it would be much better

Malawi Wants to Give Internet to All
By Lameck Masina


Blantyre, Malawi

27 January 2009In Malawi, the government is rolling out a program to provide information and communication technology (ICT) services to people in rural areas by the year 2012. The effort aims to bridge what authorities call the 'digital divide' that exists between the inhabitants of rural and urban districts. Half of Malawi's 28 districts have been earmarked for the initial phase of the project. The areas selected as the first to receive Internet services include Karonga,moncler quincy pas cher, Kasungu and Mwanza. MalawiThe government is setting up what it calls telecenters in rural areas of Malawi, where people can use telephones and computers, including the Internet. They'll be regulated by the state but managed by communities themselves so they'll be directly involved in ICT activities. Zamdziko Mankhambo is communications manager at Malawi's official Communications Regulatory Authority. He said the telecenters will be very useful to rural people."Through the Internet services, people will be able to get information about their businesses as well as getting education materials from the Internet," said Mankhambo. "And you know most of these people are farmers -- they will also help get information on how to improve their agriculture products. Basically they will gain easy access to communication." He said besides Internet services, the telecenters will also provide other services,abercrombie and fitch, such as a photo studio, ID processing and computer lessons. Mankhambo explained that those who use the centers will be responsible for running them. They'll form clubs that will be expected to choose areas where telecenters can be established. There are nine Internet service providers (ISPs) currently operating in Malawi. Patricia Kaliati,Malawi's minister of information,says thegovernment'schallenge is to convince them to serve people in isolated areas."If they [the ISPs] are saying we are not going to be at Kamwendo because we are goingto lose 50,000 kwacha ($350 U.S.),abercrombie & fitch, it is the deliberate policy of the government to make sure that we provide the 50,giubbotto moncler,000 kwacha to the Internet service providers to make them go to Kamwendo, so that people there benefit from the ICT network," she said. But skeptics say the project isn't of much use to rural communities, where most people can't read or write. Charles Govati is the chairman of the ICT Association of Malawi. He said the government should have established the centers at educational institutions,abercrombie et fitch, not in rural villages. "If they were going to use secondary schools or primary schools on the onset coverage,abercrombie fitch france, it would be much better," he said. "The core users would be there because the students would be coming in, pay a fee, do email because they have got computer classes but they don't have computers and also the surrounding communities around the secondary schools which is well [developed] would utilize the telecenters." But Kaliati says Govati's suggestion doesn't make sense. She says most schools will soon have their own computers anyway, after a new curriculum is put in place that includes computer lessons. Poor telecommunication infrastructure has stifled ICT growth in Malawi. In 1996, Malawi became the first country in the Southern African Development Community to remove the duty on computers. Yet the Internet is still not widespread in Malawi, largely due to the high costs involved. Studies show that Malawi remains near the bottom of the ladder in providing ICT services. This is hindering the country's economic development and ability to compete in business. But the government is convinced that this situation will improve if the project aimed at establishing ICT services in Malawi's rural areas is a success. .E2AfeedbackTitlebg { background-color:##f5f5f5; width:100%; padding-left:8px; padding-top:2px; padding-bottom:2px; border-bottom: 1px ##cccccc dotted; border-top: 1px ##cccccc dotted; } .E2AfeedbackContent { background-color:##ffffff; width:100%; margin:0; padding:8px; border-bottom: 1px ##cccccc dotted; } .E2AfeedbackTitlefg { font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; color: ##666666; font-family: Arial,piumini moncler, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left; } .E2AfeedbackBody { font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: ##666666; text-align:left; } Feedback We'd like to hear what you have to say. Let us know what you think of this report and other news and features on our website. Email your views about what is happening in Africa to: africa@voanews.com. Please include your name and phone number if you would like us to include your comments on our programs. Or, telephone us and leave a message. In the US,doudoune moncler pas cher, call: (202) 205-9942. After you hear the VOA greeting, press the number "30" and leave your opinion. We may use it on our daily broadcasts.
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