Tonga.Online team: Stakeholders Update II/2005

Tonga.Online Project continues sharing with you the heat of Binga, in which people are still devoted to their learning and development. We are therefore happy to report that the Tonga.Online objectives are still being met! TWALUMBA!

THE TEAM The office is happily corresponding with partners for the best responses to community needs. Penny Yon is coordinating and working on accounts and fund-raising in Harare, networking with important IT contacts in the IT industry for development. The project team on the ground in Binga area has settled down with personnel changes in the Syanzyundu ITC. Notie Sianyuka has taken up an opportunity to resume her IT Training at Joshua Nkomo Polytechnic in Gwanda and we have attached Clement Mungombe, an IT student from Bulawayo Polytechnic. Please welcome and work with him. Notie will contribute her services to the project under special arrangements during holidays.

BINGA ITC The Binga ITC graduated seven more trainees on their completion of the basic computer course. The community is still enjoying Internet, typing and printing services after the replacement of a modem in January. A Binga ZRP Public Relations Office representative has been invited into the Binga ITC management committee as an ex-officio member of the committee. The management committee will hold a meeting in March after all co-opted members will have had access to the new constitution.

SIACHILABA ITC The Siachilaba ITC is still in operation with its four computers working. It is unfortunate that TelOne lines are not functional in the area for the ITC to provide for internet services. The school and community are enjoying typing and printing services. Children have been introduced to computer games and this has really attracted them to computers and increased their interest in learning. While Theo Sianyuka is mostly assisting in the office, Siachilaba Primary teacher Norman Mudimba, who was trained by the Tonga.Online project, facilitated the training of two members of the community this month. Before her departure, Notie assessed the progress of the training and advertising continues.

SYANZYUNDU ITC Unfortunately the Centre has not yet been serviced with a line-limiter that will protect the computers from electricity surges and 'spikes'. Communication on the visit of the technical support team from Arachnid / Bulawayo is at an advanced stage, and everything is being done to remedy the situation. In the meantime, one computer is used to service mostly the school. The expected school-leaver training using Alpha Smarts was not conducted because the trainer fell sick and failed to mobilize. We look forward to developments with the new resource person, Clement.

RECORDING STUDIO The Binga music-recording studio (proposed to be called TWIIMBILANE STUDIO - "Let's sing for each other") re-opened after installing a second music computer in February. Interviews for trainees were held and Patience Munkuli, the only girl that applied is to start on a free computer training as part of the course. The four male musicians namely Joseph Munsaka/Binga urban, Joshua Sibanda/Pashu, Robson Mudenda/Kamativi and Ginger from Sikalenge were interviewed and will all receive training while working on their music products. Some artists from Syanzyundu, Bunsiwa and Lubu have visited the studio and registered their appreciation of the project. It seems there is a good response and high expectation from the artists who are looking forward to producing CDs, cassettes and other Tonga language products to feed Tonga programs in the media. This is a big challenge for Tonga.Online as a facilitator. Although some recording can be done now, we are still to complete soundproofing of the studio. Materials for soundproofing are being requested from National Blankets in Bulawayo and other sympathizers.

THE KANKOLIMBA MUSIC INSTRUMENT In the first week of February 2005, the Batonga Museum in Binga, in collaboration with Tonga.Online Project facilitated an instrument-makers workshop for the purpose of building a set of marimbas tuned to the sound of the local Kankobela, specifically designed for the playing of Tonga music, in particular the music of the Kankobela and the Nyele. The workshop was attended by 2 Kankobela players, 1 singer, 2 Nyele players, and 4 Marimba players. Thanks to Mr Orbert Muleya who contributed excellent carpentry skills and to Keith Goddard who assisted with identifying the tuning to be chosen and outlining the objectives of the project. Professor Andrew Tracey from the International Library of African Music (ILAM) in Grahamstown, South Africa, provided long-distance advice. We applaud Sengamo Ndlovu and Obert Muleya who are full time on the invention with the support of our music advisers. TAZILYI BALIMA! TUNOOLI BIINGI KUKUZYANA. "Crops are not eaten by farmers alone! We will be many in dancing."

Our website www.mulonga.net remains open as your echo box for the world to learn from you. TWAMUTAMBA! (WE INVITE YOU). Please contribute to it. Thanks to all Stakeholders for your continued support of this important educational project

David Mungombe
Coordinator, Tonga.Online Project
kunzwana@mweb.co.zw

Similo Ncube
Headmaster, Binga High School

Austria Zimbabwe Friendship Association / AZFA UPDATE

Austrian Youth for a More Just Information Society: Auhof Basket Company abc taking part

The "Bridging the Digital Divide" project gives youth and students in Austria the opportunity to enrich the proceedings of the World Summit on the Information Society WSIS with their perspectives and views. Participants include the Auhof Basket Company abc at Auhof Business School in Linz / Austria, who are partnering with Binga Craft Centre in Zimbabwe. The WSIS part I in Geneva kicked off this long-term initiative organized by Austria’s Ministry of Education. On Wednesday, March 2, organizers and students presented the project at a start-up event staged at the Ars Electronica Center in Linz. more: aec press statement auhofbasket

Six reflections on Tonga Ngoma Buntibe music and Tonga.Online on Soul Beat Africa

"A multi-faceted cultural exchange between the people of the Tonga, in Zimbabwe, and members of the Austria Zimbabwe Friendship Association (AZFA). Within the Tonga Composition project international contemporary composers wrote creative responses to the sounds of the "nyele" instrument. Education programmes in schools aimed to create awareness about the rights of minority groups as well as impart professional guidance concerning music technology and its relationship to indigenous sounds and rites."

Tonga Composition Project: Six Refelections on Valley Tonga Music - Zimbabwe

Programme Experiences: Tonga.Online

Impact Assessment of a School-Based Information And Communication Technology Centre in Binga District, Zimbabwe

Call for support for Tonga.Online!

The co-financing agreement with Austrian Ministry for Foreign Affairs for Tonga.Online has expired end of last year and a new funding agreement or other donors are not in reach yet. Despite some ongoing assistance from Horizont 3000 and private contributions the project is in urgent need of support to continue its basic operations. Please assist the project with your donation:
Tonga.Online / AZFA
Account Nr. 16800007352
Sparkasse OÖ
Linz Austria
BLZ 20320
THANK YOU - TWALUMBA !!

Peter Kuthan
Chairman AZFA
argezim@silverserver.at