PRESS KIT (in french)
Africa
connected to the Internet via Switzerland
article in "Le Matin" newspaper Geneva
(translated
from french)
Based in Geneva and working in Uganda,
the association, Uconnect, proposes an ethical and responsible solution for
computer recycling.
Saskia
Galitch
Internet, a universal tool? Sadly, this is not
the case, for access to information and communications technologies (ICTs)
remains for the most part the privilege of those in the developed countries.
Out of this digital divide - for which the South pay a heavy price – a number of
organizations have been born, which fight tirelessly to try to bridge this gap.
And so Uconnect, by refurbishing second-hand computer equipment and shipping it
to Uganda, brings not only a "responsible solution for recycling", but also
allows dozens Ugandan schools to be connected to the Internet and at the same
time stimulate various economic projects in a spirit of sustainable
development. So explain the co-founder of Uconnect, Daniel Stern,
spokeswoman, Caroline Wieland, of their "webmaster, systems
administrator & trainer,” Jed Stern.
Sustainable
development
The
aims of Uconnect could be summed up in three words: education and sustainable
development. Daniel Stern explained that, although information technology
generally and Internet in particular are obviously tremendous tools for
education and development in themselves, they may also stimulate the creation of
social initiatives and economic infrastructures...
see complete article
www.lematin.ch
Making Telecentres Sustainable
According
to Daniel Stern of the Uconnect
Schools Project in Uganda, a small after-hours fee ($0.50 per hour) for
public access to telecentres in schools can not only make telecentres sustainable,
but also can facilitate their expansion. See interview
Commissioner Primary Education Mr Sam Onek
launches Kashozi Computer Lab
"Kashozi Primary School in Ishaka, Bushenyi
district, will never be the same again.
Last weekend, the rural government school had its 30 computers connected to the Internet,
propelling it into the information age. It becomes the first of 40 schools countrywide to
get fast Internet access on the pilot SchoolWeb project run by Ugandan NGO Uconnect
(www.uconnect.org)."
Read the full article by
Vincent Mugaba
