Setting an example for rural connectivity

LinkNet Zambia, a multipurpose cooperative society, has provided Internet access in Macha through mesh technology, a system that allows all nodes to communicate with one another, offering redundancy in case any unit fails. Internet connection in Macha has enabled communication, created new employment opportunities for villagers, and supported the communication needs of rural schools and hospitals, Mweetwa said. Prior to the introduction of the Internet and a mini library housed in a LinkNet Resource Container, a “reading culture” did not exist in Macha. Now, the people of Macha are able to access books from the library and read newspapers on the Internet, which is especially important in light of the area’s poor radio and TV reception.

Internet has completely changed education at Macha because nowadays teachers in our area do research for new materials through Internet and interpret suitable material to pupils. They are also able to know what is happening around the world and then update their pupils on current affairs. Previously teachers only could use what was written in books, now new tools are available, boosting quality of education in Macha considerably. Also, use of Internet has enhanced the knowledge of health workers at Macha. Now doctors and nurses participate in research. All doctors in Macha also do courses through the Internet, to keep up to date and to enhance their own skill set. All this helps to share knowledge with community health workers who do not (yet?) have access to Internet.

LinkNet in Action: The arrival of Internet in Zambia's rural Macha community has provided ready access to comprehensive, up-to-date and detailed information on agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry and food. Helped Fred Mweeta find up to date information on the gowing conditions and processing of sunflowers. First successful crop in 2006. Is leading other farmers to begin sunflower farming for oil production. 400l oil last years crop, expects more. Used to only grow corn which requires more fertilizer and is more expensive. Family makes twice as much as money as they used to. Since they began pressing sunflowers for cooking oil, Muchimba's household has never run out of oil, a rare commodity in the area, she added. The family now trades oil for maize. Meanwhile, Macha's Chief Chikanta observed that computers will be very useful in marketing agricultural products, giving farmers access to the correct market prices of their produce. It is important for Chikanta's subjects to know the true price of maize at the Food Reserve Agency, he explained, as unscrupulous dealers have often made farmers sell their produce at costs well below its worth.

Meanwhile, rural connectivity still faces technical, practical and political hurdles, including a lack of computer literacy, infrastructure and electricity; poor equipment and high bandwidth costs. LinkNet has set up schools(LITA) to help educate people to use the new technology but there is still more work to be done