundi Community Telecentre Network has not undertaken any social enterprises yet but some telecentres have some activities including; -Training (youth project) -The centre has extended training to 2 schools so far at Bujumbura with 2 volunteer trainers. Participants pay a fee which is charged variably for example teachers pay more than students. The income gained goes directly to the telecentre account. To enhance social enterprise development in Burundi, -Advocacy and lobbying for Telecentres. -BYTC youth organization –Trainings in school (at the moment training is done in two schools with projection of extending to other provinces). -Installed ICT machinery in Bujumbura, with two volunteers, students from IT institutes around, pay a little money which would go to BYTC account. -Dushirihamwe- women organization now supported by UNESCO, have library, internet and multimedia centre, to open community radio soon.
Big project: The Burundi network intends to start a community radio administered through telecentre networks with clear remittance system.
Kenya Network of Telecenrtes(KENTEL)
In Kenya, the following were highlighted as telecentres social enterprise ventures; -Leasing of property. -cooperative society for the farmers. -Multi-media for local productions movies and ceremonies e.g. weddings, introductions etc. -Computer training which is unlimited by micro-soft and training Kenya schools which is examinable -Research which is funded. -Kimathi Information Centre for training and organizing seminars. -Telecentres generating resources, e.g. UCRC –stall cooperative-microfinance where 320 active members were registered by December 2007. Earned a pick up used in the organisation and hired out, -Chicken hatchery.
(UgaBYTES)
Big Project; Focus on the sale of refurbished computers, establishment of the online regional information portal and publishing focused new like on technology. The SET is finalizing with the first survey questionnaires for the portal project, while refurbished commpter and publication concepts are at implementation stage.
