Women’s cooperatives in Zambia learn to use ICTs

Zambia awareness raising workshop
In Zambia, the Ndola resource centre is training women on ICTs. The project aims at providing both individual and institutional capacity building to women and women based organisation in information and communication technologies (ICTs), it further builds capacity in both individuals and institutions on how to address gender issues in ICTs. Main activities carried out were surveys and needs assessments, as well as workshop and training evaluations after the sessions.

The assessment questionnaires were filled in by the participants and later analysed. Based on the analysis of the Training needs assessment, participants were grouped and a training program was prepared and distributed to the various organisations concerned. The Ndola Resource Centre team received training in open source software (i.e. Gnucash and Gimp) from Open Source Zambia Initiative team through a Train the trainer approach. The brochure was printed and distributed to various stakeholders involved in women’s work.

The process

After signing the contract, The Ndola Resource Centre had to prepare Monitoring and Evaluation indicators. The monitoring and Evaluation indicators being prepared were to be used before, during and after the project to ensure that the project is effectively evaluated. These indicators were inform of questionnaires;

i. Baseline Survey
ii. Training Needs Assessment Form
iii. Workshop Evaluation Form
iv. Training Evaluation Form

This was followed by the identification of various women’s organisations and institutions involved in agriculture and rural development. After identifying the various groups, the above-mentioned questionnaires were designed, prepared, deployed and later analysed. After analysis of the baseline survey and the training needs assessment form, the team at the Ndola Resource Centre prepared a training schedule, which was sent to all the participating organisations.

After preparing a training schedule, a team from Open Source Zambia Initiative came and conducted a one-week capacity building training for our trainers in Open Source Software. The Ndola Resource Centre team received training in Gnucash and Gimp.

The Ndola Resource Centre team further designed and printed an informative and educational brochure that explains gender issues in ICTs and some of the dynamics between ICTs and the various sectors of women’s development. This brochure was distributed to organisations and government institutions/department.

On the 08.05.09, The Ndola Resource Centre conducted an awareness-raising workshop where we invited leaders of twenty-three (23) women-based organisations and institutions/departments. The workshop took place at the Savoy hotel and was very interactive; the women that attended participated actively.

After the workshop, all participating organisations were required to submit five members to receive capacity building in ICTs in Open Source Software. Therefore, a total number of 115 women were expected to receive training. This training began on the 18.05.09 and will run for the next three and half months. After each training, participants will be required to fill in The training evaluation questionnaire.

Challenges so far

There was a lot of phobia by most women regarding participating in this capacity building. ICTs have been perceived as male activity, and only for professionals. Most women did not even understand how ICTs could be integrated in the various sectors of development, particularly agriculture. Some organisations were scared to embrace ICTs because ICTs have been perceived as being very expensive and complicated. A lot of concern was shown by most organisations on how sustainability was going to be attained with regards to the GenARDIS project since some organisations did not have any ICT infrastructure.

Women in three co-operative groups had difficulties attending the awareness-raising workshop, particularly because their husbands and local village headmen advised them not to attend as it was going to increase prostitution in the area. The Ndola Resource Centre team took time to visit the women together with their husbands and headmen and explained to them the importance of women being involved and trained in ICTs.

Many ICT centres still have poor communication infrastructure. Outdated equipment and state-owned monopolies often result in expensive charges and limited coverage, especially in areas where there are very few ICT centres. This discourages most women from adopting even the basic ICT of fixed lines or mobile phones