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ICT in the RIM/Region
Below is a brief overview of some of the ICT related projects PCVs and staff in Mauritania are currently working on.
- AOL Peace Packs
- Girl's Mentoring Centers
- Education for Democracy and Development Initiative (EDDI)-funded School-to-School Partnership
- Ministry of New Technology (SETN)
- Computer Migration
- PC Satellite Offices
- PCV ICT Coordinator (3rd Year position)
- Solar Powered Computer Centers
- ICT Training-of-Trainers
- Peace Corps Volunteers and their communities have embraced the generous program funded by the America OnLine Foundation. To date, Mauritania has been awarded a total of 9 AOL Peace Pack grants totaling $90,000 USD. The grantee communities and projects represent a wide diversity of Mauritanian social and business culture. Schools, girls' mentoring centers, micro finance institutions, and environmental education NGOs make up the bulk of the projects covered.
- In the last two years, Peace Corps Volunteers have established nine Girl's Mentoring Centers (GMC) throughout Mauritania. These centers are funded through EDDI's Ambassador's Girl's Scholarship Program (AGSP). The centers are located in the regional capitals that Peace Corps serves. Each center is equipped with at least one computer, printer, and Internet connection. The centers serve as places where young high school girls can come for additional tutoring and private study. The centers operate on a membership basis. Girls are selected based on academic merit.
- Following a recent visit by EDDI representatives from Washington and South Africa (www.eddionline.org/), a local high school in Aioun, Hodh El Gharbi (900 km from Nouakchott) was awarded an EDDI-funded School-to-School Partnership. The partnership will take place with a high school located in Derby, KS (the alma mater of a PCV stationed in Aioun). In addition to providing for an exchange of students between the two schools, the EDDI funds will also establish a computer center at both high schools.
- As of June 2002, PC Mauritania began to include ICT Specialists (AA143) in their training input. A memorandum of understanding was established with the Ministry of New Technology (SETN) and one PCV is now seconded to the ministry.
- In December 2002, PC Mauritania finally migrated to the PC platform. This migration has proved to be a great success and has contributed to a marked increase in office and PCV productivity.
- Because Mauritania is a vast country, travel between the regional capitals and Nouakchott is long and time consuming. PC Mauritania has established small professional offices for volunteer use in each of the regional capitals. These offices are equipped with a computer, scanner, fax, and Internet. Each office also supports a small technical library supported by the Information Resource Center (IRC) located at the main office in Nouakchott.
- PC Mauritania just instituted a 3rd year position for a volunteer interested in working on ICT related issues. The PCV ICT Coordinator is seconded to SETN and works in a consultancy capacity for the ministry, Peace Corps, and other organizations involved in ICT development in the region.
- Working with a private firm based in Nouakchott and EDDI funds, PCVs have established three solar powered computer centers at schools located in remote villages of Mauritania. These centers have four computers and a printer. In the near future Peace Corps will be working with the German Development Agency (GTZ) to possibly provide Internet connections to these centers via radio frequency.
- Finally, training is a huge issue for volunteers and the recipient communities. In September of 2002, the Center for Field Assistance and Applied Research at Peace Corps Washington funded a two-week training-of trainers workshop. PC Mauritania plans to continue these trainings and others in the coming months and years.