Rural Networking in Rural Networking in Solomon IslandsSolomon Islands

RaRandall Bilikindall BilikiPFnetPFnet ManagerManager

People First NetworkPeople First NetworkP.O. Box 919P.O. Box 919

HoniaraHoniaraSolomon IslandsSolomon Islands

pfnet@pipolfastaem.gov.sbpfnet@pipolfastaem.gov.sb

www.peoplefirst.net.sbwww.peoplefirst.net.sb

Country Facts and Country Facts and ConstraintsConstraints

Small Island Geography –100s of remote, scattered

communitiesHigh Costs –

Monopolies, restrictive regulations, costly imports

Lack of Focus in government –Limited awareness, no ICT

strategyEffects of conflict –

Collapsed economy, mistrust, ICT perceived as low priority in

reconstruction

The People The People First Network First Network (PFnet)(PFnet)

……to promote and facilitate ……to promote and facilitate equitable and sustainable equitable and sustainable rural developmentrural development and and peace buildingpeace building by enabling by enabling better information sharing and better information sharing and knowledge building among knowledge building among and across communities and across communities forming the Solomon forming the Solomon Islands……Islands……

www.peoplefirst.net.sbwww.peoplefirst.net.sb

Rural Development Volunteers Association

(RDVA)

1. Facilitate Facilitate affordable affordable

accessaccess

ObjectivesObjectives

2. Facilitate rural 2. Facilitate rural development development and peace-and peace-related related information flows information flows among all social among all social groups;groups;

3. Facilitate the 3. Facilitate the exchange of exchange of information information

between between communities and communities and

stakeholders;stakeholders;

Rural wireless networking in HF Rural wireless networking in HF bandband

Management Committees

Operators

Community intermediaries

Technical intermediaries

12 stations with another 12 scheduled by June 2004

Distance education Sustainable livelihoods

Rural credit + solar power + communications =

Rural “business incubator”Farmer’s networking

Applications

Disaster management Women’s networking

Community consultations:

i.e. Constitutional reform

Community policing

Rights awareness

ServicesServices

Email – community and private accountsEmail – community and private accounts Searching on the Internet Searching on the Internet News reports (2-way)News reports (2-way) Sharing information from/with partnersSharing information from/with partners Secretarial servicesSecretarial services Rural consultations and feedbackRural consultations and feedback Weather warnings and disaster reportingWeather warnings and disaster reporting

TEK email search engine (MIT)

http://tek.sourceforge.net

Tools for creative bandwidth Tools for creative bandwidth managementmanagement

RANET / Worldspace

Internet Centre in Honiara generates revenues to support the activities

Rural Development e-Citizen Rural Development e-Citizen PortalPortal

Film UN in Action, (4 min) by UN TV at PFnet Pirupiru Email station, July 2003

Monitoring and ResearchMonitoring and ResearchSasamunga- sent and received

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Sasamunga-Takings (SBD)

$0.00

$200.00

$400.00

$600.00

$800.00

$1,000.00

$1,200.00

Station UsageStation UsageDecember 2003 Email Traffic

050

100150200250300350400450

December 2003 Takings

$0.00$100.00$200.00$300.00$400.00$500.00$600.00$700.00

SasamunggaPirupiru Kati

SiganaSilolo

HutunaPelau

Rarumana SaaSeghe

•Sample size – 6152 Sent

User ProfileUser Profile

-24% of emails sent are generated by women

- 76% by Men

Usage By GenderUsage By Gender

• University Level – 7%

•College Education – 35%

• Up to Form 6 – 5%

• Up to form 3 (secondary) – 30%

• Primary – 19%

• None – 4%

Usage Education LevelUsage Education Level

•20’s – 11%

•30’s – 31%

• 40’s – 30%

• 50’s – 22%

• over 60 – 5%

Usage By Age GroupUsage By Age Group

•Domestic (SI) 77%

•Overseas – 23%

Email DestinationEmail Destination

Main SubjectsMain Subjects

•Family – 48%

•Education – 10%

Current ResearchCurrent Research

Social impactsSocial impacts Factors affecting uptake / Factors affecting uptake /

appropriationappropriation

January 2004January 2004 JICA fundedJICA funded USP with UNDP and PFnetUSP with UNDP and PFnet 5 locations to be studied5 locations to be studied

