Peace Corps to Wire Senegal

An anonymous submitter wrote: "Peace Corps Online is reporting on the White House's Digital Freedom Initiative that will place volunteers from the Peace Corps, Hewlett-Packard and Cisco in a pilot program in Senegal where they will leverage nearly 200 cybercafes and 10,000 telecenters to provide opportunities for small businesses and entrepreneurs. The idea isn't new - David Rothman proposed an Electronic Peace Corps in 1984, the Geek Corps has been doing this kind of work in Ghana for years, and the Peace Corps already has about 1,500 volunteers working in information technology."

Comments

Swell!

[LeoDV]

We've got no food, but now we've got BROADBAND! (First post?)

Re:Swell!

[collapser]

You're not far off the mark - Take a look at egypt's attempts to form a technocratic (as opposed to fundamentalist) society.

It's all very well and good to want to provide communications access to those that don't have it, but do they *need* it?
I would have thought that tackling the causes of Africa's poverty, rather than attempt to "boost it into the 21st century" (whatever that means) would be a more effective and longer-lasting solution.

but no. we'd rather show we care enough to give them the benefits of Fark, AYBABTU, and hotmail accounts (and who wants to bet some enterprizing fellow won't work out a way to capitalise on our own greed and idiocy - Nigerian 411, anyone?)

not belittling the hard work people put into this, but it seems to be yet another case of malformed priorities/treating symptoms not cause. but then, treating symptoms doesn't carry so much responsibility/difficulty, does it?

sadly, a pointless excercise.

Re:Swell!

[theophilosophilus]

> We've got no food, but now we've got BROADBAND!

Exactly, wouldn't this money be better spent? On the flip side it sounds like the move is generating private investment.

From the CIA world fact book (hey its what google gave me): [CIA World Fact Book]

"Senegal ... realized full Internet connectivity in 1996, creating a miniboom in information technology-based services. Private activity now accounts for 82% of GDP."

However, I worry about the mentality that the internet can solve all our problems. I think we all saw the fallacy of that misconception after the bubble. Further, the question should be asked, is this a society that is ready for this technology? Will this have adverse impacts on a culture that has not prepared itself for such drastic change (now I sound like my old Tech and Society prof)? Will the average Senegalese be receptive to such a cultural shift?

Re:Swell!

[Angry White Guy]

That's only half of the equation. Constant fighting between the political factions, stimulated by Colonial Europe's arbirtary division of the continent without regards for tribal boundaries (Forcing the Huutu and Tsutse tribes to live together), and corruption of their parliment have prevented African countries from prospering, as much as cash crop farming for the western world.

A large portion of Africa is farmland, but dedicated to export crops. There is little left over for staple farming. The money earned from these cash crops makes the landowners rich, which in turn makes the government rich. The profit is dumped into the military, buying jets and tanks, troops, training camps, etc to quell uprisings and 'protect' their country. Little is left over for urban development, health care, or infrastructure. Much of the foreign aid is absorbed by the government.

Tackling the root causes is difficult, as it is not only the western world which is profiting from Africa's poverty. It is their own leaders as well.

Re:why?

[droid_rage]

Maybe it's because most entrepreneurs and small business owners in Senegal can't afford a computer, and would be better off renting small amounts of time as needed. According to the world bank Senegal's GNP per capita for 1996 was only $570. I doubt it's gotten much higher.

Re:why?

[jem]

Because it's realistic? if you electricity and telecoms already then it's going to be much easier to set everything else up. Plus an Internet Cafe is a good place for people to meet, get training, etc.

This is good but...

[Anonymous Coward]

The internet has a vast store of information, and I think creating this kind of infrastructure is a good thing, but we have to keep in mind that technology can't solve all problems. There is an excellent article at the linux journal site that illustrates some important points:

http://www.linuxjournal.com/article.php?sid=4657

Re:This is good but...

[Angry White Guy]

Third world countries are stuck in a vicious cycle. Internet access should be the last thing on their minds. Basic infrastructure such as roads, sewage, hydro are needed first and formost. This will atract industry, which in turn will build more infrastructure, create training facilities, and attract more skilled labour. And the only way to do this is with gobs and gobs of cash.

Re:This is good but...

[pe1rxq]

The western world wasn't such a fun place to live in until education became available to everyboddy.
You said yourself that you need skilled labour.
Skilled labour means good education.
For education to work you need to get people to look beyond their horizon into the world. What better medium than the internet to do this?

