In the second half of September the project visit by the implementing agents, AZFA, Horizont3000 and Kunzwana Trust successfully came through.

A number of meetings with partners were held in Harare, in Bulawayo with Ministry of Education, Basilwizi and Arachnid, in Binga with the DA, CEO, the DEO, Management Committees and stakeholders of Syanzyundu, Siachilaba and Binga ITCs. A Seminar was held with RDDC and the Science and technology committee. The project team would like to applaud all those that spared time to contribute to the success of the evaluation and planning meetings.

Project capacity building

• AZFA facilitated a 2 day financial management training workshop working on excel. The workshop was attended by the tonga.online team, Mr. S. Mwiinde of Binga Rural District Council, Mr. BZ the Binga High IT teacher and School Bursar.
• AZFA made also a donation of an electric guitar from Windhund musician Karl Ritter, 3 mikes, 2 stands, a sound mixer, CDs, cables and 5 computers that work with the new Open Source Software Ubuntu Linux and some other soft ware for the ITCs, Studio and the Office.
• AZFA in collaboration with HIVOS sponsored a "Music & Computer" training of trainers’ workshop that was facilitated by Klaus Hollinetz from Austria together with Keith Goddard of Kunzwana Trust.
• Kunzwana Trust with financial support from HIVOS also hired the services of a technical company, Arachnid, who serviced all computers in the 3 centers.
• Two Alpha Smarts were donated to tonga.online staff and the D. A in support of local Government.

ITCs

A Stakeholder workshop was held with Mr Peter Kuthan, his wife Hedi, tonga.online team and each ITC Management Committee and stakeholders to share the overall activity/operational and financial reports for planning a way forward. A SWOT analysis was done with each center and the overall analysis that were presented during the ICT seminar on 28th September.

Studio

The studio hosted a music and computer workshop. The participants were drawn from Binga High School, Pashu primary school, Choma Museum in Zambia and Twiimbilane studio. Unfortunately two participants, one local artist and a teacher from Kamombo failed to make it to the workshop.

New equipment that empowered the workshop was introduced to the studio. The workshop covered analog vs stereo music, using a mixer, overdubbing, editing, mastering as well as preparing recorded music for the internet.

A presentation was made for Binga stakeholders who highly commended the developments of Twiimbilane Studio.

The Seminar

36 stakeholders and guests attended the seminar from different Ministries, organizations, Headmasters of schools with computers including those that have applied for assistance from Tonga.Online, furthermore the Regional Director of Education for Mat. North, Mr. A.B.Dube and the owners of the soils and spirits of our developments, Chiefs Saba, Siachilaba and Sinansengwe. The DA chaired the seminar and announced the establishment of the science and technology committee whose report was read to reveal the terms of reference and specified the district’s ICT situation, providing tonga.online with key areas/needs for support and this was supported by the AZFA-tonga.online analysis report on the current IT centers.

Wayforward

The district calls for a network and technical support for all computer centers including those initiated by Government. Horizont3000 and AZFA are keen to facilitate access for all to ICT with a full network on Binga district level. Horizont 3000 will also provide an ICT technician from Austria to service and train local staff for the maintenance and sustainability of all ITCs.

There is need to establish more ITCs to cover all school clusters. AZFA is prepared to help source hardware for the establishment of other ITCs and the ministry of education reported its preparedness in providing qualified IT teachers.

Management committees need to hold regular meetings to ensure accountability and proper use and management of donated equipment.

News from across the waters: Sinazongwe ITC close to establishment

Twenty-two stakeholders attended the meeting from Sinazongwe Basic School, PTA, community, Ministry of education and guests. A Management Committee has been set up under Parents Teachers Association (PTA) and electric power installation has been done in the entire block & burglar bars have been put up. The Honorable Chief Sinazongwe introduced and welcomed the Tonga.Online Project and the trainer, Theophorah Sianyuka to Sinazongwe. He offered his vehicle to pick up the PCs from Lusaka airport to Sinazongwe ITC. Peter Kuthan indicated he is waiting for a green light from the school to start sending the 15 PC´s as soon as the ceiling and an air conditioning system, additional furniture and painting are complete and in place. The project motto, “ACCESS FOR ALL”, remains the same even across the waters. The official Launch should take place in about one year concurrent with the Mulonga.net festival. It was also observed that there is gender balance in the Management Committee Team.

Sinazongwe ITC Way forward

1. sort out the customs issue and exchange the relevant data for importation
   - AZFA/Community Youth Concern (CYC)
2. ceiling, plugs - Sinazongwe Basic School
3. Topping up of furniture - Sinazongwe Basic School
4. establish ventilation: 4-6 fans on the ceiling/free standing fans to be sought
5. airfreight of computers - by AZFA
6. importation - by CYC Lusaka
7. transport Lusaka - Sinazongwe by Chief S.
8. security (guard) in place - Sinazongwe Basic School
9. networking - Arachnid / AZFA
10. basic computer skills training - T.O. team / AZFA

further: pursue phone line / VSAT Internet services - Sinazongwe Basic School / AZFA

Tonga.online team would like to thank all those who contributed to the hard but successful work and invite those that did not to join the development.

TWALUMBA, ATWEENDE.

David Mungombe
Coordinator-tonga.online project
Headmaster-Binga High School
c/o Binga High School, P Bag 5722, Binga,
Tel / fax: ++263-15-573
kunzwana@mweb.co.zw www.mulonga.net