Research onResearch onNational ICT StrategyNational ICT Strategy

Currently no ICT Strategy in place in S.I.Currently no ICT Strategy in place in S.I. Regional ICT Policy Plan (2001)Regional ICT Policy Plan (2001)

Effects:Effects: Lack of focus Lack of focus Partners not collaborating – no synergyPartners not collaborating – no synergy Dependant on personalitiesDependant on personalities ICT not used widely in Solomon IslandsICT not used widely in Solomon Islands

ICT Strategy Building ICT Strategy Building workshopworkshop

Held to:Held to: Identify why ICT4D is not use more Identify why ICT4D is not use more

widelywidely Build a consensus on priority objectivesBuild a consensus on priority objectives Provide guiding documentation for ICT Provide guiding documentation for ICT

strategy buildingstrategy building

OutcomesOutcomes

Problem and objectives trees Problem and objectives trees constructed using OOPPconstructed using OOPP

Priority objectives clusters identifiedPriority objectives clusters identified Document published (e.J.o.I.S.D.C)Document published (e.J.o.I.S.D.C) Solomon Islands ICT Working Group Solomon Islands ICT Working Group

created as national steering councilcreated as national steering council Included in e-Pacifika (UNDP)Included in e-Pacifika (UNDP)

Problem Tree

55 problems associated with the use of ICT in development in Solomon Islands

Mapped onto a corresponding Objectives Tree

Objective clusters

identified

ICT4D strategy: ICT4D strategy: Objective clustersObjective clusters

AffordableAccess

Equipment/Access

Networking/Awareness

Education/Training

Policy

Distance education trialsDistance education trialsPeople First Network

University of South Pacific Centre, Honiara

ObjectivesObjectivesOVERALL OVERALL

To pTo provide improved educational opportunities rovide improved educational opportunities for Solomon Islanders, especially in rural areasfor Solomon Islanders, especially in rural areas

SPECIFICSPECIFIC PPilot a distance learning computer centre ilot a distance learning computer centre Trial the delivery of USP modules by emailTrial the delivery of USP modules by email Provide baseline research data on impacts Provide baseline research data on impacts Build rural and national capacity Build rural and national capacity and awarenessand awareness

What we didWhat we did Computer centre in rural villageComputer centre in rural village Enrolled and trained 20 USP studentsEnrolled and trained 20 USP students Supervised 10 students in distance studiesSupervised 10 students in distance studies Assignments, tutorials and counselling by Assignments, tutorials and counselling by

emailemail Research interview programResearch interview program Participatory evaluation and workshop for Participatory evaluation and workshop for

education stakeholderseducation stakeholders

(June-October 2002)(June-October 2002)

EvaluationEvaluation

The trials proved the utility of the ICTThe trials proved the utility of the ICT Improved success rates, turnaround and Improved success rates, turnaround and

student-tutor relationshipsstudent-tutor relationships All participants needed training to use All participants needed training to use

the low-bandwidth systemthe low-bandwidth system All academic staff should be involvedAll academic staff should be involved Main problem concerned access to Main problem concerned access to

reference materialreference material

Follow upFollow up

Proposed project starting March 2004Proposed project starting March 2004 E-learning centres in 9 rural schoolsE-learning centres in 9 rural schools Funded by EU (circa Euro 1.2m)Funded by EU (circa Euro 1.2m) Integrated education strengtheningIntegrated education strengthening Need for local solutionsNeed for local solutions VSATVSAT Partnership with Solomon Telekom Partnership with Solomon Telekom

Funding since Oct 2000 (US$)Funding since Oct 2000 (US$) Government of Japan Government of Japan 140K140K NZAid NZAid 125K125K UNDP (direct)UNDP (direct) 66K66K UNDP (through SIDAPP)UNDP (through SIDAPP) 60K 60K Government of BritainGovernment of Britain 60K60K EU – supported 4 community stations directly EU – supported 4 community stations directly 32K32K Government of R.O.C.Government of R.O.C. 20K20K APDIPAPDIP 9K9K AusAid – supported 1 community directly AusAid – supported 1 community directly 8K8K OxfamOxfam 1K1K