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Civil Society Technology Service Centre
Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG) Southern Africa
September 28, 2004

Project Description
The Civil Society Technology Service Centre Project (CSTSC) is a pilot initiative that seeks to create opportunities for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to integrate Information and Communication Technologies ICTs) into their development work. The project focuses on broadening and deepening CSOs' participation in the information and knowledge economy.

To achieve this objective, the project is structured around four pillars of intervention related to universal Internet access points, technology equipment hire, ICT training and capacity building and a platform for collaborative networking.

In facilitating access to these services, the project intends to close the knowledge gap between development initiatives and technology trends in ICTs.

Project Goal
To create a platform for civil society's inclusion in the global knowledge and information economy and create effective digital opportunities in the fight against poverty.


Project Strategy
The strategy is built around four integrated elements;

1. Information resource access points
The access points deliver Internet connectivity and allow users to access knowledge resources. It is built on an open source platform to demonstrate how open source solutions can be applied within CSOs

2. Networking, training and capacity building in the use of ICTs for development
The project focuses on training civil society users on how to strategically apply new technologies in their work. The training and capacity building sessions deliver best practice methods on how technology can be mainstreamed, to the day to day operations of the organizations.

3. Access to information and knowledge resources
The world wide web has a depth of knowledge resources that are relevant to CSOs. Through the project, we able to harness these virtual resources and make them available to CSOs. This virtual information resource strategy will be supported by a physical information resource center that has journals, publications and newsletters, that deal with ICTs for development.

4. Technology hire facility
The tool hire facility provides access to ICTs. Users will be able to hire out various digital technologies and apply them within their own organizational context. These technologies include;

- Digital camera
- Digital camcorder
- Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) overhead projector
- Digital Scanner
- Compact Disc (CD) burners

Access to the Facility
- The facility is open to any CSO;
- Organisations are required to register as users;
- A nominal charge will be levied against the use of the resources.

CSTSC price list for services

• INTERNET & ELECTRONIC MAIL
  Surfing the Internet ZW$50,00 per minute
  
• PHOTOCOPYING
  - A4 paper size ZW$200,00 per copy
  - A3 paper size ZW$250,00 per copy
  
• PRINTING
  Black
  - A4 white bond paper ZW$400.00 per page
  Colour
  - A4 white bond paper ZW$800.00 per page
  
• SCANNING Free
  
• CD WRITING
  - CD Writing only (Blank CD supplied by client) Free
  - CD Writing, including recordable CD ZW$20,000.00
  
• DIGITAL CAMERA ZW30, 000.00 per day
• DIGITAL CAMCORDER ZW30, 000.00 per day
• LCD PROJECTOR ZW30, 000.00 per day

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