Jeroen

Re:This is good but...

[kinnell]

For education to work you need to get people to look beyond their horizon into the world. What better medium than the internet to do this?

Books?

And Now the News...

[johndiii]

The "Senegalese Minister" scam overtakes the "Nigerian Minister" scam as the leading scam spam theme.

Always has to be hardware

[jj_johny]

It seems that everyone who does development work does not feel that they have made a difference unless they leave behind something to point at: A dam, a tall building, an internet... Please although internet access maybe easy to get your hands around, accessible technology that the educated can support and widely available, it really is way behind other issues that need to be fixed. Most countries need better laws, courts, banks not IT infrastructure.

Well at least Cisco and HP are branching into new market and away from the saturated ones.

Re:Always has to be hardware

[Thomas M Hughes]

IT Infrastructure is useful in developing other kinds of infrastructure, assuming it can be effectively used.

Most countries need better laws, courts, banks

Better laws can theoretically be attained in semi-democratic and democratic countries through providing information about current laws, and things that are going up for voting in the legislative body, as well as providing a conduit for citizens to contact their government members in order to influence policy.

Better courts can be attained, especially in countries that utilize a common law standard, by having the court system linked up, so all judicial reviews can be viewed quickly, easily and instantaneously. Thus, the court system can act more consistently as a whole across the entire nation-state, as opposed to the personal habits of each judge. Also, abuses in the system can be reported easier across great distances, if the other branches of the government are plugged in as well.

Banks are another institution that really need to be connected, and have a sharing of information between them. Computers are very useful in documenting a credit history on individuals, making it much easier to call up, so any bank can view it much faster for when determining whether or not to give an individual a loan. Transfers between institutions are better handled electronically as well.

The Internet also provides a cheap way for local nation-wide businesses to post job listings, theoretically allowing for out of work people to be put in touch easier with companies that need workers, improving the overall economy. Though, it is important to note that the US has had some serious flaws with this, but not to the point where its completely useless. I have found work off an Internet job posting before.

Along with increased mobility, you also have a better chance of affordable communication with relatives within the country. Thus, despite the physical distance potentially developing between citizens and their families, all touch won't be lost.

And of course, there is always the benefit of being able to access a wealth of information sources on the Internet that encourage people to view other places in the world and see how they function, so that they might demand change at home.

The point is, just because IT infrastructure seems like a luxury, improved and increased communication between all levels of society is an inherently good thing for democratic institutions, as well as developing market economies. It might not be as useful as building a power plant, or teaching them better farming techniques, however the companies helping here aren't farming or power companies. They're IT companies, so they're helping the way they know how to help.

yay

[JeanBaptiste]

Now I will get twice as many BUSINESS PROPOSALS from DR ZUNAGA MBASAWA in SOME RANDOM COUNTRY trying to get me to help him wire $75000000USD from his recently deceased father's offshore account.

Peace Corps not part of Homeland Security

[Mothra the III]

From the Peace Corps website: "Currently, 6,678 Peace Corps volunteers are serving in 70 countries, working to bring clean water to communities, teach children, help start new small businesses, and stop the spread of AIDS. Since 1961, more than 168,000 Americans have joined the Peace Corps, serving in 136 nations." These people most likely dont have the skills to combat cyber terrorism and are using the skills they do have to set up small networks and get people on the internet.

Sutil slogan changes...

[gmuslera]

Hippie: "Make love, not war"
Yuppie: "Make lan, not war"

Helping out online

[rf0]

In a similar vain people might be interested in NetAid which apart of the UN in helping out online less developed countries

Rus

What will it do?

[Txiasaeia]

My wife was in Senegal in a few years, and after seeing this article, she commented, "Well, that might help the people in cities, but what about most of the people who live in rural areas?"

Besides, the people in this country can't afford Coke as a general rule -- even when they can, they return the glass (yes, glass!) bottle right away to get the deposit back and put the Coke in a plastic bag to drink. There are already enough cybercafes in Dakar; perhaps this cash should be going towards helping the little Muslim boys that run around the streets, forced into virtual slavery (via begging) in order to make a few bucks for their master.

Re:What will it do?

[shanewarneiskweer]

I think that this is general criticism of Africa in general. The fact is that great swathes of the continent are progressing nicely and have decent-ish standards of living. The places where standards are bad tend to be warzones. I.T. improves lives, FACT. If this helps the Senegalese, then all power to them. I consider a few LANS small payback to the fact that the West rips off Africa blind in loan repayments.

