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TRIP REPORT SANGONeT Help Desk and the Association for Progressive Communications Africa Conference Johannesburg, February 8-11, 1997 Jeffrey A. Cochrane Revised February 07, 1997 The Southern Africa Non-Governmental Organization Network (SANGONeT) hosted a meeting of affiliates of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), as well as a number of other interested organizations, to discuss the APC's future role in electronic networking in Africa. AfricaLink was invited to participate. SANGONeT has also recently signed a contract to provide help-desk services to USAID partners in the region as part of SANGONeT's and the APC's broader program of technical and user support help desks in Africa. SANGONeT itself operates the Southern Africa Regional Help Desk. Following up discussions with SANGONeT's Na'eem Jeenah with USAID and SACCAR in Gaborone, initial USAID-related tasks for the Help Desk were to be articulated during meetings in Johannesburg. Discussions will continue electronically with consultations in Harare at IUCN-ROSA later in the week. APC Africa Strategy Meeting The formal statement and summary of the meeting will presumably be available from SANGONeT on their Web site at http://www.sn.apc.org. Highlights follow. The APC is grappling with the phenomenal growth in the Internet, which is redefining its role as a primary electronic communications service provider for many NGOs and others that work in behalf of what can loosely be described as the disempowered. Before the Internet, many NGOs and others held accounts on servers such as those maintained by SANGONeT in Johannesburg and MUKLA in Kampala. There were few if any alternatives at that time. This is no longer the case. The community that was once united by their common presence on a communication server is now in many places dispersing at a rapid rate to other service providers offering in various instances more desirable technologies, pricing, and technical support. Those who were previously connected on a single server are still connected now via the Internet, and can in principle still communicate, but dispersal onto the servers of a large group of service providers means a loss of coordination of effort and a loss of common electronic meeting spaces. New methods of coordination and new places to meet must be found. SANGONeT itself has mounted a successful campaign to maintain and expand its user base by competing strongly with for-profit firms and by offering niche services tailored to the NGO community in particular. It has largely succeeded in keeping its communities of interest housed electronically on a single server. For individual service providers that are members or partners of the APC, mounting a strong campaign to retain NGOs as clientele in basic connectivity is one way of assuring effective coordination and a continuing conversation within this community. This permits SANGONeT, for example, to develop more easily a coordinated Web structure of links to its various subscriber communities. All APC affiliates in Africa are rethinking their operations, customer base, and service offerings. This meeting is in part intended to deal with these issues. From the discussions has emerged a new action plan and mission statement for the Internet age. APC Africa Mission Statement and Action Plan Some 40 items for APC consideration were listed and then ranked by the assembled conference participants. Top priority was given to: System operator training Language translation for instructional materials Support for information "brokerage" Urban and rural infrastructural development Database low-bandwidth access Training of content providers Laptops for system operators Achieving gender balance among system operators Addressing funding priorities for the AISI Sharing of information among APC affiliates User training Persons were appointed to devise strategies for these and other activities. The AfricaLink Advisor was summarily appointed in charge of finding laptops for system operators, though he neither accepted nor declined the position. At the end of the meeting a communique was issued. The participants observe that significant populations are being neglected in the development of the Internet, especially those in rural areas. They further observe that donors seem more concerned with major infrastructure than with user access. They note that while the APC has long served thousands across Africa, and while donors occasionally ask the APC for information, donors fail to include the APC adequately in their decision-making processes. The APC Africa communique is included in the appendix. Scope for USAID Collaboration USAID/AfricaLink has already entered into a strategic partnership with the APC through its member organization, SANGONeT in Johannesburg, and its affiliated partner MUKLA in Kampala. AfricaLink is contributing funds for a user support help desk at each location. A third help desk is being considered for APC affiliate ENDA in Dakar. AfricaLink has granted $300,000 to ICRAF in Nairobi for the support of initial connectivity and subsequent information management needs for primarily agricultural but also environmental and natural resource management networks in Eastern and Southern Africa. A portion of these funds has been paid to MUKLA to initiate an Eastern Africa Help Desk. USAID funding at MUKLA is intended primarily for the support of USAID partner networks in Eastern Africa, specifically those networks that have received connectivity and information management support through the ICRAF grant. However, by coordinating its support with the APC, USAID is contributing more generally to sustainable networking in the region. Another grant of $300,000 has been made to WARDA in Bouaké for West and Central