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eCARE COMMISSIONS NORTHERN SECTOR PROJECT ROLLOUT AT CHUCHULIGA

The Northern Sector eCARE project rollout which was commissioned on June 21, 2007 by the Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Alhaji Awudu Yeremia and supported by the District Chief Executive, Hon. Thomas Kofi Alonsi at Chuchuliga a small farming community, 9 km from Navrongo in the Builsa district of the Upper East was the first in the region

Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Alhaji Awudu Yeremia giving his address

The CEO of Ghana Telecom Mr. Dickson Oduro Nyaning in his address read for him by the Upper East Regional Director of Ghana Telecom, said, the project has successfully established 52 centres in 8 regions of Ghana and is adding 17 more to bring the number to 69 by close of June 2007 to cover all 10 regions of Ghana.

Mr. Musa Awudu Upper East Regional Director of Ghana Telecom giving address on behalf of Mr. Dickson Oduro Nyaning, the CEO of Ghana Telecom.

A typical building of Chuchuliga. Solar installations before the eCARE commissioning at chchuliga

Mr. Joseph Abanyin, the eCARE Project Manager addressing the gathering, said, eCommerce eCARE is addressing developmental and economic needs in Ghana’s rural and peri urban communities where purely commercial oriented organizations have neglected over the years. He said, the first batch of the 2007 eCARE project rollout has received close collaboration between eCARE, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Ghana Investment Fund for Telecommunication (GIFTEL) of the Ministry of Communication leading to the sponsorship of 5 centres by UNDP as part of her efforts to meet some developmental needs in Ghana through eCARE. Mr. Abanyin also emphasized that, Provision of internet to the remote centres which was a major problem has become a thing of the past with new technology deployed by Ghana Telecom, and making Chuchuliga the first eCARE centre to commercially use the new technology. eCARE project facilitates the extension of telecommunication and renewable energy services powered by solar energy to underprivileged rural and peri urban communities using furnished shipping containers equipped with telephones, multimedia computers, printers, scanners, copiers and internet.

Browsing the internet & testing the new phone lines before commissioning

The Assembly Woman of Chuchuliga & others dancing to the occasion

Hon. Kofi Asanti, the CEO of GIFTEL addressing the gathering during the commissioning.

The project is a collaborative effort between Ghana Telecom (GT), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Foundation (UNF), Kumasi Institute of Technology and Environment (KITE), UNDP and GIFTEL.

eCARE TRANSPORT 17 CONTAINERS FOR JUNE PROJECT ROLLOUT

As part of the eCARE project's effort to facilitate the establishment and operation of Rural Business Centres (RBCs) for the extension of telecommunication and renewable energy services to underprivileged rural and peri urban communities, the project deploys RBCs comprising converted and furnished shipping containers equipped with telephones, fully multimedia computers, printers, scanners, copiers, internet and solar panels to the targetted communities.

eCARE Project Team inspecting works on container conversion

To meet the project schedule as well as the quality standard required for the project rollout, the project team periodically inspects and interact with project contractors and their staff to know the progress of work done.

eCARE Project Team interacts with some artisans during the container conversion

Some model containers ready for branding

After almost three months of hectic time of conversion and remodelling shipping containers into Rural Business centres (RBC) for the first batch of the 2007 eCARE project rollout, 17 RBC are ready to be transported for the June project rollout.

Finished containers being loaded to be transported to new eCARE sites.

Twenty Four (24) New Entrepreneurs Complete eCARE Training

The eCARE project made another feat when the fourth batch of entrepreneurs completed their 5-day training programme on Friday 20th April 2007 for the main phase project rollout scheduled for June 2007.

