Tuesday 23 December 2014

THE IMPACT OF ICT IN KASESE DISTRICT IN 2014

By Samuel Mumbere
E-Society Kasese

Kasese District is one of the few blessed districts in Uganda that have impressed and promoted technological changes in local communities Uganda. Despite the use of computers in different organizations and government entities, ICT paved its way into Kasese District Local Government in 2009 with the establishment of the E-Society Resource Centre at the District Headquarters in Rukoki. The ICT Centre was made operational in 2010 under the Public Private Partnership where Organizations of; Rwenzori Information Centres Network (Ric-Net), Karambi Action for Life Improvement (KALI), Ride-Africa and Good Hope Foundation all operating in the Rwenzori Sub region under the Umbrella Organization called Rwenzori Consortium for Civic Competence (RWECO) came together to support government to promote ICTs in local communities. ICT activities were then greatly supported and maintained by Ric-Net for 3 years up to end of 2013.
This effort then continued to attract more partners to join the struggle where by another organizations called Collaboration on International ICT Policy in East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) came on board to support the Centre. CIPESA has supported ICT activities in Kasese District through the E-Society Resource Centre since November 2011 to date to support programs of ICT for Democracy and better electronic governance (egovernance)
The main purpose of the Centre establishment was to facilitate information access, sharing and dissemination to monitor service delivery for social accountability with a vision of achieving a poverty free society using ICTs.
For more information, you could logon to http://kasese.go.ug/?page_id=228
E-Society in normal operation

Since then, ICT has tremendously changed the lives of many in Kasese especially the operations in the District headquarters offices. Most of the District staff have been trained and supported in the use of computers and computerized systems for better office operations. This also influenced Kasese District Local Government to recruit an ICT Officer in 2013 who is now be in charge of all ICT activities and infrastructure at Kasese District Local Government.
DTPC members during the training



DTPC members during the training

At least over 800 youths have trained with computer skills at the Centre with computer skills and offered certificates of attendance from Kasese District Local Government in computer skills. Many of these and earned themselves jobs in various paces in and outside Kasese District. A case in a point is Bwambale Mitusera who has volunteered for E-Society for 2 years, and now is doing contract with UBOs and electro-commission, Biira Robbina who volunteered for one year and is now doing computer business, Okeya Steven and Balicwamu Aaron who have been trainees at E-Society for 1 and a half years
and are now a music and video producers and servicing as ICT volunteers at E-Society Resource Centre and many more youths.

The CAO Mr. William Kanyesigye



Computers in offices have been maintained and many secretaries in offices have supported. There are no more issues of virus attacks, computer break downs as the E-society has fully taken charge of the entire ICT infrastructure.
Great applauds to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Mr. William Kanyesigye who is ICT complain. He has supported and spearheaded the promotion of ICTs in the District. He ordered all civil servants to have emails and make all official communications to be online through emails and Skype.
The Deputy LCV Mr Tade Muhindo


He spear headed staff trainings in computers and district online systems. He was the first staff to use a smart phone (android) and since then, many staff members have acquired smart phones and used them for Skype, emails and face book.
The CAO scheduled a number of staff ICT trainings in the years of 2012 and 2013 under Ric-Net support and 3 trainings in 2012, 2013 and 2014 egovernance trainings under the support of CIPESA. In 2013, he conceived CIPESA to facilitate as special training on District online services on 2nd October 2014. He mobilized all Heads of departments and sectors (District Technical Planning Committee) to assemble for the training. The officers were trained on how to update the district website, elibrary and participate in the dgroup discussions and face book discussions. More departmental trainings have been scheduled for January, Feb and March 2015 under the supervision of CAO so as to put all workers on the ICT map.
Since then, all the district online services have been active and up to date.
These services can be viewed on

LCV Chair training
The District Chairperson together with his executive members have been so impressive and supportive towards the promotion of ICT’s as the District Chairperson Lt. Col (Rtd) Dula Mawa Muhindo enrolled for a computer training in 2013, the Vice Chairperson has used E-Society for most of his computer work all through and the rest of the executive and district counselors have come for ICT consultancy work at the ICT Centre.

A fully functional SMS system that is used to alert the community about the happenings is there though it’s still used for communicating to the political leaders and civil servants only due to the costs involved.
Defense minister presenting in the conference


During the previous district budget conference on 12/12/2014 and 13/12/2014, the District Chairperson ordered the ICT Officer to have all presentations projected on the projector in power point. All presenters including the Defense Minister Dr. Chrispus Kiyonga had their presentations projected and all information circulated on the District website, elibrary, District face book page and discussions made in the district online discussion group.

