Within the framework of the SOCRATES-Project "Museums, Keyworkers and Lifelong Learning", the Federal Austrian Ministry for Education, Sciences and Culture has, in cooperation with the Office for Cultural Exchange, advertised this year for the first time the "Special Award for Communication with Museums", worth ATS 50.000,-

A jury of media experts has now selected the project "Tonga.Online - A Village Goes Online" which was realised within the framework of the exhibition "Tracing the Rainbow. Life in Southern Africa", in Linz (Austria). The jury gave the following reasons for its decision:

"The members of the jury qualified the project as a remarkable and exemplary combination of internet technology and communication with a new target group, using direct communication within an exhibition. We are pleased to support the realisation of the internet centre in the Tonga area in Zimbabwe through this award."

The prize will be handed over to ARGE Zimbabwe by the Austrian Federal Minister of Education, Sciences and Culture, Mrs. Elisabeth Gehrer, in Vienna on 5th December, 2001.

We feel honoured by this appreciation and are pleased that the grant, which is most welcome and which shall be used for further extending the network of the internet centre within the Tonga community, comes at the right point in time. Thanks to the grant, it will be possible to connect the village of Siachilaba to the internet after the completion of the centre at Binga Highschool.

This award comes only a short time after the 4th class of the Auhof Business Course at the Auhof Business College (Linz) has recieved the "Integration Prize", sponsored by the City Council of Linz, for its cooperation project "Tonga baskets", which was developed in close connection with TONGA.ONLINE.

Thank you - Twalumba!

Mag. Peter Kuthan
Chairperson ARGE Zimbabwe Linz, 30st October, 2001