Message-ID: <m0tQ0mO-000aysC@aztec.co.za> Date: Thu, 14 Dec 1995 01:40:00 EET From: steve worth <mailto:stevew@AZTEC.CO.ZA> Subject: Africa and the internet To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L <mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU>
Hi! Steve Worth here from South Africa,A. Graham Lowe wrote:
I have not been following these communications for very long. I find the limitations of media extremely interesting ... could someone tell me how any medium which relies on the written word (including this list) can help to liberate those who cannot read? I'm sorry if I am being obtuse. Education, or lack of it even at the simplest functional literacy level has long been a tool of control by "governments" which do not deserve such a name.
Communication through imagery is highly conditioned by cultural environments (does a man wear a skirt?; does a woman wear pants?) a thousands of years of pictograms have rendered chinese writing the domain of a calligraphic elite or the subject of draconian teaching methods.
Unless people are given the simple tool of literacy, their access to the internet will always be a function aims and objectives of the person providing the interface ... and surely the ulimate question becomes "How do I get rid of this intermediary?". Only the most altruistic of go-betweens will accept to show how he or she might be shouldered aside. Since internet is only a tool, its potential and power will always be limited by the people who use it ... and those who do in Africa have their own agenda, not necessarily that of the "people".
Please refute my thoughts as these questions will allow us to understand the fundamentals of the transmission of ideas which go beyond the NET.
==============
Mr. Lowe is quite right. And it is discomforting to note that it is all too common even for the more altruistic of us in development to lose sight of the very masses we seek to assist when we ourselves become entranced with this new medium. Thanks for the sound admonisment.
Secondly, I think we are often erroneously trying help too many people all at the same time. Internet use is very much dependent on physical infrastructure, particularly computers, telephone lines (or systems) and an internet server. And as Mr. Lowe says, it is largely a literacy-based medium. Let's look at these quickly:
Literacy: this has been clearly covered by Mr. Lowe. And therefore most use of the internet will be by already literate people.
Computers: this has two problems: 1) access to the technology; 2) using the technology. Here in South Africa, computers are very expensive, they require electricity, and they require familiarity with the concept. All of these limit mass access to the internet.
Telephone systems: unless one has free access to a university (which exist only in the bigger cities (9 here I think), one must have a telephone, modem and the money to pay about R1 per minute to call to the nearest public server (located in Joburg, Cape Town, and Durban). Generally the masses do not have access to this level of telephone services nor do they have the money to spend on it (my own access it limited because the cost of surfing is so high due to having to make long-distance calls to access my server).
Internet server: as stated above, there are located in few and far away places from the masses. The cheapest cost about 10% of the average monthly salary of an employed person -- and over 50% of our masses are unemployed.
My point here is that while it may be very laudable to want everyone to have access to the internet, it is not going to be very feasible to make it happen due to all the constraints. However, if we are seeking to free/proctect the internet in Africa from the fetters of vested interest, then as I said in my previous posting, start with the universities. Being edcuational institutions, they have a legitimate need to be on the internet and can generally afford the costs of establishing an in-house system. This will give access to those members of that country's society who are likely to have a far greater influence in the future of that country than an interloper like myself. At universities one can solve all of the constraints listed above.
High Schools might also be another place to try to get internet access to people. Again, the constraints can be addressed here.
Eventually, as computers become more affordable, as telephone systems are installed, as electricity is installed, as people gain skills in literacy and as people earn more money (disposable income), then will we see the masses having access to the internet.
To me, and sorry for such a long posting, the issues are
1) to focus on promoting the awareness and use of the internet among those people in Africa already in the best position to use it, influence it and to further promote its use: university students.
2) to find ways to make it difficult for vested interests to control the internet; or ways to get around the vested interest
3) building up the self-esteem, confidence and capacity of the users so that they are in control of their own use of the internet and therefore not subject to excessive influence of vested interests (be it of the internet or of the opinions expressed by other internet users).
In this way, I believe we can slowly reach the masses. The internet, like every other form of development, must be viewed in the 'holistic' sense -- how does it fit into the whole spectrum of a person's life and in the development of a nation and of a world society.
Thoughts?
Steve Worth
=================================== ================ Worth * Box 535 * Hartswater * 8570 * South Africa Tel/Fax: +27 - 1405 - 41323 Email: mailto:stevew@aztec.co.za =================================================== "...We must begin with the farmer, there will we lay a foundation for system and order...." ** "The wrong in the world continues to exist just because people talk only of their ideals, but do not strive to put them into practice." 'Abdu'l-Baha (1844-1921) ===================================================