More came be talked about how much the establishment on the E-Society Resource Centre has contributed to the promotion of technological changes in Kasese District. Right now, Kasese community cannot do without ICTs, thanks to the government of Uganda, Civil society organizations like Ric-Net and CIPESA for these beautiful innovations.

Testimonies on the impact of ICT in Kasese in 2014

By Mumbere Samuel
ICT Officer Kasese District Local Government
icto@kasese.go.ug
0776003248/0705199116

Hello everyone, change is always a factor of life, and more so adopting technological changes is almost becoming a basic need of life. and basically in Kasese technology using different ICT services with the establishment of a community ICT centre at the District headquarters has created a very big impact in the lives of many in Kasese. Among are the following people as you may read directly from them.
Thank you for the continued cooperation



Hi, am called kaija Samuel, a student and a user or beneficiary of E-society Resource Centre kasese.
I personally, E-society has been beneficial since it’s start, but for this year in particular, indeed it too has been more supportive and beneficial once more.I have been able to acquired computer training that is production, typing, soft ware updating, Microsoft programs {word, publisher and excel}, has helped me get hopes of getting to acquire scholarship online and also helped to link me to the out side world through the use of internet provided at the centre. And more or so it being at the district headquarters am am able adventure the  work situation of some people in leadership which helps me to prepare for my future being since some of the the civil servants  come and interact with us in  the centre.
Socially, am able to interact with different E-society users and we exchange different ideas and views which are beneficial and developmental which is also advantageous. I am always getting encouraged by the trainers and some users who encourage me in computer training in show me how more useful it is.
Generally I have acquired much from E-society, wish to have more off this in the coming year because I believe to learn more in my course of its use (E-society)
Besides the few small challenges faced during its course because it is always hard to have a smooth road in our daily life, but I see we the users of E-society progressing because some of my friends are getting jobs using the knowledge acquired in E-society and I too, for the knowledge I have acquired and what I hope to acquire as it still keeps in existence, I hope to get a good future due the ICT knowledge acquired at E-society.
Long live E-society management, keep moving and best wishes for you all. 

Marry X-mas and a prosperous new year.
I remain yours
Kaija Samuel user of E-society resource Centre Kasese

0706218749



Hey everyone out there I am by the names of Balicwamu Aaron am in my s.4 vac .
Frankly I have been getting good  services at  e-society resouce center  for about  two years and I want  to tell you the good things i have got from there for this year.
I have alot to talk  about e-society becaues i have managed to learn different programs like in  · Microsoft office applications
Ms Word
Ms Excel
Ms Power Point
                                                Ms Access
                                                Ms publisher.
· Internet and E-mail Technology
· Using and Managing ICT Facilities and I have been also learning production/media at e-society where I managed to know how they edit videos, voicing, making some good metals addition to that after learning a lot in production me and other guyz we decided to create a club which is  called RK STARS and we made some good voicing and we acted one of  good movies around the county called LANDLORD ,having a deals on internet  technology we uploaded our movie on you tab and it had been liked by many people there.   
I do thank them because if they were not the ones I would have not been the way lam now  and all mighty lord make them to live longer because they I have made me an important person in the community ..

I remain BALICWAMU AARON e-society user.
 0751785341
END

BWAMBALE MITUSERA
KDLG WORKER-PLANNING UNIT

GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS GAINED SINCE I STARTED USING THE ESRC KASESE:

Appreciations;
With too much gratitude in my heart I take this amazing opportunity to express thanks to the management of Kasese district local government, Ric-Net and they partners at large which has got a heart of gold to the community of Rwenzori Region to have commissioned the installation of E-society resource centre, which is currently operating in the premises of the district headquarters
 “with  ITS strong vision and mission which states that a society effectively using ICT for timely access and utilization of relevant information for development and governance and initiate and support community owned information centers that enhance timely information  and knowledge sharing up to the grass roots respectively”. 
The installation of the centre has contributed much to my live hood status since I joined the centre and fulfilling some of my future dreams I had before coupled to the world of ICT. Basically, since I have ICT skills that I achieved at E-society resource Centre Kasese, I will need to concentrate on it –create job for myself and the community in general instead of waiting for the government to provide employment.
Achievements:
·         Communication skills and socialising with friends especially civil servants at the District Headquarters.
·         Understanding components and their functions of any kind of the Personal computer.
                                       
·         Demonstrating on how to troubleshoot Computers, software installation, solving some other simple PC mechanical problems and I have been well known for this, in absence of the ICT officer I may be referred too both at the district headquarters and outside.

