Name: Ahmed Mahmoud Mohamed Eisa
Publish Date: 05 June 2008
Designation & Organisation: Chairperson- Gedaref Digital City Organization (GDCO)
Location: Sudan

Ahmed Mahmoud Mohamed Eisa, Chairperson, Gedaref Digital City Organization (GDCO), Sudan, in an on-line conversation with telecentre magazine, talks about the African Telecentre Movement, its challenges and possibilities
Sudanese visionary leader, Ahmed Eisa has donned varied shades of leadership in Africa. He has been a political leader, and is currently a telecentre movement leader. He is the Chairperson of Gedaref Digital City Organisation (GDCO), a non-governmental organisation that has relentlessly worked towards inclusive Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-enabled development in Sudan.

It runs community telecentres equipped with high technical facilities. The Gedaref community, Gedaref State Government, National Information Centre and National Telecommunication Cooperation, besides many private sector individuals support it. Eisa received the i4d Award in 2007 for 'International Information Award for Development' on behalf of GDCO.

You have been an agriculture minister and now a telecentre movement leader. What made you become a part of the telecentre movement?

I learnt to use computers when I was doing my Masters in Crop Production (Agronomy) at U.S.A. I used them to type my thesis, literature review, to get information from large libraries (Los Angeles, Congress and London library), to get chemicals and other research tools. It saved my time and money. At that time, the capacity of computing was very low and the available operating system was only DOS. There was neither Windows, nor Internet Protocol address. But, when I came back, I forgot everything, because, there were no computers in Sudan. In early 1995, Hamza Hassan taught me how to use the new generation of computers. From my personal experiences, I realised the potential of computers and its ability to create an impact on the people's life. This induced me to start a telecentre programme for the differently-abled people in the rural areas of Gedaref.

You have given a new dimension to the meaning of telecentres by catering to the special needs of 'differently-abled'. What motivated you to initiate such a unique programme?

When we set the objectives of Gedaref Digital City Organisation (GDCO), we thought about the digital divide and inequalities that exist in accessing information and communication technology (ICT). There are also digital variations created by fast revolutions in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). There are several causes and inequalities for this digital divide. Some examples are, the inequalities between the 'rich' and the 'poor', 'cities' and 'villages', 'male' and 'female'; and the 'healthy sound person' and the 'differently-abled'. We were wondering, if it's possible to provide a global language for the disabled.

We decided to work with the hearing impaired, we thought of providing an alternative to the sign language. It resulted in the idea of enabling them with the benefits of e-mails, text chatting, video chatting and web cam conferences. GDCO provides free training to deaf people through the Internet, so that they can chat through messengers and communicate through e-mails globally. ]

We also wanted to create earning avenues for the disabled, so that they could become self-dependent and help their families and friends as well. GDCO trained eight disabled persons, who in turn, started training their colleagues in a much shorter time. This better enabled them to seek and get jobs. A project for individuals with special needs was initiated in March 2007. The project aimed at eliminating the digital divide, poverty, and problems of capacity building among individuals with special needs; and at integrating them into society.

What are the major challenges facing the African Telecentre Movement?

The challenges are manifold. First and foremost, ICT is not part of our culture and, therefore, it is not seen as a priority. The second challenge is that of poor infrastructure and high cost of ICT equipments. Third, there is an acute lack of strategic and executable plans. Then, there is the perennial problem of poverty, coupled with poor community and government interaction.
 
How relevant are the technologically driven services in Africa?

Most of the technologies are relevant from a hardware point of view. But we have a problem vis-à-vis software, primarily because most of it is not in Arabic. And more than 70 percent of people in our community speak Arabic only. But there are considerable good evidences of technologically driven services in Africa. For example, on November 3, 2007, GDCO initiated a project at Gedaref Hospital that aims to digitally record patients' medical history and to establish a health database that enables the government to plan efficiently and reduce the treatment costs through the Internet. In this regard, GDCO has signed an agreement with the National Communication Authority to procure and initiate the required equipment that will enable the treatment of the poor via televised conferences and consultation. It is expected that by the end of 2008, the project will cover the entire Gedaref state with precise information about disease prevalence.

