PRESENTATION ICT FOR THE POOR EXPERIENCES AND INITIATIVES

PRESENTATION ICT FOR THE POOR: EXPERIENCES AND INITIATIVES OF KADO IN HUNZA VALLEY By GHULAM AMIN BEG Head, ICT Committee Of Kado Board Chief Executive Mountain Heritage And Development Partners-mountcon www. mountcon. org & ALI AHMED Member ICT Committee KADO Board Manager IT The Firstmicro. Finance Bank, Islamabad www. mfb. com. pk

HUNZA A popular tourist destination, bordered with China and Afghanistan in the North A remote and mountainous valley in the Karakoram region administered by the Federal Government of Pakistan under the “ Northern Areas”, through the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas (KANA) Area : 11, 195 sq km Population : 53, 000 Literacy rate : 67% (M: 70%, F: 64%) Population below poverty line (less then 1$): 57% (AKRSP Poverty Assessment Report-2002)

HUNZA Nagar as il Ch GILGIT • Islamabad Azad Kashmir Jammu and Kashmir Note: This map is for general use only and does not imply any

KARAKORAM AREA DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION (KADO) n n Registered in 1998 in Gilgit, Under the Companies Ordinance 1984: A company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital.

VISION To create a healthy and knowledge-based society

MISSION To development the local human and institutional capacities to plan and implement projects and programmes and to reduce poverty through enterprise development and knowledge-based initiatives

GOAL To improve the socio-economic base and living conditions of the rural population of Hunza and surrounding regions with particular focus on disadvantaged groups

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES n n n To promote income and employment opportunities in Hunza valley with particular focus on women and disadvantaged groups To build the human and institutional capacities of local CBOs To protect and promote the environmental and cultural assets of the area

PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS n Karakoram Handicraft Development Programme (KHDP) (1996 to date) n Human and Institutional Development (HID): 2000 - n Rehabilitation Centers for Special Persons: 1998 - n Solid Waste Management Project (HEC): 1997 - n Arts and Cultural Promotion Projects (HACF): 1999 n Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT 4 D): 1998 -

ICT FOR THE POOR: EXPERIENCES AND INITIATIVES OF KADO IN HUNZA VALLEY

EXISTING ICT 4 D PROJECTS: n E-commerce n Promotional web sites n ICT Awareness Programs for Villagers n Village Computer Literacy Centers (VCLC) n Mountain Institute of Computer Sciences (MICS)

1. E-Commerce: www. panasia. org. sg/mos/kado. htm Started in the year 2000 Objectives: To provide opportunities for local artisans to access domestic and international markets To promote and improve local crafts To enhance the income levels of local artisans, mainly women n Methodology: n n n KADO e-shop hosted on PANASIA site Mail Order System (MOS) Online submission of orders and queries KADO receives and processes orders Panasia Networking provides the platform for online transactions and also provided initial technical and training support KADO regularly maintains the e-shop

…. E-Com n Achievements and Benefits: n Worldwide accessibility of handicrafts made by more than 3000 artisans, mainly women n Rs. 120 million gross sales achieved during the years 2000 and 2003 n Around 30% of the sale is owed to the online presence n Retail partnerships made in Canada and the US n Improved product standardization and quality management systems n Expansion of retail market to Islamabad , Lahore and Karachi to cater online orders. n New product ideas floated by visitors and clients n Suggestions and feedback for improving the quality of existing products

2. Web sites: www. threadnethunza. com This was the first experimental website launched in 1998 by any development organization in the Northern Areas. The main objective was to promote the handicraft products made by the artisans of Hunza and to access wider market for their products. Gradually new features were added to the site to make information, material and reports freely accessible to all and to promote KADO to raise funds for its future projects. Hunza Development Encounter: An online Newsletter was launched through this site providing coverage to civil society initiatives in Hunza valley , which reaches around 300 subscribers worldwide. http: //www. threadnethunza. com/newsletter/htm KADO also launched an e-discussion group which primarily links KADO board directors and development professionals from Hunza and the Northern Areas working out side the region. This networking and sharing of experiences and knowledge helps KADO improve its governance and management systems. www. karakoramhunza. org This website was launched in December, 2003 aiming at promoting the region as an Eco tourist destination, selling knowledge-based products online, providing business development services to local tourism businesses and fund raising for local CBOs and social projects.

