"Since it was launched in 2000, the Bolivia Country Programme known as TICBolivia has helped over 50,000 people, mainly small farmers, teachers, students, indigenous leaders and local officials, use ICTs to improve their lives and contribute to their country’s development. All the ICT activities g
...
enerated under the Country Programme have been developed by and for local people, with support and guidance from IICD and its enabling partners. The strategy has been to give local organisations the tools they need to develop the skills, knowledge and communications infrastructure required to set up a critical mass of locally-owned, sustainable ICT projects and activities in a specific sector such as education or good governance. Today, TICBolivia consists of fifteen projects, a training programme, networking activities, and monitoring and evaluation. The programme is active in three sectors: good governance, education and agricultural livelihoods. Among the participants in the programme are grassroots organisations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), government bodies, and private companies. By the end of 2004, 86 information access points had been set up throughout the country, 4,400 individuals had been trained in the use of ICT, and a national ICT for development (ICT4D) information network called ‘Red TICBolivia’ was sharing knowledge, working on sector strategies, generating national visibility for the programme and raising awareness of the important role that ICTs play in the nation’s development." (Introduction, page 3-4)
more
"This study outlines a strategy for information and communication technology (ICT) development in Sub-Saharan Africa that will further the reform agenda to facilitate deployment of ICT infrastructure, and encourage the development community to support African governments in this regard. With a revit
...
alized approach to ICT sector development in Sub-Saharan Africa, the World Bank Group is poised to support further reform of the telecommunications sectors in the region. The strategy builds on the earlier reform agenda in the sector by leveraging the achievements to date of Sub-Saharan African countries to advance the essential goal of increasing the continent’s connectivity.
In its renewed efforts, the World Bank will emphasize developing and enhancing the capacity of Africa’s ICT institutions—including regulators, ministries, and regional bodies—to lead the development of an interconnected region and to implement sustainable regional strategies for integration and knowledge sharing. Of particular concern is the ability to bring rural areas into the national, regional, and global economies, thus creating new opportunities for the world’s poorest citizens." (Back cover)
more
"During the last decade, development partners around the globe have gained rich experience and knowledge about the application of ICT for poverty reduction and its value for reaching the Millennium Development Goals and the goals of Poverty Reduction Strategies. But scaling up the results of success
...
ful projects into programmes and policies that lead directly to poverty reduction on a country-wide scale is still a challenge. Lessons learned from experience so far can be summarised around the following themes: Prioritising poverty reduction; creating an enabling ICT policy environment; appropriate technology choices; local content development and the role of the media; mobilisation of financial resources and the role of microcredit." (Page 3)
more