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There are 6 main steps for making Mahavilachchiya a Model e-Village.
- Relationship Building
Before we can begin creating our e-Village, Horizon Lanka Foundation must begin forming relationships with local organisations and people. Having the support of local schools, temples, police authorities, government officials and the local community will be success of this project. Without them, the project cannot succeed.
- Installation of Equipment
The ICT kindly donated 5 brand new Pentium IV desktop computers for our lab along with the standard Windows software, including Word, Excel, Powerpoint. Horizon Lanka already have 2 used desktop computers with relevant software.
Internet access is currently supplied by a 120 foot radio mast installed at the Horizon Lanka Foundation Computer Lab. All the PCs are linked to a network hub, which means at one time 7 people can surf the net. The installation of MESH technology will mean that people will have internet access from their homes. (see Implementation of MESH Technology in THE PLAN for more information)
- Training and Workshops
In order to educate the community, we need to ensure our staff understand what needs to be taught. With the help of IDM, 4 members of the Horizon Lanka team will be given “Training the Trainer” courses in order that they will be able to disseminate the ICT message correctly.
Many of the students already attending Horizon Lanka Academy have been given training through workshops in software packages such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and Macromedia Dreamweaver. They will be able to pass their knowledge on to those who take an interest in Graphic and Web design and even with the basics of computer usage.
- Implementation of ICT Educational Plan
Currently Horizon Lanka Academy already has an ICT Educational Plan for its students. They have weekly lessons in all aspects of ICT. For the community, the Educational Plan will begin with a series of training sessions and workshops aimed at introducing the community to the concept of an e-Village and familiarizing them with ICT usage and its benefits. In the future, it is hoped that the community will begin taking a more active interest and at this point, Horizon Lanka hopes to offer them more advanced tutoring and even organise official training courses for them through some of the institutes with whom they have firm relationships. The ICT Educational Plan will also aim to give individuals specific information relating to their profession, e.g., farming, co-operatives, which may be of benefit to them.
The foundation is developing e-learning materials and hopes to establish a portal of educational materials in native languages. By developing educational materials in local languages the e-village hopes to share the knowledge that it has learnt.
- Other Services to the Community
- Multi Media Library
The project hopes to provide the community with a multimedia library containing books, newspapers, periodicals, VCD, Audio CD/DVD, Audio cassettes, down loaded data CDs and other relevant reference materials.
The center also provides a service which involves the team conducting information searches upon request. Using both the internet and international resources Horizon Lanka provides this service for members of the community and local businesses.
The long distance research assistance is a relatively new idea in Sri Lanka and this service is getting popular among the village. We give high priority for rural level educational institutes, schools, teachers and students of government schools and university students.
We also invite scholars, researchers, educationists, professionals and donors to contribute to our library by sending any valuable resources that may benefit our research facilities.
- Communication
Basic communication services will also be provided. There is still no telephone network coverage in the area. However, Horizon Lanka has an antenna link for its phone. It already gives the community use of the phone at a low cost of Rs 10/minute. Fax facilities are also available. Photocopying services are also available. Internet usage and email services will also be offere. These are the basic services already offered but in response to demand, in the future these maybe broaden to include:
- Digital photography
Digital photography, graphic designing and digital arts is another service currently provided by the e-Village group. By sourcing contracts from local and international businesses the team aims to enhance the skills base of the youth and provide further diversification of income within the village.
- Videoing and video editing
With the financial assistance of donors HorizonLanka seeks to acquire the necessary equipment to commence videoing and video editing education within the community.
- Secretarial services
By providing MS Office facilities, HorizonLanka e-Village ICT has created several presentations for institutions and businesses within the district. By using MS PowerPoint and Macromedia Flash clients have been provided with effective presentations to use for there respective businesses. This can be broadened to including typesetting for letters and documents.
- Webpage and Graphic Design
Web Design is a positive initiative that has already commenced within the village. By taking up offshore web designing contracts a promising ground for new career opportunities within the village has been created.
- Numerous web sites have now been designed by a young team of students within Horizon Lanka, including;
- www.horizonlanka.org
- www.digitalbutterflies.org
- www.microscholarships.org
- www.mahavilachchiya.net
By gaining further contracts, Horizon Lanka aims to nurture this talent in the community further, bringing further economic growth into the district.
- Consulting services
The foundation is able to share its experiences in taking ICT to rural communities of Sri Lanka. The foundation can provide consulting services with respect to launching and setting up rural level ICT centers throughout the country in villages that may also benefit from this form of education.
- Implementation of MESH Technology
Mahavilachchiya will become the first rural village to benefit from MESH technology thanks to the Asia Pacific Development Information Programme and ICTA. MESH technology will at last give the whole community access to the internet from their homes.
Horizon Lanka has already helped to furnish over 30 homes with used desktop computers and it still searching for 10 more donors to help families who have saved their half of the cost.
MESH technology will enable all homes with a PC to enjoy the benefits of wireless internet connection for free. It will ultilise the internet connection already put in place by Horizon Lanka. For details of the pilot program, please go to http://www.apdip.net/projects/ictrnd/2004/L43-lk/proposal.
MESH technology, if it becomes a success, will no doubt become the back bone of our e-village status and will help enhance the educational plan in place by providing families with access not just one person.
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