…Web sites Benefits: n Creating goodwill n Promotion of partners and stakeholders n Networking & sharing n Transparency n Fundraising for projects n Information and communication n Awareness

3. ICT Awareness Programs n n Seminars and lecture series for Schools, CBOs and students, once a year and on demand basis : Multimedia presentation, radio talks. Exposure visit to VCLCs and MICs Awareness about Use of Internet to village activists through LDO network More than 500 students, teachers, local leaders and activists have benefited so far

4. Village Computer Literacy Centers Established in February 2002 n Focus on peripheral villages, where there is electricity, a strong local partner and a population base that supports establishment and sustenance of such a center on self-help basis. n 2 village Literacy Centers were supported in Central Hunza, in villages Hyderabad and Murtazabad. Objectives: n To create awareness about computing in the rural villages n To provide access to poor students, especially female students in the village to use computers and learn about software applications n To provide opportunities for teachers and other professionals in various sectors to enhance their skills

… Village Computer Literacy Centers Methodology/Process: 1 Identification of a local partner in the village (mostly a local CBO, School, Library or a V/WO), who is willing to: n n n Provide lab space free of cost (a hall or two room facility, minimum) Furnish the lab according to the requirements of the project Responsible for all operational costs including the salary of the instructor, utility bills, maintenance costs etc. Identify students and is responsible for fixing fee rates and for fee collection Give preference to girls and poor students with fee remission system Take responsibility for overseeing, monitoring and reporting 2 KADO provides support in terms of n n n Training to a local instructor (normally from 6 months to 1 year) Development of course content, module Provision of computers (5 to 10 PCs), installation, networking costs Provision of UPS, Stabilizers Generator facility, if required 3. Students fee contribution

… Village Computer Literacy Centers Achievements and Replication: n Around 150 school students, out of which 40% were female, received training in software applications mainly Office tools and Internet applications n 30 teachers and other professionals also received training n 3 local schools established their own labs in their school, as their teachers got trained, parents and students also demanded for computer education n School management and local community leaders from other villages and towns visited the centers, and offered partnerships to open such centers in their villages (two such projects started in upper Hunza, one in lower and three in central) n A computer training and desktop publishing center opened in the private sector in Sost, with technical support from KADO n 5 poor students got admission to colleges and higher studies in computer sciences (BCS) due to this initial exposure, which was otherwise difficult for them.

5. Mountain Institute of Computer Sciences (MICS) Established in June 2003 Objectives: n To produce human resources in IT and provide automation services to local organizations and businesses n To provide advance level training to students and professionals n To provide networking and support service to the village literacy centers and private providers and school labs n To act as a hub for future ICT initiatives and provide facility for business incubation Methodology: n Find a technical partner organization or company n Develop systems required by the partner n Train local human resources accordingly attaching with partner organizations

…. Mountain Institute of Computer Sciences Achievements: n Established links with Align computers USA who provided 25 PCs and supported lab furnishing and networking. n KADO is responsible for running costs. 85% of the costs are met through student fee. n 80 students and 32 professionals received training so far in various software applications, office automation tools and Internet n Currently 15 students are enrolled in advance level courses; Programming languages, database management and web development, . n Prospects of future collaboration with computer and technology firms

LESSONS LEARNT n Value addition n Requires infrastructure (power, communication, human resource and institutional mechanisms) n Expedite the pace of development n Easy to replicate n Networking & sharing of global knowledge n Improves communication and project management n Open new avenues and broadens organizational horizon n Creates demand for technological advancement and infrastructure