"Most of the technologies are relevant from a hardware point of view. But we have a problem vis-à-vis software, primarily because most of it is not in Arabic. And more than 70 per cent of people in our community speak Arabic only"

GDCO has also launched a project for technically finding solutions to farmers' social, economic, and health problems in pursuance of the advancement of development through IT. The organisation has undertaken this task to technically study the problems of agriculture and to establish a meteorological station to enable the provision of information for the farmers and researchers. GDCO is providing agricultural information in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture. GDCO has also launched a programme at the Mechanised Agriculture Head Office, where complete informations to serve the interest of more than 10,000 farmers were entered. In this respect, the organisation provided 15 computers for training and implementation of the said programme. GDCO has partnered with a an Indian company to visit Gedaref.

The team conducted a study on the method of using the data through the Geographic Coordinates of the Project. This process will provide an electronic record to the farmer and the problems that he had faced in the area, as well as a record of production cost and the establishment of the Database for Agriculture in Gedaref. The organisation has also established an Information Centre at the Farmers' Union with the aim to train and upgrade farmers' leadership traits, to connect them with other parts of the world, and help them avail of the necessary information for the technical advancement of agriculture. In this regard, GDCO in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance of Gedaref state is preparing for an International Bourse for the Crops Market.   

"GDCO is providing agricultural information in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture. GDCO has also launched a programme at the Mechanised Agriculture Head Office, where complete information to serve the interest of more than 10,000 farmers were entered"

GDCO is also trying to bring in innovation, development and progress through ICTs in the fields of e-Governance and e-Learning. GDCO aims to take maximum benefit from the ICT to make education available for the entire Gedaref Society through Internet, and seeks (through e-Learning) to make available the e-Book and the e-Teacher. The organisation started its path with the Intelligent Schools and completed it with the support to Gedaref University, provided 100 computers for the Computer College and 20 other computers for the College of Society Development. GDCO has partnered with Gedaref University and the University of Phontes, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. To promote education in the entire state, GDCO is providing free training to all the students in the Computer College on computer maintenance. GDCO also provides free Internet research service to university students and professors.

To promote e-Governance services in the Gedaref state, the organisation started providing a training programme to 90 policemen. At the end of the training, some of them will be selected in the sections connected with public services (such as Nationality, Passports, Identity Cards, Driving Licenses, and License Renewals). GDCO has established a centre at the police headquarters and allotted 20 computers for this purpose.

What are the lessons that African telecentre leaders can learn from the global telecentre movement?

The African telecentre leaders can learn a lot from the global telecentre movement, especially, vis-à-vis the sharing of knowledge and experiences. Other valuable lessons could be in regard to development of new partnerships; progress in telecentre sustainability; and national, regional and global networking.

In your opinion, what are the biggest mistakes committed in the telecentre movement across the globe?

First, we always talk about the ownership of telecentres, but what is difficult is their sustenance. Second, telecentres are constructed without clear and strategic planning. Computers and technology are provided to the community, but there is no knowledge about the content. Besides this, there is a lack of connectivity that hinders the sharing of knowledge and experience. But, most importantly, there is a lack of clear and strategic planning.

In a country like Sudan, do you think that financial inclusion can be promoted through telecentres?

Yes, telecentres can definitely encourage financial inclusion, provided solid promotion takes place. For example, telecentres in Sudan are creating a new source of revenue for individuals with special needs. They can set up telecentres at home and can very well work from home. Telecasters from both the disabled and the community have the potential to make individuals and the community self-dependent. GDCO trained 8 disabled individuals, who in turn, started training their colleagues in a faster way than before. So that they can get a job soon, they have shortened the period of training to one month instead of six months. Telecentres also help with several health insurance schemes.

What do you think of the telecentre.org programme?

telecentre.org is playing a great role in the telecentre movement. It has united the telecentre movements across the globe and linked them together. So, we have decided to ask them to deliver a speech in the opening session of the 5th EATLF, that will be held in Sudan in June 2008, in the presence of more than 300 participants.

Quick Scan

• Telecentres in Sudan: Capacity-building and a new source of income generation for differently-abled
• GDCO is offering free computer maintenance training to students. The objective is to ensure the availability of computers at all times
• GDCO works in collaboration with the government agencies to ensure upscaling of its initiatives
• GDCO Information Centre connects farmers to the market