Alan Levy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > This is a classic example of where ICT infrastructure money goes... to > another one of countless channels: > > "To amplify our power, there is the blendability of the new digital > technologies, the multiplying power of networks, the interdependability > of human beings - and, most important of all, the boundless power of > goodwill." > > What does this mean? It means nothing, and for reason. What is their > goal? Visibility. For what purpose? To qualify for funding. > > What are they offering? Nothing, save one more website talking about > collaborating to learn what they should be talking about. But it places > them in the forefront of funding. For what? More talking. The idea being > that, through talking, we can make the world better. Of course, someone > better figure out what those grandiose words mean first... and maybe > even learn a little ICT too.
Dear Alan, I can feel your frustration but please try not to undermine the efforts and the vision that goes with these efforts. I guess the North still has to learn from the South. It is easy for the North to look at these iniatives as another statistics. But believe you me with all the lists I have been to including the digital divide list and this new website which I have not had the chance yet to participate or support due to lack of time it is working wonders for our nation a poor country from the South. There are problems at the top be it at government level and so on. But with these initiatives it is empowering people at the bottom up level. Which is may be why it is not gaining much recognition. May be in five years time I can tell you what we have achieved for Somaliland. But in the mean time I will not support the idea that a new opportunity regarding digital opportunity is a waste of time and resources. My hat is off to these hardworking individuals who have travelled that extra mile to make difference for the South. > And with luck someone will figure out you actually need networks. I believe that networks take time and patience. > Talking won't cure the divide, nor marginalization (nor hunger). This is > not a mysterious disease. There are certain technical requirements, and > political requirements. Nothing more. And the problem isn't technical. My advise is that if we wait for these political and technical requirements time will pass us by and opportunities will be lost. > There's a fine art to collaboration, if there's a legitimate goal. This > is how the digital divide dollars are (mis)spent. Governments promised > millions for digital divide infrastructure initiatives... where's the > money? You need only one sustainable network. Where's the network? Governments need to be pressured to help those initiatives but unless the iniatives and the projects are ready it will be difficult. > And puhlease don't shoot the messenger. India already has top-shelf > research, a proactive government, and busy universities and foundations > genuinely working on real ICT access issues. Maybe it is time for us to learn from the South iniatives. At the end of the day it is all about collaboration and learning from each other's experiences. > This is more about money and power than the divide. And the buzzwords > that long ago lost their sincerity are now losing their meaning. Read it > again. > > What year is this? What year are we supposed to "learn" to discuss which > applications should be minimally universal? When are we supposed to > "learn" to demand unrestricted deployment of VoIP? Or, to "learn" to > discuss funding for infrastructure? Or, to demand governments provide > spectrum to non-profits? What else is needed? This is an issue for North governments who promised to help digital divide be it for the North or the South and have not reached their targets. We have developed networks from a lot of lists including this list who are making a real difference for the nation of Somaliland. All I could say is let us focus on the initiatives at the grass roots level and help out in the best way we can. Time is what we don't have and I am sure with more support and the will to overcome barriers at the grass root level is all we need. With these efforts children of Somaliland will be saved from death, hunger and their education improved. It is happening and thanks to all those visionaries who came forward to make a difference for those people. You and I are insignificant when it comes to the next century, it is the output of our collective efforts which the future children of this globe will inherit. We can not leave it to others to do it for us. Take care all and let us not forget each journey starts with one step. We have crossed so many steps and we should not look back. Mrs. Lulu Todd [EMAIL PROTECTED] UK ICT Liaison for: http://www.somalilandforum.com http://www.iprt.org http://ednahospital.netfirms.com http://www.tawakal.co.uk Somaliland Health and Education Project European Somaliland NGOs ------------ ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, an NGO that is a GKP member*** To post a message, send it to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: <http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/>