IDRC FUNDED ACTION RESEARCH PROJECTS 2004 -05 KADO-Comsats-BHEF and AKRSP joint Project

IDRC FUNDED ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT 2004 -05 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. ISPs: KADOnet Hunza, Comsats Skardo Distance Education/Learning Project (Hunza) E- Village Project (Hunza) e-Business Incubator for women and micro entrepreneurs (Hunza) Telehealth/medicine (Skardo and Gilgit)

GENERAL OBJECTIVE To experiment and demonstrate the promotion of sustainable livelihoods and reduce poverty in the remote areas through action research in the application and integration of ICT.

EXISTING ISPS IN THE REGION Chilas Islamabad

1. Internet Facility (ISP) for Hunza : n n n KADO will setup ISP facility at Hunza by April-04 The ISP facility will provide access to both Hunza and Nagar linked up through the only Telco (SCO): land line and WLL Technical support from Comsats Provide access to DE, Telehealth and ebiz Schools, Colleges, businesses, NGOs, GOs and tourists would benefit from the project New business opportunities will emerge for the village people

2. Distance Learning/Education and skills development n Linking schools in Hunza and Gilgit through inter and intra network to share experience, material and knowledge. n Offering online courses for entrepreneurs, tourist guides, professional and NGO/CBO activists in business management, Language courses in English, French, Japanese, German, Chinese, Russian etc. n Offering online courses for tourists and researchers on local languages: Brushaski, Domaki, Shina , Wakhi, and Khowar and Balti. Avail distance learning courses offered by: n COMSATS Institute (Diploma and degree courses) n Allama-Iqbal-Open-University (AIOU) (Certificate and degree courses) n Virtual University (Diploma and Degree Courses) n Other Varsities overseas (business management, IT etc. )

3. E-Village Project The E. Village resource center will have multiple functions at the village level: n Providing training and information (in English, Urdu and where possible in local languages) using A/V aids, CD-ROM and online resources, to both literate and illiterate men and women of the village on: n Health & Hygiene n Adult education n livestock management n Farming practices, inputs, cropping patterns, diseases n Market and business information: Agri marketing and dairy products n Community development n Conflict prevention/management n Tourism promotion/management n Village level planning n Document/digitize the natural resources, history, social and cultural heritage of the village and make it retrievable/accessible to all and use the information/data for village level spatial and development planning. n Serve as a central place in a village where every information about/for the village would be available: weather information, visitors to the village, projects status initiated by GOs and NGOs, banks, scholarships, job openings, admission schedules etc. n All the data/information about the village could be accessed through the internet

4. E-Business Incubator for youth and micro entrepreneurs n n Use the DE/L center as facility for the incubation A core team would initially research and survey both the net-based businesses and the local demand for training/incubation n Web-based incubator would be launched n Youth and entrepreneurs interested in e-biz would be selected as clients n Initial incubation for 3 – 6 weeks n Post incubation support

5. Telehealth/Medicine: n The Telehealth project consists of medical examination, diagnosis and prescription by a specialist through tele consultation b/w Skardo/Gilgit and the specialist in Islamabad/ Karachi. n Service delivery through store-and-forward technique, as well as live consultation using prevailing ICT tools like net meeting, video conferencing? ) and Patient Information System by designing a website. n Comsats shall be responsible for managing the project in Islamabad and BHEF in Skardo n The connector-facility shall be made available in Gilgit by Comsats for any Clinic/hospital to link up to Islamabad or any other city. n Local paramedic staff shall be trained on using equipment and the ICT tools n Mainly women, children, disabled persons, poor people will benefit in the rural areas, where there is no specialist, nor the patients afford to travel long distances to move to the cities.

CONCLUSION n n n ICTs are quite relevant tools to address the needs of the rural people in remote, isolated and mountainous regions; Science and technology could be adapted at the micro or village level for sustainable development and poverty reduction; Investing in human and institutional development is a key factor for technology adoption.