NETWORK MOVEMENT FOR JUSTICE AND DEVELOPMENT (NMJD)

Awareness, Reflection, Transformation

PROGRESS REPORT ON THE SETTING UP OF INTERNET AND EMAIL FACILITIES IN BO AND KENEMA

1.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

Bo and Kenema cities are very strategic in the socio-economic, cultural and political life of Sierra Leone. Both cities serve as the headquarter towns of Bo and Kenema districts that share borders with the Republics of Liberia and Guinea. With a population of over 150,000 and 130,000 respectively, Bo and Kenema are the second and third largest cities in the country. They host a significant number of schools (primary and secondary), tertiary and other institutions of higher learning, as well as NGOs (national and international), government Ministries, Departments and Agencies and civic groups.

Inside the internet/email centre

The operations of these institutions are most times highly hampered by the poor or absence of basic infrastructure such as poor road networks, communication systems and effective and reliable electricity supply. Because of the growing advancement in Internet Communications Technology (ICT), a lot of things bordering particularly on educational programmes and information sharing are done through the internet. But where these facilities are absent or in a very poor state, there is bound to be a huge deficit in citizens’ efforts to meet their communication needs.

As a way of addressing this very important challenge, NMJD, in collaboration with MIVA, initiated this project. The project is intended to set up internet/email facilities in the three districts of Kono, Bo and Kenema in the east and southern regions of Sierra Leone. Already, internet/email facilities in Kono and Bo have been set up and are now being used by NMJD staff and the general populace. The Kono facility was the first to be set up, followed some months later, by the one in Bo. Both are now functioning and serving a very useful purpose for NMJD, its partners and the general citizenry of Bo and Kenema cities.

Staff of SAB Technologies installing the VSAT disc in the Bo office

2.0 OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

The overarching objective of this project is to improve communication, sharing and learning in the project districts through the use of modern ICT. For this to happen, the project will not only provide access to internet/email facilities, but will also train and encourage citizens, particularly school going children, to make effective use of these facilities.

3.0 STATUS OF THE PROJECT

The first phase of the project, which involves the setting up of internet/facilities in Bo, has been fully completed. The internet/email centre is located in the office of NMJD in Bo and fully equipped with VSAT Connectivity, ten lab tops (DELL), one LaserJet printer, one HP Scanner, one Canon photocopier and one 10 KVA Perkins generator. In order to make the room designated for the centre conducive for the purpose, it was rehabilitated, renovated and fitted with the appropriate air conditioners and furniture.

The contract to set up the internet/email facilities was awarded to SAB Technologies of Smart Farm in Freetown. The decision to award them this contract was largely based on their previous performance when they also won the contract to set up the internet/email facilities in Kono. Their services and equipment supplied were of very high quality and they always respond promptly when there are problems with the equipment or network at the centre.

Before we started the process of setting up the internet/email facilities in Bo, we did a lesson learning review of the operations of the internet/email facilities in Kono. The main purpose for undertaking this exercise was to see where there were gaps and inadequacies in Kono that could be improved in Bo. In the same vein, the process sought to identify successes and best practices that could add value to the operations of the internet in Bo after it would have been established. The review involved conducting interviews with staff of the centre, NMJD staff in Kono and other offices that used the facilities from time to time and other users of the facilities within the township. A full report of the exercise is attached to this report as an appendix.

4.0 IMPACT ANALYSIS OF FIRST PHASE OF THE PROJECT

The setting up of internet/email facilities in Bo has created significant impacts on the work of NMJD staff, as well as the communication patterns of other residents of the township. For NMJD staff, the existence of the centre has helped them to improve their communication and reporting in terms of quality and timeliness. Reports to line managers within NMJD, as well as to partners outside the organization are now submitted on a timely basis and with relative ease on the part of staff.

Some students in Bo browsing the internet

In the past, staff had to travel to Kenema (a distance of 42 miles) to send documents including reports through email. This is because the few internet/email facilities in Bo were almost always not working due to poor connectivity and infrastructure. Because of the high costs involved in running these ICT facilities, the owners closed down their businesses and opted for something else.

This made the township to go for days, weeks or even months without a place where people could go to access internet/emails. This was further compounded by the fact that even Kenema where people went to remedy this situation, the services were very erratic and not always assured. This had a lot of financial implications on the organization as well.

The Connectivity within NMJD office in Bo has also increased tremendously. Because of the VSAT wireless facilities installed, all the computers (both laptops and desktops) are now connected to the internet network, thereby making it possible for staff to use their PCs to access internet in any part of the office.

