• Africa: Ethiopia

Access to Information and Knowledge

ICT training for capacity building, empowerment and poverty reduction among the blind community in Ethiopia

UNESCO launched in 2003 its first project in Ethiopia establishing a partnership arrangement with the Adaptive Technology Center for the Blind (ATCB) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for training blind and visually impaired students, government employees and professionals to use computers equipped with adaptive devices. The project objectives include the establishment of a computer training centre to assist accessibility of ICT to blind users in the society, training of blind and visually impaired people to operate computers with adoptive equipment and, furthermore, creation of public awareness that blind people can utilize their potentials for their use and the society using adaptive technology.

(Added: Thu Jun 03 2004 Hits: 239)  Comment It | Details

Cultural and Linguistic Diversity, Local Content

Development of Standards for Ethiopic Script

UNESCO supported standardization process for Ethiopic scripts as a precondition for local content development in languages in Ethiopia like Tigrina, Afar, Amharic and others (Part of UNESCO?s Initiative B@bel with support of UNECA and the Ministry of Capacity Building)

(Added: Fri May 21 2004 Hits: 253)  Comment It | Details

Africa: Ethiopia

Community Multimedia Centres in Ethiopia

UNESCO, together with UNDP and the British Council, supports the development of community multimedia centres (CMC) in Ethiopia. CMCs exists in Bahir Dar, Lalibela, Addis Ababa, Modjo, Assebot, Axum, Debre Birhan, Gondar and Wolisso. The nine centres serve as models for how communities can benefit from ICTs for development. They provide access to information on CD-ROM and on the Internet, offer networking possibilities with other communities within Ethiopia and abroad, and contribute to the work of community development initiatives, for example e.g. women groups, youth clubs and HIV/AIDS awareness groups. Especially access for out of school youth it is a promising experience to improve ICT literacy. Beside access to information, the production of local content on CD-ROMs and on the Internet contributes to and active participation of the community in the information society.

(Added: Tue Jun 15 2004 Hits: 244)  Comment It | Details