Solomon Islands People First Network

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Solomon Islands People First Network
2 perspectives of rural Solomon Islands..
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Solomon Is. The challenges
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The intervention

• AIMS To promote and facilitate equitable and
  sustainable rural development and peace building
  by enabling better information sharing and
  knowledge building among and across communities
  forming the Solomon Islands
• BACKGROUNDSIDAPP 1998-2001 (UNDP/UNOPS/S.I.G.)

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The Objectives
1. Facilitate point-to-point communications
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Objectives cont.
2. Facilitate rural development and peace-related
information flows among all social groups
3. Facilitate the exchange of information between
communities and stakeholders
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Progress

• Proven model for rural network
• Established revenue base (iCafe)
• Popular web site / portal
• Deployed 7 rural points of access
• Networking for
• Distance learning
• Agriculture and fisheries development
• Indigenous business development
• Rural Vocational Training

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Strategy for rural connectivity

• Affordable appropriate technology
• Sympathetic to local conditions
• Connect large number of communities
• Centralised technical support and revenue base

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Sustainability strategy

• Participatory approach
• Agreement
• Revenue sharing
• Maintenance fund
• Mutual support network
• On-air technical support
• Appropriate technology
• Central revenue-generating base

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Gender strategy

• Professional opportunities for women
• Income generating opportunities
• Networking and ICT capacity building for womens
  groups
• Indirectly, networking empowers everyone
• Research shows balanced usage by gender

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Choice of technology

• HF radio email
• Low running cost
• Appropriate Technology
• Affordable - Sustainable
• Solar powered
• Can be upgraded

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How is a rural facility organised?

• Management Committee
• Operator assisted
• Single shared email account (initially)
• Customers pay nominal fee to send an email
  message
• Other services
• Daily and monthly reporting to PFnet

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Rural Network7 sites deployed

• First station established Oct 2001

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(No Transcript)
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Applications

• Community email
• Distance Learning
• Agriculture and Fisheries
• Indigenous Business Development
• Disaster Management

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Usage Statistics - 1

• From daily reports sent by rural operators
• For December 2002

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Email Traffic
Dec 2002 Nov 2001-Oct 2002
Sent 350 3969 (ave. 330/month)
Received 575 4391(ave. 360/month)
Total 925 8360
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PFnet Sasamungga email traffic per month
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PFnet Sasamungga Email station revenues
1 Solomon Dollar SBD US 13c
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Email senders by age group
Sample size 350From daily reports, all
stations, Dec 2002
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Email senders by gender
Gender Number
Male 262 75
Female 88 25
Sample size 350From daily reports, all
stations, Dec 2002
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Email senders by education level
Sample size 350From daily reports, all
stations, Dec 2002
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Email destinations
Count
Domestic 283 80
International 67 20
Honiara 246Provinces 37Australia 11New
Zealand 13Fiji 7Vanuatu
5PNG 3 Hawaii 3 Kiribati
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French Polynesia 1Other Pacific Is. 1 UK 6
USA mainland 6 Italy 3Sweden 3
Japan 1Philippines 1France 1
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Reasons for communicating
Family correspondence 202Business and
investment 32Education 18Travel 17Finan
ce and Banking 14Project / NGO 13Sports 8
Ordering Supplies / Stocks 8Health /
Medical 8Church 6Construction 6Fisherie
s 4Lands and Titles 2Government
Administration 2Other/Unknown 9
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Usage Statistics - 2

• Research interview results
• Sasamungga station
• 120 interviewed
• 10 months after station deployed

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How many are using PFnet
Total
Several members of family 32 (27)
The interviewees only 14 (12)
Other family members only 30 (25)
No-one in family 44 (37)
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Profile of email station users
Education Level Female Male Total
Primary 5 8 13 (47)
Jr. Secondary 4 7 11 (32)
Sr. Secondary 2 2 4 (20)
College 9 6 15 (18)
University 1 2 3 (3)
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How often do people use PFnet email
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Main reasons people send email messages

• Family correspondence (47)
• Education (25)
• Business (9)
• Health (6)
• Development (5)
• Church (3)
• Other (5)

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How people say PFnet benefits them

• I can send messages quickly (63)
• I can send messages cheaply (51)
• I can send messages quickly and cheaply (39)
• Easy to pursue business dealings, make orders and
  contact suppliers, and locate new suppliers (11)
• Gives me access to education services
• Helps me (school Principal) in school admin
• Gives me health security as it helps the hospital
  (17)
• Helps me coordinate my development project
• Helps me to send urgent messages
• Gives me access to international news

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Benefits to the whole community

• Fast and affordable communications
• Community is better informed
• Supports local businesses by improving efficiency
• Improves access to education and quality of
  education
• Supports local economy
• Supports health and medical services
• Religious groups can better coordinate activities
• Gives community a voice to lobby decision makers

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Funding

• Model proven. Now
• Need to expand for national impacts
• Need to consolidate base operations
• Need to build capacity
• Original formulation for 2-year program
• Business plan requires expansion
• USD 500K from multiple donors