Changing times – diverse digital needs

The World Telecommunication and Information Society Day’s theme for this year could not have come at a better time, “ Better Life in Rural communities with ICTs” A typical homestead in a Ugandan rural setting is a cluster of grass thatched huts with some trees normally fruits trees scattered here and there. If the home is a bit upscale, there will be a sizable Iron roofed house in the midst of these huts. In this particular home, that I am writing about, standing proudly was a hut with its magnificent satellite dish hosted high up on its grass thatched roof. What striked me about this home was that, the satellite dish sitting on this roof was not an initiative coming from an NGO, Government or the church!! This was something personal ! If the purpose of the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day is to help raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the Internet and other information and communication technologies (ICT) can bring to societies and economies, as well as ways to bridge the digital divide, then this was one particular case of what exposure to digital opportunities can do. The owner of this home had most definitely been exposed to digital Television and had brought it to his village! While celebrating this year WTISD theme, let us reflect on the isolated cases in our rural communities that never receive the due attention yet are making a contribution to bridging the digital divide. The writer is Janet C Achora – Women of Uganda Network