Community Networks for Developing Countries

"Community networks are an attempt to use computer network technology to address the needs of a community. A major part of that effort is spent making computing facilities available to everybody in the community, especially, those without ready access to the technology." - Schuler (1996).

Many agree that "there is no such thing as a poor community. Even neighbourhoods without much money have substantial human resources. Often, however, the human resources are not appreciated or utilized, partly because people do not have information about each other and about what their neighbourhood have to offer". - Resnick and King (1990).

In most developing countries physically challenged people (cripples, blind men/ women, amputees, for example, are only good for begging, at least that is what their circumstances force them to be. This is a very sad state of affairs in that these under-priviledged brothers and sisters could otherwise have become Doctors, Lawyers, Researchers, Lecturers, Architects, Designers, Computer Scientists, Social Scientists, etc. How can we harness computer technology to the advantage of all? We can address this by taking pragmatic steps to ensure that no one (male or female, strong or weak, rich or poor, young or old, etc.) is left out of the game. Disabled people will no longer be cut off from opportunities when computers and Internet are accessible to them. They can access educational opportunities and resources online. It would also be possible for them to connect to people in similar circumstances within and outside their communities and share experiences.

One of the most nagging problems facing developing countries is rural-urban migration and brain drain. The rural communities are not attractive to the youth owing largely to lack of opportunities (good schools, good jobs, health care, recreation, etc.). Workers ( doctors, nurses, teachers, etc.) are reluctant to take up appointments when posted to such communities. Those who brave the odds and go get frustrated by the system and eventually leave. At the national level, developing countries are again faced with the problem of brain drain. The trained and skilled work force find it conducive "fleeing" to developed countries largely in search of better opportunities. Community networks if carefully planned and implemented, have the potential of curbing this worrying trend.

The United Nations and other organisations have embarked on several projects aimed at bringing ICT to citizens of developing countries. The government of Ghana, for instance, (as well as governments in developing countries) recognises the importance of ICT to national development. However, years after Ghana’s ICT policy implementation we are yet to realise concrete gains at the grassroots.

Students, even at the tertiary level, do not have access to computers and therefore we cannot talk about Internet access to any significant degree. The “Computer room” is still part of our vocabulary and these “rooms” are treated like “shrines” which have to be visited at scheduled times during the academic semester or year, depending on which course you are on. Computer contact for students is treated more or less as part of a module of an academic course. Students still access both computers and the Internet through privately owned Internet cafes on campuses for a fee. The fees are such that they cannot spend quality time on the Internet (sometimes so irritatingly slow). Students even get charged to use Microsoft applications like Word. Sometimes the cafes charge students for “value-added” services like typing out documents in Word and Excel and also doing graphs in Excel where the student does not know how to use the particular application.

Setting up Community Networks as a tool to facilitating national development should be critically regarded by governments of developing countries as well as international funding agencies/ institutions concerned about economic and social development in developing countries. Citizens of developing countries would have the option to remain in their own countries and still pursue foreign degrees through distant learning. The current situation is that because there are limited higher education opportunities in developing countries, most people are forced to travel to developing countries for further studies where they are made to pay exorbitant fees. Most students from developing countries studying abroad have to endure harsh economic conditions despite their restricted circumstances as international students.

Community Networks hold the key to national development because they can
· facilitate the transfer of knowledge
· foster exchange of information and ideas
· empower civil society and engender good and democratic governance
· foster and deepen formal and informal learning
· create awareness of community opportunities and potentials
· enhance the interaction of the community with the outside world
· market the community and its potentials to the outside world
· foster the convergence of community efforts
· etc.

Community networking , in my opinion, is one of the most pragmatic approaches to bridging the digital gap.