African networking in the same sectors. WARDA is presently considering where to fund a help desk for the region. The APC affiliate in Dakar has been recommended. In Southern Africa, USAID is working through SACCAR for the support of agricultural and natural resource management networking, and through IUCN-ROSA for environmental networking. The USAID regional mission, located in Botswana, has contributed funds for more general support of its partners in the region, and it is a portion of these funds that have been contributed to SANGONeT in support of its Southern Africa Regional Help Desk. In each case, while USAID is paying directly for support of its partner networks, it is doing so in a regional context that aims to build user support more generally. AfricaLink will continue to seek ways that particular programs funded by USAID can collaborate with the APC and others, and will work to familiarize staff of other initiatives within the Agency about the work of the APC. USAID and the SANGONeT Southern Africa Help Desk The contractual arrangements for the USAID collaboration with SANGONeT on regional help- desk support for USAID partners were finalized. Two tasks were agreed. The first involves a contribution of on average one hour per day to support SACCAR and IUCN-ROSA networks. The second addresses regional training needs. Task order descriptions are included in the appendix. The SANGONeT Southern African Regional Help Desk will essentially "manage" the regional connectivity of USAID partners. This will involve monitoring connectivity status, addressing connectivity problems that have not been resolved by the immediate service provider, and design appropriate training materials that can be presented electronically, in national workshops in collaboration with local service providers, and at regional programmatic meetings. Trainings will be contracted on an as-needed basis. Needs will be identified by the regional partners and by SANGONeT. APPENDIX I: Help Desk Support Task Order The Subcontractor shall provide personnel to staff a Help Desk, which will be accessible to USAID-specified USAID partners and customers in Southern Africa through electronic mail (e-mail), facsimile, and telephone. The Subcontractor shall provide a unique Help Desk e-mail address to which USAID partners and customers can write for assistance. Help Desk staff shall respond to questions about technical problems related to the electronic exchange of information, and shall offer suggestions for resolving the problems. The Subcontractor shall provide a written cost estimate of labor hours and all other direct costs (ODCs) required to complete this Task Order. This estimate shall be provided to the USAID Project Manager and the SETA Contract Manager. USAID estimates that this Task Order will require an average of one labor hour per day during a five day work week, for a total of not more than 260 labor hours for the duration of the Task Order. Work will commence only when Subcontractor has received copies of the authorized Task Order, signed by SETA Corporation's Director of Contracts and the USAID Project Manager or USAID-designated representative. From December 1, 1996 through September 26, 1997. The deliverables for this Task Order shall include but not be limited to the following: opies of all Help Desk electronic correspondence sent to and received from USAID partners and customers shall immediately be forwarded electronically to the USAID AfricaLink Advisor, Dr. Jeffrey Cochrane, at jcochrane@usaid.gov, and/or to his designee. A Monthly Report shall be submitted no later than the 15th day of the subsequent month to the USAID AfricaLink Advisor, for each calendar month during the Task Order. This Task Order Monthly Report shall summarize the accomplishments of the Help Desk during the reporting period, as well as anticipated activities for the next reporting period. This report shall include any recommendations for additional activities that might be undertaken to improve service for USAID partners and customers. An addendum to the Task Order Monthly Report shall provide the following information: an electronic log of all persons contacted, the nature of the contact, and a summary of the assistance provided to the contact. This addendum shall be provided in the form of a database, in a format approved by the AfricaLink Advisor. APPENDIX II: Workshops Proposal Task Order: Introduction to Electronic Information Exchange The Subcontractor shall prepare draft and final proposals for appropriate practicums, tutorials, and/or workshops that will introduce electronic information exchange to scientists and policy makers in the environmental, agricultural, and natural resource management sectors. In preparing the draft and final proposals, the Subcontractor shall investigate the level of expertise of USAID-designated partners in this topic. The Subcontractor shall develop proposals for workshops using a general format for broad applicability. The intent of the Task Order is to have a final, USAID-approved proposal that can be used to develop an Introduction to Electronic Information Exchange Workshop. (No further activities shall be performed under this Task Order once the final proposal has been prepared, submitted, and accepted by USAID.) USAID anticipates that the Subcontractor will need to make a site visit to Gaborone, Botswana to consult with staff of the Southern African Centre for Cooperation in Agricultural and Natural Resources Research & Training (SACCAR) and USAID/Gaborone about the requirements of their partners for an effective workshop. The deliverables for this Task Order shall include but not be limited to the following: A written, draft proposal for workshops, based upon the Subcontractor's initial assessment of the USAID-designated partners' requirements