Thanx Magana for your belated but welcomed comments. I feel obliged to share them on the list otherwise some members will imagine i cooked the comments when they see them reflected in the final report... walu. --- On Thu, 6/5/08, Owino Magana <magana@e-kazi.com> wrote:
From: Owino Magana <magana@e-kazi.com> Subject: Entrepreneurship!! To: "jwalu" <jwalu@yahoo.com> Date: Thursday, June 5, 2008, 10:03 AM Hi Walu,
Sorry for submitting my thoughts after your deadline. As I mentioned yesterday, my I was travelling the bundus and the GPRS on my handheld device walked out on me!! Perhaps another case for fibre and wireless options for the last mile.
My thoughts:
The issue of low ICT uptake/resistance in the public service (mentionned by Dr. Ndemo) and perhaps applicable to initiatives such as the digital villages programme can be addressed in part through the Mike Eldon proposed:
1. Sensitization of public service leadership
2. Alignment of ICT strategy to organizational strategy
3. Training of target users in various ICT applications
However, I see a strong case for traveling the extra mile to the province
of entrepreneurship and providing:
A) empowerment of target groups via practical business management skills focusing entrepreneurship
(job and wealth creation, incubation) Indeed, there may be a case for educational reform to enable fusion of the same into our primary, secondary school and tertiary learning curricula.
B) training on project management: how to translate strategy into results through structured implementation. Again, this needs to be emphasised in our educational system.
All is not lost, even now, as the skills are practical and can be taught with reasonable effectiveness to those already employed.
Bottom line: there will be no uptake without incentive. Money making Self employment options
provide such. This is more so if the people are empowered to make the things they plan (hence their dream) come true!
Sustainability (much loved by civil society and others) is, in my view, an entrepreneurial not technology, issue.
Shalom
O-M
Owino Magana Strategy Implementation Advisor E-Kazi Africa, www.e-kazi.com P O Box 10307 - 00100 Nairobi, Kenya
CDMA Tel: +254 2014 520 GSM Cell1: +254 722 861 349 GSM Cell2: +254 736 861 349 GSM Kigali: +250 032 944 11
Skype: owino.magana