President Thabo Mbeki and HP CEO Carly Fiorina visited the Mogalakwena HP I-community project in Limpopo over the weekend, to see what progress has been made.
The Mogalakwena HP I-community was launched as a legacy project of the UN World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002. It is supported by a three-year partnership between HP, Limpopo Province and the Mogalakwena Municipality.
HP hopes to use the project to establish breakthrough models for social and economic development. The first two phases of the project - establishing its infrastructure and sustainability - have been completed. The project is now set for its third phase, which involves developing models for replication.
Mbeki commended the partners on the progress made in the project since his earlier review at its launch. "It`s not merely a matter of a vision but also a matter of ensuring that we produce results. I think as South Africans, we have an important asset in HP.
"Many of us understand that, in reality, education around information and communications technology is going to be imparted to the people of Limpopo. And I`m quite convinced that the kind of technology used in the Mogalakwena HP I-community is actually more appropriate for developing societies than for developed societies."
Fiorina also emphasised HP`s commitment to the project. "Instead of simply committing resources, money or equipment, we are committing some of our best talent to targeted communities around the world," she said.
According to HP, the Mogalakwena HP I-community is meeting its aims through the establishment of an information network, based on a comprehensive technology infrastructure, that links the region`s towns, villages, organisations and people. The project partners are also developing solutions that help meet the food, water, sanitation and alternative energy needs of the people.
Several developments have been realised since the first presidential review, including the launch of ISETT SETA learnerships, an Open Source Centre, Community Computer Camps, D-Naledi (Mokopane`s own version of pop stars) and an open source computing solution that allows four people to work simultaneously on a single machine.
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