[Apologies for cross posting to consumers, skunkworks kictanet mailing lists. Please circulate to this message to as  many who may be interested]

Way Forward Technologies and partners are organising a one-day workshop "Making the knowledge economy work for Kenya" scheduled for mid-May 2008 ( Date TBC) at a Nairobi hotel. We shall showcase business implementations of Free and Open Source Software (or FOSS) and provide a discussion platform on issues regarding migration to the platform.

We shall have local speakers discuss not only their cost-savings but additional benefits realised from strategic decisions to adopt Open solutions in their organisations operations. There shall be free operating system software given out in addition to selected applications software for cross section of sectors' needs (for example  free corporate ERPs, Content Management Systems (CMS), e-learning, and graphics design software to name but just a few)

Although primarily targeting the Private Sector, SME and Civil Society Organizations, Public Sector is welcome considering that cost-saving fits their public service agenda as set out in the National ICT Policy.

We are aware that whereas Free and Open Source Software (or FOSS) has enabled many organizations, corporates, small business, and individuals save tens of millions of  shillings, newcomers to the platform are spoilt for choice over which of the hundreds of thousands of free applications to install; overwhelmed by the abundance and variety of software courtesy of the free software community of developers.

Kenya has skunkworks - a technical community network comprising over 500 highly skilled professionals, a growing consumers network approaching 300 members and a business heavy (but inclusive) kictanet communities. Each has much to benefit from participating at this unique workshop and we welcome other interested communities to also join in. We look forward to speakers abstracts on the subject of successful use FOSS for business.

During Idlelo 3 meeting held at Dakar, Senegal last week, I gave a presentation on "connecting and sustaining linkages between business and technical communities." Above planned workshop aims at translating the belief into action and it requires your support to reinforce our positioning in the knowledge economy ecosystem even better.

Considering that it is not a funded workshop, entrance shall be upon payment of attendance fees of Kshs 5,000/= per person to offset venue and hosting expenses. Corporate sponsorships (for logos to appear on our publicity material such as banners) is set at Kshs 20,000/=. FOSS services providers interested in exhibiting their business solutions pay kshs 20,000/= per exhibition stand.

For additional information contact;

Alex Gakuru
Email: gakuru@gmail.com
Tel: 020-2013393

PS: Comments most welcome (on or off-list) and please circulate this message as widely.