BOTEC Services
Kitsong Centres : Our gateway to development

Overview | Benefits | Lesson learnt | Achievements

The proposal to develop the Community User Information System (CUIS) Project was to bridge the digital divide and contribute towards the poverty alleviation through the applications of Information and Communication Technology.

In the year 2000 Botswana Technology Centre (BOTEC) conducted an information needs assessment and found that it was necessary for the rural members of society to assisted to become fully aware of the computer applications and use these applications on their day-to-day activities especially in accessing information for their operational activities to enhance their businesses processes and services and social needs.

BOTEC therefore embarked on a project to develop a computer communications system based on the Internet Technologies which would be used to enable the communities in rural places to have access to information resources.

The Community User Information System pilot project was developed to address the interrelated problems of lack of access to information and knowledge resources for rural people and lack of affordable communication channels for reaching out to the rural communities.

The main objective of the pilot project was: to develop a computer communication system that enables access to integrated e-mail and on-line information for rural people in Botswana, with emphasis on the on-line dissemination of locally generated, user friendly, relevant information and knowledge resources.

The aim was to provide a cost-effective access to and dissemination of information and knowledge resources, subsequently saving hardcopy productions, mailing, transport and transaction costs. This would also to contribute to Botswana full entry into information and knowledge age and contributing towards the growth of a well-informed nation as per the Botswana’s vision 2016.

This pilot project was to act as stimuli to information technology research at BOTEC while serving as the channel through which BOTEC disseminate information on technological issues. More important the pilot project endeavoured to empower citizens, with timely information and knowledge recourses and aid Botswana’s socio-economic development.

Overview | Benefits | Lesson learnt | Achievements