SMEs from the communial level need to be exposed to ICT possibilities to save them too much paper work and equiping them to be professional. My take on how to reduce the 16 million people living in abject poverty is for us IT stake holders to invest on DIGITAL VILLAGES thus impacting the communities that are around us with IT skills. I am so challanged with Microsoft south africa.Out of the 15 running digital villages,Microsoft is pertnering with south african communities and the SA Ministry of Communication and they are setting up upto 50 more digital villages this year.To be run by the comminities themselves.The initive of Microsoft to set up these Digital villages in south africa started five years ago. Our vision as we try to partner with the Ministry of commuication is to intergrate university students living near the Digital villages to come and practice by implimenting what they've learnt in the Digital centres. We need to train the Police,Electral commision,City council workers on how to make IT more productive in there perticular departments. I am still puzzled by police Stations when you go report a crime.They remove this big book and you have to explain one sentence at a time as they write on the book.This digital villages can train the police on how to use simple programs like Ms-word and train them on typing skills. Also for the electral commision.For you to see if your name has been registared,a big book will be opened and you have to wait for like 15 minuites before they get your name.This digital villages will train them on how to use Ms-Excell.they just click the search engine and find your name in a flash. The city council lets not even go there.Too much paper work!!You have to leave your requst and come after a week before its found. Lets copy the south Africans on how they are outlaying this Digital centres.Its not in vain.Imagine everybody in your community being computer literate and government workers.its going to be fantastic!! I herby attatch this URL from the btimes in south Africa. http://www.btimes.co.za/99/0926/survey/survey06.htm Best Regards, Jose' Njuki-Imwe Ngunjiri || +254 722 336754 || __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com