I- Introduction
The article starts with some important insights related to the following issues: ICTs has been a crucial aspect for development especially in the 3rd world countries or the developing world.
Ø Developed countries have witnessed changes that can be traced to ICTs such in (technical, financial and economic, cultural, social, and geo-political). Hence, thanks to these changes, developed countries are known as “The knowledge society”
Ø - In order to help developing countries be part of the global system, many efforts were initiated at the international level to support Africa’s efforts to develop communication infrastructure and services that are connected to the world information highways.
Ø ICTs have made access to information easier and cheaper. Yet, developing countries could not yet reach this level which made a huge gap between developing and developed countries.
Ø As a result, Development in Africa depends on the continent’s capacity to create wealth first to significantly reduce poverty and then to raise its capacity to create wealth to unprecedented and sustainable levels.
General Framework
There were no empirical evidence to justify the relationship between ICTs and Development. Many studies have been conducted within the macro level but the micro level which deal with the grass root was not studies effectively.
The article tries to demonstrate the potential of ICTs for development in sub-Saharan Africa. It also identifies the major challenges that confront the communities involved in the process of appropriating ICTs for development.
The methodology:
The study was prepared according to a participatory and iterative approach that necessitated consultation with different partners, researchers and development actors. In August 2000, a methodological workshop was held in Nairobi including different Acacia partners from various backgrounds, but who all shared an interest in ICTs. The purpose of the workshop was to agree on the evaluation methodology to be followed, given that this study would involve four countries: Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, and Uganda and many researchers. Using a participatory approach and process, all participants identified evaluation issues at the methodological workshop held in Nairobi in August 2000. for example, the issues that were identified were:
Ø 1.Economic, technical, political and social environments
Ø in which ICTs have been introduced.
Ø 2. Community access to ICTs.
Ø 3. Community involvement in the process of introducing
Ø ICTs.
Ø 4. Community responses to ICTs.
Ø 5. Technologies introduced.
Ø 6. Applications and content developed along with the
Ø introduction of ICTs.
Ø 7. Impacts of ICT introduction and use by the
Ø communities.
Ø 8. Capacity building among different groups.
Methods and data collection:
A range of data collection tools and instruments was then established. For instance, quantitative methods were combined with qualitative ones. Questionnaires were chosen as the instruments for quantitative data collection, and (individual or group) conversation guides were the preferred method for secondary qualitative information.
Sampling:
Projects were selected, and then sites to be studied are chosen within these projects and in each of the sites, a sample of respondents was selected.
Data collection:
Data were collected using a participatory approach. Qualitative data collection required interviews with groups and individuals. Quantitative data were collected during questionnaires. They classified respondents into two groups: users and non-users, and within each of these sub-groups, they were chosen randomly.
Methodological limitation
The research was exploratory and descriptive, and little concern was given to ensuring that the sample chosen was statistically meaningful. Therefore, the results should be read with caution. Adding to this, there was a problem concerning maturity of the selected objects.
Summary of projects:
In South Africa
An efficient community model of electronic information and communication was established with points of access to link communities to an ICT network.
Uganda:
In Uganda there has been an implementation of an Economic empowerment of women through ICTs. Many other projects in other countries were established involving the application of ICTs for development purposes.
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)
Ø ICTs are grouped under two categories: ‘traditional’ and ‘new’. Traditional ICTs are radio, television, fixed line telephones, and facsimile machines. The ‘new’ ICTs consist of computers and specific data processing applications accessible through those computers (email, Internet, word processing, and other data processing applications).
Impact
Ø Impact should be understood here as changes in behaviors, relations, activities, or intervention strategies that are influenced by projects which introduce ICTs to communities.
Access
Ø Access should be understood in this study to mean the opportunity to use ICTs (e.g., availability, financial capacity, and technical capacity
The article starts with some important insights related to the following issues: ICTs has been a crucial aspect for development especially in the 3rd world countries or the developing world.
Ø Developed countries have witnessed changes that can be traced to ICTs such in (technical, financial and economic, cultural, social, and geo-political). Hence, thanks to these changes, developed countries are known as “The knowledge society”
Ø - In order to help developing countries be part of the global system, many efforts were initiated at the international level to support Africa’s efforts to develop communication infrastructure and services that are connected to the world information highways.
Ø ICTs have made access to information easier and cheaper. Yet, developing countries could not yet reach this level which made a huge gap between developing and developed countries.
Ø As a result, Development in Africa depends on the continent’s capacity to create wealth first to significantly reduce poverty and then to raise its capacity to create wealth to unprecedented and sustainable levels.
General Framework
There were no empirical evidence to justify the relationship between ICTs and Development. Many studies have been conducted within the macro level but the micro level which deal with the grass root was not studies effectively.
The article tries to demonstrate the potential of ICTs for development in sub-Saharan Africa. It also identifies the major challenges that confront the communities involved in the process of appropriating ICTs for development.
The methodology:
The study was prepared according to a participatory and iterative approach that necessitated consultation with different partners, researchers and development actors. In August 2000, a methodological workshop was held in Nairobi including different Acacia partners from various backgrounds, but who all shared an interest in ICTs. The purpose of the workshop was to agree on the evaluation methodology to be followed, given that this study would involve four countries: Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, and Uganda and many researchers. Using a participatory approach and process, all participants identified evaluation issues at the methodological workshop held in Nairobi in August 2000. for example, the issues that were identified were:
Ø 1.Economic, technical, political and social environments
Ø in which ICTs have been introduced.
Ø 2. Community access to ICTs.
Ø 3. Community involvement in the process of introducing
Ø ICTs.
Ø 4. Community responses to ICTs.
Ø 5. Technologies introduced.
Ø 6. Applications and content developed along with the
Ø introduction of ICTs.
Ø 7. Impacts of ICT introduction and use by the
Ø communities.
Ø 8. Capacity building among different groups.
Methods and data collection:
A range of data collection tools and instruments was then established. For instance, quantitative methods were combined with qualitative ones. Questionnaires were chosen as the instruments for quantitative data collection, and (individual or group) conversation guides were the preferred method for secondary qualitative information.
Sampling:
Projects were selected, and then sites to be studied are chosen within these projects and in each of the sites, a sample of respondents was selected.
Data collection:
Data were collected using a participatory approach. Qualitative data collection required interviews with groups and individuals. Quantitative data were collected during questionnaires. They classified respondents into two groups: users and non-users, and within each of these sub-groups, they were chosen randomly.
Methodological limitation
The research was exploratory and descriptive, and little concern was given to ensuring that the sample chosen was statistically meaningful. Therefore, the results should be read with caution. Adding to this, there was a problem concerning maturity of the selected objects.
Summary of projects:
In South Africa
An efficient community model of electronic information and communication was established with points of access to link communities to an ICT network.
Uganda:
In Uganda there has been an implementation of an Economic empowerment of women through ICTs. Many other projects in other countries were established involving the application of ICTs for development purposes.
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)
Ø ICTs are grouped under two categories: ‘traditional’ and ‘new’. Traditional ICTs are radio, television, fixed line telephones, and facsimile machines. The ‘new’ ICTs consist of computers and specific data processing applications accessible through those computers (email, Internet, word processing, and other data processing applications).
Impact
Ø Impact should be understood here as changes in behaviors, relations, activities, or intervention strategies that are influenced by projects which introduce ICTs to communities.
Access
Ø Access should be understood in this study to mean the opportunity to use ICTs (e.g., availability, financial capacity, and technical capacity
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