Telecentre practitioners
From UgaBYTES Collaboration wikipedia
Peter Mutesi, telecentre manager - Uganda
Big up to the Ugabytes team for this initiative on staff exchange. I think for sometime now, telecentre networks have looked at each other as competitors in one way or another. There has been a duplication of services and therefore the beneficiary in this case we at the telecentres got peanuts.
As the big four meet, I think discussing what services one can offer at regional level for example Ugabytes which is much older and has helped to form the other national networks should be discussed and also what can be offered at national level by each of the networks. This way, we at the telecentres can know who to contact for what and who is better at what services. But can you also discuss how these networks will be sustained? Remember if you are the ones ensuring that our telecentres remain alive, then you need to make us confident that you will survive tomorrow and we shall survive with you. I would like to know what other telecentre leaders think about this initiative. And UgaBYTES: Will there be a chance for staff exchange at telecentre level or are you looking at only the networks.
I would like to see what other telecentres look like and how they offer the services they offer.
Thumbs up to Sulah's team
Peter Balaba, Manager Nakaseke-CMC -Uganda
Dear all I congratulate for the good work done. But I have something that I wish to suggest especially on the issue of developing National websites and mailing lists. It is good to have them but to me I think it is going to cause more challenges especially on the side of sustainability. I would recommend that it is better to have one EAST AFRICAN WEB PORTAL that combines all the proposed networks such that the information is accessed easily. The same to the mailing lists.
What is going to happen is that information is going to be scattered and there is a possibility of loosing some people and their experiences because I have a feeling that some people are going to concentrate more on their National Networks and ignore the rest. Staff exchange is also a very brilliant idea because it will help us to share skills and make the Telecentres more sustainable. But still there is need to carry out a survey on the strength of all the staff to be exchanged on the programme. More still the issue of the language should also be put into consideration and above all who is to facilitate this programme (staff exchange) because what I know from experience all Telecentre are not equal in terms of revenue. Unless if the programme is to be facilitated by UgaBYTES or done on a voluntary basis. I hope you looked into this matter during your discussion.
Content development is also another aspect that we need to discuss further because if the National networks are not assigned responsibilities we may end up duplicating content. I propose that it would have better to assign tasks to all networks eg Tanzania- ICT& Agriculture, Kenya- Education & Gender, Uganda-HIV/AIDS & Entrepreneurship etc
So we need to discuss more because even the academy has sustainability challenges anyway; am not just opposing the ideas but you came up with so many activities and You did not come up with the a programme calender.
