7.3. Networks and the Telecenter Ecosystem
Figure 6: Telecenter Ecosystem
Source: telecentre.org, 2006.
Networks play an essential role in the telecenter ecosystem; they are the connection points between all other players. Figure 6 illustrates how the telecenter ecosystem in a particular country might work and the pivotal role of a network in this ecosystem.
As Figure 6 illustrates, telecenters can connect and collaborate with each other through a network. They can also organize ways to access shared services, such as technical support or training, services they couldn’t afford to create or access on their own. Similarly, organizations with content and services that could be offered to communities can reach out to thousands of telecenters simultaneously using networks. Without this sort of networked access, it’s almost impossible to get things out to telecenters; they are simply too numerous and too dispersed.7.4. telecentre.org: Supporting the Growth of Telecenter Networks
There is increasing recognition that we need to invest not only in good telecenters but also in strong telecenter networks and a resilient telecenter ecosystem. The telecentre.org social investment program was created to make exactly these kinds of investments. Drawing on a funding pool from Canada’s International Development Research Center (IDRC), Microsoft®, and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the program provides grants and technical assistance to telecenter networks around the world. It also invests in knowledge-sharing activities within the telecenter movement and in the development of services telecenters can offer to communities.
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