Other users of the centre include school going children, youths, women, students and the working class in the township. Bo is hosting the Njala University, several secondary schools and tertiary institutions that need such facilities in their academic pursuits. The centre is now largely responding to the needs of these categories of people, as they can now download learning and teaching materials, as well as carry out research much more easily.

5.0 KEY CHALLENGES

There are a few challenges faced in the implementation of this project. One of such challenges is getting the centres to generate enough money to pay the monthly internet subscription of US$850 per centre. Right from the outset, it was made clear that the Internet facilities set up in Kono and Bo are not established for entirely business purposes, but should be able to generate their own resources to meet basic needs such as payment of subscriptions. And because of the pervasive poverty in the host communities and in order to ensure that more people benefit from the services of the centres, user fees are reduced to the barest minimum.

6.0 REMAINING ACTIVITIES

This is a two-phase project: the first phase was to set up the internet/email facilities in Bo whilst the second phase involves the setting up of the same facilities in the Kenema office. The first phase has been fully completed, so what remains now is the setting up of internet/email facilities in Kenema. The second phase will involve the following key activities:

· Develop ToR and sign internet contract documents with service providers

· Needs and infrastructure assessments of the place where the internet facilities will be housed

· Wiring, furniture and other fittings

· Procurement of computers, VSAT equipment and accessories

· Installation of VSAT disc and other facilities

· Develop guidelines for the use and management of the internet facilities

APPENDIX 1: REPORT OF LESSON LEARNING REVIEW

PROGRESS REPORT ON INTERNET FACILITIES IN KONO HIGHLIGHTING LESSONS, CHALLENGES AND RECOMMENDATIONS

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The Network Movement for Justice and Development (NMJD) opened its district office in Kono in April 2004. But the organization’s work in the district started long before that. Because of the strategic mineral resources it is endowed with and their implications on the livelihoods and human rights of the people, Kono has long been at the hub of NMJD’s advocacy work.

The opening of the office was to reinforce the organization’s long history of building effective relationships with its partners, local communities and civil society. With the office in Kono, NMJD has been able to implement its programmes more effectively by building close relationships with the local communities, local civil society organizations, coalitions and local authorities.

The effectiveness of the organization’s work, as well as the work of other civil society organizations, in Kono was (and still is) affected by poor infrastructure including roads and communication networks. This appalling situation was further aggravated by the civil war, which heralded the comprehensive destruction of every existing infrastructure in the district. The absence of basic infrastructure, especially those related to ICT, contributed to limiting the opportunities of the people of Kono to realizing their full potentials, as well as contributing to nation building.

In line with its creed of always aspiring to serve as a vanguard to bring about social change in the country through capacity building, opening up opportunities and linking local communities with resources, NMJD conceived and pursued vigorously the idea of establishing Internet/email facilities in Kono. Challenging though it was, NMJD, with support from MIVA in The Netherlands, succeeded in establishing an Internet centre in the top floor of its Kono district office building in Koidu in November 2007. In addition to internet/email facilities, the centre provides printing, photocopying, scanning and secretariat services.

1.1 PROCESSES

Ahead of the commencement of operations of the Internet Centre, NMJD undertook a series of activities aimed at developing structures and processes that would ensure effective management and sustainability. The Knowledge Management and Communications made proposals for effective management, accountability and sustainability, as well as how to provide good quality services to users of the centre.

The Internet Service Providers (SAB Technologies) were carefully chosen through a competitive and open process. Eight ISPs were initially identified and later interviewed; their services were also critically analyzed. SAB Technologies emerged as the better option.

1.2 PURPOSE OF REPORT

MIVA has again approved a grant for the establishment of Internet centres in Bo and Kenema. Whilst the establishment of the centre in Kenema is slated for the last quarter of 2009, the one in Bo is immediate. In order for us to better the way the Internet centre in Kono was done, a lesson learning report is required. The process of writing this report involved conducting interviews with staff and users of the centre and staff of NMJD office in Kono, especially the District Manager, who has a direct responsibility to supervise the day-to-day operations of the centre. Also interviewed are users of the services provided at the centre.

2.0 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

2.1 KEY SUCCESSES

· The ICT illiteracy rate amongst students, young people and other indigenes in the district was high. The absence of internet/emails facilities in the district has been a contributing factor to this high illiteracy rate, as well as the lack of enthusiasm to build capacity and improve IT skills. The establishment of the centre heralds the dawn of the Internet era in the district, with people of all ages and different walks of life making conscious efforts to become internet literate. This is demonstrated by the fact that most of the students in Kono who write public and external examinations now check for their results on the Internet right there in Kono as soon as they are uploaded on the web.

