Years of civil war in northern Uganda left many people homeless and living in displaced persons camps, unable to return to their communities. When the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) war ended in 2006, global emergency support diminished. Rehabilitation and development has been taking place since then as communities slowly return to their villages.
While the cornerstone of the 21st Century has been the growth and use of technology, the developing world has largely lagged behind. In northern Uganda, where a lack of community infrastructure and high levels of unemployment and poverty are the norm, AMREF, in partnership with U-TOUCH, is providing technological resources, computer training courses, E-Mentoring, and technology-based sustainable and scalable programs to increase the motivation of people to become self-reliant and creative producers, ultimately improving their quality of life.
The AMREF/U-TOUCH Digital Libraries are a creative and innovative model of accessing the Internet, providing a unique opportunity to underserved populations of rural Uganda to learn computer skills and gain access to the world through the web. AMREF in Uganda provides connectivity within these facilities utilising a Hub & Spokes model (the Spokes exist in a variety of settings – schools, hospital, and health centres – in urban and rural areas), offering outreach training and connectivity to communities located away from the Hub.
In June 2009, a pilot program was initiated offering basic computer training and Internet access to school faculty and students at the AMREF facilities in Gulu, Kitgum and Pader Districts of northern Uganda. The pilot also offered training in business development, health education, psychosocial support, peace and conflict resolution, envisioning success, project management, resisting negative peer pressure, time management, water, hygiene and sanitation.
Teachers in local schools in Uganda lack textbooks and other basic teaching resources, mostly utilising the simple "talk and chalk" method of teaching. Teachers and students at the CRTC-DLs can now leverage technology to learn computer skills and use the free Internet services to access online information sources and achieve collaborative educational support with experts around the world.
Trained health workers are scarce throughout the north, with many health facilities lacking basic necessary treatment interventions. The AMREF/U-TOUCH Digital Libraries provide a unique opportunity for communities to receive specialised health education classes on HIV/AIDS, malaria, typhoid, reproductive health, and nutrition, among other areas, under the guidance of skilled AMREF medical staff utilising technology and collaborative web 2.0 tools. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the medical profession from developed countries join the virtual classroom bringing additional knowledge and perspective to training courses through E-Mentoring. In addition, health workers from nearby health facilities receive technology training at the centres and have access to up-to-date and relevant research, diagnosis and treatment interventions at the push of a button.
The launch of the AMREF E-Learning Programme in Uganda will capitalise on the work of the AMREF/U-TOUCH Digital Libraries to bring web-based training courses to nurses and midwives around the country using models piloted in these ICT Hubs.
Visit the AMREF/U-TOUCH Digital Libraries blog for regular updates at http://crtc-connections.blogspot.com or on Twitter at http://twitter.com/AMREF_CRTCs |