·         In addition, I have been able to train my fellow youth and any other person particularly those who came to utilize the Resource Centre in basic ICT skills such as Micro soft office programs, Networking and Internet technology, Media and photo editing skills etc.

·         Another great achievement, due to Comprehensive IT knowledge I have been participating in Data entry at the district planning unit e.g. school enrolment data, Birth and Death Registration (BDR) and so many other opportunities due to the skills I achieved at the Resource centre.
Biblically noted that “Jesus is the way to God, E-society resource centre has been the way to my life achievements, without you RIC-NET, KDLG and all your partners I wouldn’t have been the one you’re seeing now long live the managements of all the organizations that have gone out wholehearted for the community
As it is well-known that, when two grass hoppers fight it is the cock which is beneficiary, the Host man ship between the RICNET, CIPESA, KDLG and all members of RWECO has made me to benefit much in using ICT facilities.
Thanks
END


Hello out there,
 My name is Okeya Steven I have been a user of e-society resource centre kasese district for over 2years, honestly the time I have been at e-society has been the most awesome moments of my life. Frankly speaking, before I had joined the centre, I was a super computer illiterate who could only admire computer users but can’t access a chance to be one.  It was one time that I was moving along the kasese district headquarters and came across my old O.G in trying to ask what she was doing over there, she told me she had come for computer training at e-society from her home area kilembe. I was so much surprised and motivated to have heard of FREE computer training available at the district headquarters.

I never completed my adventure around the district headquarters but I instead joined her for trainings, since then to now, I have been a firm user of e-society. I never stopped coming but kept on coming day by day, during all this time,  I have managed to master  Microsoft office word, publisher, excel, PowerPoint, access, groove, InfoPath, one note and outlook.  Me who was empty like a blank page I have even became a great internet user good at yahoo, Google, facebook, pintrest, twitter, YouTube and lots more social websites  . I have made friendship outside Uganda; I have friends in Russia, Australia, America and United Kingdom who we share different things like banknotes, coins and so much more which was even out of my dreams.

Besides all this, with the great help of my instructor the district ICT officer Mr. MUMBERE SAMUEL, one year back I started media editing and have become a good video and audio editor with good video and audio edits through video editing programs like Arcsorft, showbiz, windows moviemaker, Apad video editor, Nero video wizard, Ulead video studio and adobe after effects and Adode audition 1 and 5, I have been able to make radio adverts in these programs, because I make an advert for e-society daily program,  adobe Dreamweaver for audio, Photo editing using adobe Photoshop cs3 and cs5.
Currently, I am learning to make music beats using FL studio8. With all these skills, I have shouted and edited a movie by a group of young actors and actresses that we created in the names of R.K ENTERTAINMENT in my neighborhood – the movie is on YouTube http://youtu.be/h-p1HpiEock 

I edited more videos about social accountability and Ict for democracy for e-society.
Recently, I got a certificate for my end of training and I was confirmed by the management to have become a good computer literate.   
 Honestly, I value myself as a big man now compared to who I was before. I would really like to take a special time to thank the concerned organizations together with the kind help of kasese district local government for having given a poor boy like me a chance to access a computer and be able to attain all these skills for FREE.
May the Lord award them with lots of blessings.
I remain Okeya Steven e-society user
Kasese

END



Thursday 11 December 2014

Kasese District Budget Conference is on

News byte from E-Society
by; Samuel Mumbere

Kasese District is holding a 2day budget conference which started this morning Under the theme: "Doing things differently in Local Governments." The conference is being held at the new District Multi-purpose social hall
A number of issues are being tackled among which are land conflict, community sensitization on a better living and also emphasis on service delivery monitoring. 

The District Chairman gave a very good presentation about challenges of the District. Among the members present are religious leaders from all faiths, elders from Obusinga, Former LCV chairperson Mr. Bamusede, all district counselors, LCIII chairpersons, Sub county chiefs, district heads of departments, members from NGOs and members from the business community. You can download presentations from 
www.elibrary.kasese.go.ug. we shall keep you informed