The notion of having a practical ICT session on the use of ICTs for development, monitoring and reporting cases of poor service delivery was met with great anticipation and enthusiasm from participants in all the three northern districts of Oyam, Kole and Apac.
The participants were zealous at the prospect of learning how to navigate a computer and other devices. This was the expectation of most of them when they were informed about the ICT session. However, the purpose of the ICT session this time around was basically to educate the participants about the role of ICTs in development and have a practical period on how to report cases of poor service delivery using WOUGNET’s Ushahidi Platform.
Sadly, their enthusiasm was crushed when the practical period was made impossible due to the poor internet connectivity that has rocked the northern region and other parts of the country for a period of about two weeks as reported by WOUGNET Staff operating in those three districts.
In Apac, we only reminded participants to visit the Kubere Information Centre so that they could get the hands on feel of using the Ushahidi platform. In Kole, we had internet connectivity for a while, this enabled us have the practical period with over half the participants after which connectivity was lost. While in Oyam, we had connectivity trouble again and opted to have a theoretical approach on how to use the Ushahidi platform, this was welcomed by participants who zealously took notes.
The participants in Oyam and Kole were grateful for the ICT session but expressed the need to have Information and Training centers in their districts such that they have access to computers and internet and put into practice what they have learnt. Otherwise, due to infrastructural and economic constraints, they will go back to their normal routines and all will be forgotten like we discovered in Apac.