· The Internet centre facilitates the preparation and submission of good quality reports, proposals and other documents by residents of Kono, as well as providing internet accessibility to a host of people, including students, teachers, CSOs and expatriate workers in the district. It also provides an opportunity to students and researchers to do desktop research and literature review less costly, but more effectively.

· The centre provides a variety of services that were hitherto completely not available in the district for the public like scanning, photocopying and secretariat printing. This has increased the effectiveness of beneficiaries of these services, as well as increasing the time they spend in doing their work.

· It provides reliable internet accessibility to staff of NMJD in the Kono office. This has helped improve communication within the organization. Before the establishment of the Internet centre in Kono, the flow of communication within the organization always suffered unavoidable breaks due to lack of access. This was not only affecting the effectiveness of the organization, but also impacting negatively on its relationship with donors and other partners.

2.2 KEY ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

· The high computer illiteracy among people using the facilities at the centre makes work tedious and tiring for staff of the centre. Because a good number of those accessing internet/emails at the centre cannot do so effectively without being assisted, the staff have to spend a lot of time helping them to use these facilities. Sometimes, even doing it for them. This also affects the length of time users engage the computers at any given time.

· Ineffective electricity supply, coupled with the frequent breakdown of generators, is affecting the output of the centre. The centre does not have a generator of its own; it depends on NMJD’s generators to power its equipment. It is highly likely that the frequent breakdowns of NMJD generators are caused by the high voltage demand by both the centre and NMJD, which the generators cannot adequately produce. This results in situations where the generators are being overstretched and overused.

· The Café Manager software that was installed in all the computers at the Centre to monitor the use of internet/email facilities only worked for a while. This makes monitoring the number of hours the computers are used not only difficult, but also impossible to do proper accounting. What is of interest, though, is that both the NMJD ICT officer and the management of the centre cannot agree on what is specifically responsible for the short-lived of the Café Manager software. Whilst the café management is saying that the copyright to use the programme was not legally acquired, the ICT officer is saying that the programme was officially licensed before it was installed. But that the network was frequently corrupted, thereby creating many problems on the computers.

· There is no licensed anti-virus software to protect the computers and their accessories. This exposes the computers to all sorts of viruses, especially when those using the centre come along with their different pen drives. The computers suffer frequent virus attacks, as a result.

· There was a management structure put in place before the centre commenced operations, but it’s quite clear that it is not adhered to. This non-adherence, especially on the part of the District Manager in the Kono office, is affecting the smooth flow of information between the centre and the KMC unit in Freetown. Most times, either information is communicated to the KMC very late, or not communicated to them at all. This includes both narrative and financial reports. For instance, an additional volunteer to the centre was appointed and a separate bank account for the centre opened without making reference to the KMC or even informing them, at least.

· The centre is still heavily dependent on NMJD to keep it going in terms of paying subscriptions, supplying electricity, carrying out maintenance and servicing, even after close to 18 months in operations. This is a cause for serious concern. There are several opportunities and openings that were initially identified to be potential areas to maximize the revenue generation of the centre, which are either not explored or explored, but under utilized.

2.3 RECOMMENDATIONS

· The centre should start thinking of getting its own generator to power its equipment. This is necessary since the centre opens for longer hours than NMJD office. Also, acquiring and running its own generator is a key step towards achieving sustainability.

· The ICT officer to find out why the Café Manager software was having frequent network problems resulting to completely abandoning it. If it’s an issue of the café management not having the competencies to operate the Café Manager, he should design a training programme for them. Whatever is the problem, he should do something to get it working once again.

· The ICT officer to work with the management of the centre and the District Manager in Kono to install licensed anti-virus software in all the computers at the centre. The ICT officer should also teach the staff at the centre how to daily update and scan the computers.

· The District Manager and staff of the centre to realize and appreciate the fact that the KMC is the pivot around which all activities of the centre revolve. So all information and documentation, including financial updates and reports, about the centre should be made available to the KMC promptly, whether on request or not.

· The District Manager to put mechanisms in place whereby all programmes whose staff are based in Kono and are using the centre to do their programmatic work contribute towards paying the subscription for the centre. The programmes can make provisions for this in their budgets.

· The KMC, District Manager and staff of the centre to hold a reflection session with the view to identifying areas through which the centre can improve its revenue generation.