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Social software for social change

Charles Leadbeater

Office of Third Sector (2007), 19 pp.

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Forging Innovations: Community Multimedia Centres in Nepal

Karma Tshering Bhutia, Kirsty Martin

New Delhi: UNESCO (2007), 54 pp.

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Making the Connection: Scaling Telecenters for Development

Barbara Fillip, Dennis Foote

Washington, DC: Academy for Educational Development (AED); Microsoft Corporation; International Development Research Centre (IDRC) (2007), 237 pp.

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Wireless Networking in the Developing World: A Practical Guide to Planning and Building Low-Cost Telecommunications Infrastructure
Key Guides

Rob Flickenger (ed.)

Limehouse Book Sprint Team, 2nd ed. (2007), 415 pp.

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Local Information Networks: Social and Technological Considerations

Seema Nair, Megan Jennaway, Andrew Skuse

New Delhi: UNESCO (2006), 82 pp.

"This publication aims at understanding the nature and importance of various configurations of social and technological networks in community settings that combine to form a Local Information Networks (LIN). In this study LINs are conceptualised as comprising of two very different elements: one soci ... al, the other technological. Disaggregating the social and technological dimensions of local information networks helps us to understand how they work in practice and how they might be strengthened to bring greater social and economic benefits to the poor communities in which they are located. Hence, in both a practical and theoretical sense, a local information network can be thought of as a larger living field of social connections and communicative that determines the nature of information flow. On the technological side, the ICTs respond to specific local information needs expressed by recipient communities. On the social side, the combination of technological and human capacities embodied in a given intervention is superimposed upon a pre-existing field of social relationships. The three initiatives have been selected for the ways in which they demonstrate the use of social and technological elements within the local environment. Namma Dhwani and Nabanna were established through UNESCO’s Information and Communication Technologies for Poverty Reduction project, developed under UNESCO’s crosscutting theme on the eradication of poverty, especially extreme poverty. Akshaya on the other hand, is a State Government of Kerala initiative aimed at ICT literacy. The study concludes with the understanding that the technical dimensions of communication can never be fully divorced from the social if ICTs are to genuinely reach the poor with the information they need. Investment in social networks is critical since traditional forms of communication like word-of-mouth remains the most powerful, intimate and effective form of communication available to the very poor. The study also highlights the importance of local content production and the need to involve communities in the content creation process as key to achieving success is the quality, reliability and relevance of the information communicated." (Foreword) more

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Evaluation of UNESCO's Community Multimedia Centres: Final Report

Heather Creech

Paris: UNESCO, Internal Oversight Service, Evaluation Section (2006), 61 pp.

"Since 2001, UNESCO has established more than 87 Community Multimedia Centres (CMCs) in over 22 developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean with major funding provided by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The evaluation describes the initiative's ma ... in achievement: 'The CMCs are accepted by and fully integrated into the communities and can in many cases be sustained beyond the pilot phase without core operating grants. The effort and funding that UNESCO has channeled into this transformative initiative have been exceeded by the hard work and commitment of the CMC staff and the communities where they are based. Among other key findings, the evaluators clearly acknowledge the contribution of CMCs to local development, noting that longer term benefits are already being realized within individual communities, such as the gradual removal of barriers to social inclusion, the stimulation of poverty alleviation through access to knowledge of better health, resource management, agriculture practices and the creation of new livelihoods opportunities. CMCs are also recognized as critical tools for local communities to mediate changes brought on by globalization and the advent of new technologies: The CMC role in fostering cultural resilience. The capacity of a community to retain critical knowledge and at the same time adapt to external influences and pressures - is particularly remarkable. In addition to an extensive review of documentation, the evaluation used field research, interviews, questionnaires, an online survey, and case studies to review the CMC initiative, a flagship activity of UNESCO's Communication and Information Sector. Equitable and expanded access to ICTs is promoted in many ways, such as subsidized training for those with special requirements and/or marginalized groups; close work with schools, small businesses and the independent sector; or the provision of information to more remote communities through radio, says the evaluation report. The evaluation also points out challenges faced by the CMC initiative, including the strategic use of CMC networks as delivery mechanisms for development services, from projects and programmes of UN agencies and national governments to those of local civil society groups. Many challenges relate to sustainability of local facilities in low-income and least-developed localities. As CMCs depend on volunteers for the delivery of training, radio programming and other services, they face difficulties in finding appropriate incentives for volunteers and struggle with managing volunteer turnover. Another challenge consists of opportunities for networking and staff development, which to date have been limited. Evaluators point out the need for CMCs to learn from and access expertise more easily and systematically from each other in order to be sustainable. Enabling national policy environments are very important for the development and sustainability of CMCs. Sudden changes in national policies on connectivity charges can destabilize CMCs and broadcast licensing restrictions or restrictions on press freedom can prevent CMCs from being able to broadcast freely and to a broader constituency, says the report." (UNESCO website) more

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Pro-Poor ICT Project Report – Tanzania: A Community-Owned Network

Beda Mutagahywa, Respickius Casmir, Theophilus E. Mlaki

[authors] (2006), 36 pp.

"As part of its initiatives to make Information and Communication Technology (ICT) work for the poor, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with four countries in east Africa initiated and carried out a joint project on Pro-Poor ICT. The said countries are Kenya, Rwanda, T ... more

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Guidebook on Developing Community E-Centres in Rural Areas: Based on the Malaysian Experience

Bangkok: United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) (2006), 65 pp.

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Community-Based Networks and Innovative Technologies: New Models to Serve and Empower the Poor

Seán O'Siochrú, Bruce Girard

New York: UNDP (2005), 183 pp.

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Village Phone Replication Manual: Creating Sustainable Access to Affordable Telecommunications for the Rural Poor

David Keogh, Tim Wood

New York: United Nations ICT Task Force (2005), 178 pp.

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Informática comunitaria: Manual de capacitación para capacitadores de telecentros

Marcelo Galarza

Quito: Fundación ChasquiNet (2005), 117 pp.

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Cyber Cafés: A How-To Manual

Alex Franka, Jessie Gilliam

Washington, DC: Advocates for Youth (2005), 89 pp.

"This manual is divided into nine easy-to-read chapters. The chapters build so that those readers who feel less able to use a computer can increase their base of knowledge as they read each chapter. This first chapter talks about the benefits of a cyber café and its potential for a positive impact ... more

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Community Multimedia Centres Around the World: A Global Directory

Stella Hughes, Ian Pringle (eds.)

UNESCO (2005), 156 pp.

"Inspired by innovations that emerged from the Kothmale Community Radio and Internet project, Sri Lanka, in 1999 and 2000, UNESCO has since established some fifty CMCs in a wide range of contexts in some twenty countries on three continents. In addition to new facilities and increased local capacity ... more