Mr. Justice Gaveh (in blue), GCB Corporate Manager awarding certificate to an entrepreneur at the closing celemony

The 5-day intensive training programme utilized enterprise development approach to train potential entrepreneurs at the Ghana Telecom University College (GTUC) on various subjects including Bookkeeping, marketing/customer care, how to expand the eCARE business, small business management, basic computer utilization skills, the telephone system, renewable energy resources and Value Added Service (VAS)

A cross section of entrepreneurs during the closing section

The main objective of the eCARE entrepreneur training was to provide knowledge, skills and attitudes to ensure successful business practice at eCARE Rural Business Centres (RBCs). The closing ceremony for the training programme, held on the 20th of April 2007 was attended by the Principal of GTUC, some senior management personnel from Ghana Telecom Head Office, media personnel and friends of eCARE.

Entrepreneurs watching the demontration of new M2M machine for the eCARE centres. The participants were very enthusiastic and showed appreciation to the project partners, resource persons, organizers and sponsors of the training programme. They were appreciative of the opportunity Ghana Telecom and Partners have given them to acquire knowledge, attitudes and skills to manage the RBCs.

50th eCARE CENTRE COMMISSIONED AT WONOO

The eCARE project last December commissioned the 50th centre at Sakora Wonoo, a small community in the Kwabre District of Ashanti region of Ghana. By this achievement, the people will benefit immensely from the centre's services especially the internet and will no longer travel long distances to Kumasi for these and other value added renewable energy services.

Crowd wainting their turn to enter the new eCARE Centre

Mr. Joseph Abanyin, eCARE Manager giving his address

In a speech read on his behalf by Mr. Osei Assibey, the Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr. Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, urged the people of Sakora Wonoo to make maximum use of the ICT facility to enhance their socio-economic well being. He said, the eCARE centres are providing rural inhabitants with jobs, thus complementing government’s efforts in raising the living standards of individuals in rural communities.

The Acting Chief Executive Officer of GT, Mr. Oduro Nyaning in a speech read for him by the Ghana Telecom Ashanti Regional Manager, Nana Boffour Awuah said, the eCARE project is Ghana Telecom and Partners’ (UNF, UNEP, GT, KITE and TMP) latest innovations meant to serve the telecommunication needs of rural communities nationwide. “As the global village undergoes development at a fast pace, we have identified how best we can provide under-privileged societies with telephones, internet and other value added telecommunication services which is no more a luxury but a vital link to the rest of the world,” he stressed.

Ghana Telecom Ashanti Regional Manager Nana Boffour Awuah

In a speech read for her by Mr Solomon Quansah, the Director of KITE, Harriette AMISSAH-ARTHUR (Mrs.) said, the eCARE project aims at poverty reduction in peri-urban and rural communities by confronting two key challenges: the “Digital Divide” and the “Energy Divide”. The Energy-Divide as it were has in many cases served to further deepen the Digital Divide .

Nana Bawuah Bonsafo addressing the gathering.

The chairman of the function, Nana Bawuah Bonsafo, the ‘Boafohene’ of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Ashanti Hene, emphasized the importance of the ICT to the socio-economic development of every society, and urged the people to take full advantage of the facility, to improve their standard of living.

The UNDP as part of their efforts to support the eCARE project is adopting the Wonoo and five other centres for sponsorship. The eCARE Manager, Mr. Joseph Abanyin said, 37 centres in eight regions of the country, namely Central, Eastern, Volta, Greater Accra, Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Northern and Western, are operational, disclosing that additional 15 centres would be established by close of 2006 to bring the total number of eCARE centres to 52.

Rachel Payne (Google.org) interviewing Joseph A. Abayin (eCARE Manager) eCARE, KITE, AREED, Technoserve and Google.org team in a discusion. eCARE-AREED MEETS WITH GOOGLE.ORG TEAM A team fromGoogle.org, the philanthropic arm of Google the leading search engine in the world called on the eCARE-AREED team whilst on a working visit to Ghana. A combined 8-member eCARE- AREED team met with Rachel Payne, Google.org Team Member and Nick, the Technoserve Country Director in Ghana (Nick happens to be running the Google.Org Ghana show at the moment).Google.org sponsored the business plan competition organized by Technoserve, an international NGO. The Ghanaian team was made up of two AREED entrepreneurs, Gladymannuel (host) and Anasset, two eCARE entrepreneurs (both of whom had traveled from their locations outside of Accra that morning just for the meeting), Joseph and Fred members of GT eCARE team, Frank and Harriett from KITE. The google.org team took the opportunity to listen to presentations from development oriented projects such as eCARE and AREED. A presentation from the eCARE project was delivered by Mr. Joseph Ampeaw Abanyin, the eCARE Manager on project origins, current status and the way forward.