and levels of expertise. The draft proposal shall provide detailed information about the specific form and content of all materials that should be developed for the workshops. The draft proposal shall be prepared and submitted to the AfricaLink Advisor for his review and comments. The AfricaLink Advisor shall provide written comments to the Subcontractor within 10 business days. A written, final proposal for the workshops, incorporating the AfricaLink Advisor's written comments. The final proposal shall be prepared and submitted to the AfricaLink Advisor for acceptance within 15 business days following receipt of the AfricaLink Advisor's written comments. This final proposal shall become the property of USAID and enter the public domain. A Monthly Report shall be submitted no later than the 15th day of the subsequent month to the USAID AfricaLink Advisor, for each calendar month during the Task Order. This Task Order Monthly Report shall summarize the accomplishments during the reporting period, as well as anticipated activities for the next reporting period. This report shall include any recommendations for additional activities which might be undertaken to improve service for USAID partners and customers. APPENDIX III: THE HOLY FAMILY COMMUNIQUE from AFRICAN ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATORS 11 February 1997 At the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) Africa Strategy Meeting, Holy Family Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa, February 8-11 1997. Many of us have worked in African networking from the early days and welcome the blooming of Internet access across the continent. But the network is not an end in itself. This technology has the potential to bring about dramatic social, political and economic change in Africa. We work in a variety of roles in the progressive and non-profit sectors to support thousands of users in Africa with the connections and the information they need. We will continue to work together to pursue our vision of a network with a purpose. Our goals of low-cost, cooperative internetworking, quality local content, and the widest possible participation will remain even if and when the current Internet mania dies away. We have started work on a number of initiatives to address priority areas identified during the meeting and welcome partnerships in developing responses in four thematic areas: supporting electronic networks, promoting strategic use of information and communication technologies among partner communities, developing information content and tools, lobbying and advocacy. A historic opportunity to develop technology for the good presents itself. However, without action on a number of issues , too many African people will be relegated to the role of passive spectator as the global information society takes off. As a grouping of interested parties under the aegis of the APC, we hope to raise awareness of these key problem areas: Relevant African information ("content") needs to be produced, managed and delivered appropriately within Africa. The raw information heritage is too valuable to be trusted to others. Almost no resources are directed to this need. Telephone and other communication infrastructure beyond the cities remains under-funded - a problem that liberalization cannot solve. Private investment in de-regulated markets has so far generally concentrated in the major cities. The little international investment that there is in technical training and capacity building - a critical need, especially to bring more women into networking - too often neglects the particular needs of Africa. Methods of information delivery must go beyond "putting it on the Web". The power and flexibility of electronic mail should not be under-estimated. Alliances are being developed between some donors and parastatal PTTs which are giving governments a stranglehold on national bandwidth. Donors are mainly focussing on the pipes, not the people. We seek greater consultation from the various initiatives which aim to steer telematics developments in Africa - including: AIF, ANI, AISI, AFCOM, SDNP, ACACIA and the Leland Initiative. There is a difference between being used as cheap advisors and then ignored, and becoming valued as key stakeholders in an ongoing process. We believe these concerns are shared by many in the African networking community, and unless they are addressed, the development of the African Information Society will be skewed and the prospect of greater marginalization will be increased. Signed: APC Secretariat Brazil, US, Ecuador apcadmin@apc.org, efarwell@apc.org, karin@apc.org BalanzanNet, Mali sbengaly@balanzan.gn.apc.org Ebonet, Angola, Haymee Perez Cogle haymee@ebonet.net ECONEWS Africa mwambui@tt.gn.apc.org ELCI, Kenya mngola@elci.gn.apc.org ENDA, Maghreb endamaghreb@endamag.gn.apc.org ENDA, Synfev mhms@enda.sn ENDA, Tiers Monde moussaf@enda.sn Epsilon and Omega, Malawi rcmbvundula@eo.wn.apc.org Green Net, UK karenb@gn.apc.org, jsmall@gn.apc.org HealthNet Africa fbukachi@ken.healthnet.org IPS Africa ipspdc@harare.iafrica.com MARIE, Tanzania marietta@marie.gn.apc.org, bernice@marie.gn.apc.org Mukla, Uganda cmusisi@mukla.ac.ug One World Online, Southern Partners Project hackney@wn.apc.org PADIS/UNECA hackney@wn.apc.org RIOD Africa penda.marcilly@elci.gn.apc.org SANGOnet South Africa penda.marcilly@elci.gn.apc.org, anriette@wn.apc.org UN DHA/IRIN, Great Lakes ben@dha.unon.org Zambia Association for Research and Development zard@zamnet.zm APC Grantwriter maureen@web.net Other enquiries or expressions of support can be sent to Na'eem Jeenah naaem@wn.apc.org; and will be recorded in an updated version of this document. Na'eem can be reached on tel: +27 082 458 6536 until 12 February 1997.

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