Re:why?

[vidarh]

I agree with you about internet cafe's as a good place to meet and provide access. It's important to focus in this, as the point is to provide access to people who are unlikely to afford a computer (or for that matter their own radio, telephone or TV).

However long range wireless solutions might be very suitable for many of these countries for bringing internet access to the cafes, because the poverty levels means that even phone lines get stolen quite often for the copper many places (some countries have even had cases of people cutting down power cables to sell the scrap metal).

Securing a number of wireless routers might be easier than securing miles and miles of cable. Additionally, putting up phone cables is expensive, and many African countries have extremely under developed landline networks, and it's not a given that setting up wireless connections won't be cheaper.

Business Opportunity

[ch-chuck]

they will leverage nearly 200 cybercafes and 10,000 telecenters to provide opportunities for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Great. Now AOL will be intercepting 2 billion spams / month, from a new country tld.

Buzzspeak - English translation

[Viol8]

Word #234:
leverage (vb): means "use"
Alternative trendy buzzwords and phrases:
enabled
facilitate deployment
fixed resource empowerment
consolidate operational dynamics
foster tangible goals

Re:why?

[pe1rxq]

It is all very simple actually....

You can find practicly anything on the internet, no need for expensive books, all you need is a little curiousity.

As for fighting big business and governments all you need is to set up a 'poor-villages-against-whatever' mailinglist and you can organize.

That is the power of the internet: spreading information at practicly no cost.

Jeroen

from CIA Factbook

[rjamestaylor]

check it

COMMUNICATIONS

• Telephones - main lines in use: 234,916 (2001)
• Telephones - mobile cellular: 373,965 (2001)
• Telephone system: general assessment: good system domestic: above-average urban system; microwave radio relay, coaxial cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system international: 4 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
• Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 14, shortwave 0 (1998)
• Radios: 1.24 million (1997)
• Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
• Televisions: 361,000 (1997)
• Internet country code: .sn
• Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 15 (2002)
• Internet users: 40,000 (2001)

Lesser-developed countries flock to cell phones to get around there out-dated, out-moded, out-period telephone communications, I guess.

Sounds like the Peace Corps needs to Wi-Fi Senegal rather than wire it.

Woah, 1500 IT workers?

[jonbrewer]

I think not. Sure 1559 volunteers may be "promoting" IT in their roles, but there certainly are not 1559 Peace Corps volunteers working in IT. The vast majority of these people are English teachers who have a secondary project of trying to improve their school's computer lab, often using "creative grant-writing" techniques to appropriate funds marked for women's health or community development.

Until "IT" is a Peace Corps job category like Education, Agriculture, Health, and Environment, Peace Corps will not be taking IT seriously.

I speak from experience.

-JB (Volunteer - Poland 15, 1999-2000)

No, what's needed is wireless broadband

[sbwoodside]

Senegal is a great place to mount an initiative like this because they have access to some serious bandwidth. The SAT-3/WASC/SAFE undersea fibre optic cable landed in Senegal last year, delivering multiple gigabits of internet bandwidth. This is in contast to the previous situation, where basically all of Africa had less bandwidth than the headquarters of my former employer.

But the idea of wiring Senegal is all wrong. What's needed is wireless. Wireless internet (e.g. 802.11b Wi-Fi) is a far more appropriate solution in a country like Senegal where traditional wireline infrastructure is going to be subject to harsh environmental conditions and being destroyed by political unrest. Wi-Fi long-distance links can span 30 km in a single hop, and the towers like cell towers can be powered with generators. Wi-Fi delivers true broadband, 802.11b is 10Mbps, and 802.11a and 802.11g can deliver more like 30Mbps.

Broadband is essential. With broadband you can deliver the killer app (yeah, I said killer app) of the rural internet which is Voice over IP. People in Senegal, well, the literacy rate isn't so high, and VoIP is what's really useful to people as it allows them to call members of their family who may be off making money in other parts of the world, to call into town to check crop prices, to call their relatives in the city. Of course this requires policy to make sure that VoIP is legal and that the national telco doesn't try to block it to protect their own profits.

If you're interested in wireless long-distance links, you might be interested in a mailing list on the subject, wireless-longhaul@openict.net. You can subscribe here, and the mailing list home page is here.