Country: Kenya
Organization: Volunteers For Africa
2) Sector of activity: Technology
3) Description of your products or services: The Solar Powered Rural Communications E-centre aims at providing cheap technology at the heart of communities, where electricity nd transportation to cities where people can get access to e-technology is. The e-centre is to be established in the heart of Meru, in dry Tharaka District where power is a problem to access, and where literacy levels are very low. The e-centre will act as a training centre for communities on technology, and as well serve as centres for access of information on markets for their produce. The e-centre will be at very subsidized rate, to offset the salary for an assistant cum trainer. The clients will be all members of the community, for there are no other similar services in this area. This is a concept that could be replicated to many other rural setups without electricity. The e-centre will have an adjacent training centre and a rural library where all members of the society get free access to books and other literature.
4) Description of the operational model: The product is a service, which is training and access to information. The service will be marketed in the community through word of mouth and through brochures. The clients will also include schools and other centres of training who could use the centres as reseach areas, to gather needy information.
5) Description of the financial model: Low income people pay just a small fee. In towns the cost of accessing internet and information is as much as Ksh 3. These centres will charge only Ksh 1 per minute. Connectivity will be by broadband, while the centre could seek for donations of low cost pc's and the networking solution. Charged fee of Ksh 1 per minute, and free access to the training centre and the library ensures everyone has access to this initiative.
Client fees represent this approximate percentage of operational budget: 30%
6) Key operational partnership: PArtnership with the local schools and ministry incharge of education and social services has been established. Volunteers For Africa organization will also try to help the e-centre programme get access to free pc's and also reading materials for the community library, through its many networks overseas.
7) Current outreach:
We are at the Start Up stage. The community hs donated a 2 acre piece of land for the programme, while i am seeking dpnations for PC;s for this program, as well as books. If the fellowship has ay funds attached i intend to use them to scale up this programme. Some members of the community are also ready to contribute about US $ 2,000 for this programme if other donors are idebtified.
How many clients have benefited from your product/service in total? Over the last year? Nil
What percentage of your clients is below the poverty line ($2 per day)? 99% About 99% of this community lives below the $ 2 per day
and as such could be essential beneficiaries.
What is the order of magnitude of the potential demand for your products or services? Which
other low-income groups, countries or regions could benefit from it? Try to quantify (number
of clients, market size in currency):
The entire community wishes to have such a servic ein their midst. All third world countries could replicate this to enable information reaches many in the rural areas.
8) Scale-up strategy:
How many low-income individuals do you plan to benefit in three years from now? How are you planning to scale up or replicate your solution? What are the major constraints to scale up?
Over 20,000 persons will benefit.
Which specific areas - and why - in your field would benefit most from investment by corporations, foundations, and other investors:
There is the issue of environmental sustainability due to use of solar power. Then there is the information dissemination concept from use of the solar powered e-centre. Books and other materials in the resource centre could ensure a scale up of education in this area, which boosts of very low lietaracy levels.
9) The organization: How does the initiative fit with your overall organization's strategic goals and priorities? How did the initiative start?
One of VFA;s areas of work is in ICT, and we try to enhance information dissemination in all areas of East Africa, through establishment of e-centres, and other educational facilites for the less fortunate in society.
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10) On the mosaic diagram, which of these factors is the primary focus of your work?
- Factor: Poor understanding of the human and social capitals of low income communities
- Principle: Leverage the power of communities as both consumers and producers
Contact Information:
Name: Kunga Ngece - Programmes Diretor
Organization: Volunteers For Africa
Mailing address: po box 2044-00100
Country: Kenya
Email: volunteersafrica@yahoo.com
Tel: 254 722 407558
Website: Http://www.vfa.8m.net
Organization's legal status: Registered Non Government Organization in EAstern Africa
Number of Employees: 12
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