In the face of the high failure rate of corporate social investment (CSI) projects aimed at providing information technology education, Nedcor says it has embraced the Digital Hope model to ensure success through comprehensive development strategies and a two-year exit plan.
"Surveys done in the past two years indicate that more than 75% of ICT initiatives in SA fail within the first year," says Garry Hodgson, Digital Hope CEO. "We have developed a model we believe will provide sustainability in digital divide projects, based on an analysis of successful initiatives and working experience with donor organisations."
"Nedcor considered about six different project implementation organisations, but chose Digital Hope because of their holistic approach," says Selby Baqwa, Nedcor head of corporate governance. "IT equipment and training can`t be delivered to communities without a follow up plan, and with Digital Hope, we have an exit strategy."
"Digital Hope is a non-profit organisation that was formed to implement a model in SA and other African countries to ensure donor funding is not wasted, but used effectively to achieve the intended results," explains Hodgson.
Baqwa says Digital Hope`s systematic, business-oriented approach appealed to Nedcor, which demands a high level of accountability and good governance in the implementation of its around 340 CSI projects a year worth about R50 million.
"Our mission is to bridge the digital divide through the provision of sustainable technology to schools and communities, the engagement of educators, and the empowerment of local SMMEs to deploy and support this technology," says Hodgson. "Nedcor has understood the importance of sustainability and bought into the idea of teacher training and incentives."
Hodgson says effective engagement and motivation of educators is the single most important factor for success and sustainability of any digital divide project. "The model says educators need to be given the confidence to use technology before they have to use it in front of learners. An incentive programme is also implemented whereby educators can earn their own PCs if they train fellow educators."
Other key components of the Digital Hope model include community engagement by making facilities available to the wider community, SMME support by using SMMEs run by previously disadvantaged individuals to provide services and support, the delivery of true business value to donors like Nedcor, and the provision of appropriate technology and suitable work areas.
"Computer laboratories may be set up in school buildings, prefabricated classrooms, or even insulated containers," says Hodgson. "Nedcor has been responsible for the sponsorship of the containers or 'DigiTainers` for Hewlett-Packard`s i-community projects, where HP provides the technology.
"We see Digital Hope as being key to ensuring successful and sustainable ICT education projects as well as ensuring a return on investment in terms of increasing the size of the reachable, and hence the banking, population."
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