TSF continues its fight against the digital divide in Madagascar

The community centres in Miarinarivo (Madagascar) offer different members of the community (students, teachers, farmers…), local institutions and authorities (local administration, schools, associations, medical staff…) - as well as the local and international organisations working with these communities - a means of communicating with the outside world. These services include: IT equipment, high-speed internet access/connection, telephone lines, fax and training in the use of ITs and the internet. The TSF community centres support the local communities and different  development programmes led by local organisation.

According to UNICEF, less than 65% of children in Madagascar are able to read and write – a rate which is even lower in the more isolated parts of the country such as the region of Itasy. Currently, only 2% of the population of Madagascar has an internet connection.

It is for this reason that Télécoms Sans Frontières is continuing its support amongst Madagascan children in the fight in bridging the digital divide via its IT Cup programme. 

TSF has signed cooperation agreements with the colleges in Miarinarivo in order to incorporate ICT lessons into the school curriculum. The agreement corresponds with TSF’s double objective in Madagascar – to teach children how to use ICT tools, and also to increase the longevity of the IT Cup project.

Training courses are set up in each centre: they are based around basic software use, Internet (navigation, searches), e-mails and raising awareness of internet risks and good practices.

The training builds on the educational support created by TSF, and is adapted to local needs by the centre manager. At the end of the course, a practical exercise allows students to apply their skills in an autonomous fashion

 KEY FIGURE

Madagascar – Miarinarivo
Beneficiaries
626 people per month

Read the stories of the centre users:

RASOLOLALAINA Theresa Manazary rural commune, 18 km away from Miarinarivo, member of the association Ny Hary:

After two months of training at the IT CUP centre, I know how to use Microsoft Word, manipulate files and folders, make PowerPoint presentations, do calculations in Excel and do searches on the Internet.

Bishop RAMAROSANDRATANA Higher Institute:
The Institute practises the French LMD system (License Master Doctorat (Degree, Masters, Doctorate)). The telecom centre offers several opportunities for us because only 30% of the courses are provided by the teachers. The students have to complete the courses themselves by searching on the Internet.

Consultant-trainer in agronomy in the Itasy region:
This is a windfall for those who want to be informed and trained, in the widest sense. Internet raises great interest in the educational field as pupils can make researches regarding their studies or the information they are interested in. Internet also allows having news from abroad, and enables us to communicate in real time with our family and friends out of the region or even out of the country.

We deeply thank Télécoms Sans Frontières for having chosen Miarinarivo as pilot project. Since the arrival of Internet in Miarinarivo, we no longer need to travel to Antananarivo to send and receive our emails.

An individual, user of the centre:
I would like to thank all the initiators of this project because we have been waiting for the arrival of Internet here in Miarinarivo for a very long time. It is done now, thanks to TSF and IT Cup, Internet is henceforth available. The telecom centre in the town of Miarinarivo represents a great opportunity for all the inhabitants, whether they are employees, students or simple private individuals. The room is very nice and equipped with high-performance computers. Before, I could only read or write my emails from Antananarivo. Today, I can send emails from the centre with no need to move.

School head in Miarinarivo:
We are very happy with the arrival of Internet in Miarinarivo. I started to involve my pupils in presenting a speech on different themes by searching the information on the Internet.

Bishop RAMAROSANDRATANA Higher Institute:
The Institute practices the French LMD system (License Master Doctorate). The telecom centre offers several opportunities for us because only 30% of the courses are provided by the teachers. The students have to complete the courses themselves by searching on the Internet.

TELMA Foundation

Within the framework of its policy to reduce digital isolation in Madagascar, the mission of the TELMA Foundation is to narrow the digital divide between the different regions by facilitating the access of the Malagasy population to ICT tools and enabling the development of projects linked to education, health and sustainable development.

IT Cup

The IT Cup is a large sport event organized each year in Clairefontaine and reserved to IT and Telecommunication companies. The originality of this event lies in its purpose, because the sums paid by the participant teams are redistributed to charities. The other particularity of the IT Cup: these associations use new technologies as a mean of sustainable development in disadvantaged areas.