ADJARAJA eCARE CENTRE COMMISSIONED

eCARE ’s quest to bridge the wide gap between urban and rural dwellers in the use of telecommunication facilities and renewable energy services was given a big boost when it inaugurated one of its Rural Business Centres (RBCs) at Adjaraja Beposo, to enable the people have easy access to telephone, computer training, internet, renewable energy and other value added services.

Picture: crowd trooping to catch a glimpse of the new eCARE centre after the ceremony

Minister of Communication, Professor Mike Oquaye, in a speech read on his behalf said Ghana had witnessed tremendous growth in Information Technology (IT) and Telecommunication. He disclosed that Ghana, which ranked 143rd in 2004, in terms of e-government preparedness by the United Nations (UN), has now placed 133rd, out of 191 countries, in 2005. “It is obvious that the eCARE centres provide Ghana Telecom and partners with an opportunity to give back to under-privileged communities. Gradually, the luxury of communication as it was considered a few years ago is becoming part of the lives of peri-urban and rural societies,” he observed. According to the Minister, the eCARE centres would as well provide rural folks with jobs, thus complementing government’s efforts in raising the living standards of individuals and consequently improving Ghana’s socio-economic values. He commended Ghana Telecom and partners for their relentless efforts in linking communities, irrespective of their geographical location, to the rest of the world, through the power of technology in the face of its numerous challenges.

The people welcome a and celebrate the new eCARE centre

Visit again for other remarks.

ADJARAJA BEPOSO RECEIVES AN eCARE CENTRE.

Having been deprived for decades without electricity and other many social amenities, the people of Adjaraja were very sceptical at the promise to bring them telephone and other Information and telecommunication Technology (ICT) facilities which require electricity to power the equipment. Anxiety set in and their fear of being hyped was confirmed when the community was informed that the date of arrival of the much awaited eCARE centre has been postponed. It was a dream come true and ecstasy when a DHL Truck arrived with the container followed by the eCARE project and Ghana Telecom regional team to prepare the ground for the final commissioning of the middle sector eCARE rollout at Adjaraja Beposo.

The Assembly man (in orange T-shirt) and Mr. Anthony Adusei-Poku the Adjaraja eCARE entrepreneur (in brown shirt) inspecting the computers and other equipment for the centre's installations. Surrounding them are children and adults some seeing computers and Solar panels for the first time.

Renewable Energy Technician (on the roof) installing Solar Panel at Adjaraja Beposo eCARE centre

A means of transport to Adjara Beposo

Mr. Solomon K. Quansah-KITE (in Yellow Lacoste) interacting with some of the villagers to identify their expectations about the new eCARE centre.

Interaction with some members of the village revealed that the installation of the eCARE centre at Adjaraja will save the people from walking or travelling 7 kilometres to Prang or 27 kilometres to Atebubu just to make calls, buy recharge phone units for their cell phone or have their mobile phones charged amidst the highly unreliable transport system.

The people of Adjaraja Beposo were the first to benefit from the eCARE facility in Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo and the northern regions of Ghana. Adjaraja Beposo is an under-privileged farming community near Prang in the Pru District of Brong Ahafo region of Ghana. The village and the surrounding community have a total population of about 8500 with farming and trading as the main economic activities. Adjaraja has no electricity, post office, clinic, and pipe borne water to name a few.

The centre was commissioned on august 24, 2006 and please watch out for update on the commissioning which witnessed an overwhelming participation.