[wsfii-discuss] REVIEW - Wireless Training in Winneba

Tue Aug 21 20:15:40 UTC 2007

Marco,

Thanks for the report.

Could you explain what ExCathedra means?

Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: wsfii-discuss-bounces at lists.okfn.org
[mailto:wsfii-discuss-bounces at lists.okfn.org] On Behalf Of Marco Pompe
Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2007 11:08 AM
To: Discuss list on the World Summit on Free Information Infrastructure
Subject: [wsfii-discuss] REVIEW - Wireless Training in Winneba

Hi all

With a little delay, my reflections on the 10days training on wireless
networking in Winneba, Ghana.
First of all I want to acknowledge  everybody involved and say a big
THANK YOU to the hosts , winneba open digital village / one village
foundation (WODIV, OVF) and the local partners, Ghana information
network for knowledge sharing (GINKS), Ghana Telecom (Victor), Arrownet
(mr. Buadu), Accra Linux User Group, and the sponsors, International
Institute for Communication and Development (IICD) Djursland Community
Network (DIIRWB). After all it was a successful seminar with a majority
of the participants satisfied with the program. There was a number of
interesting sessions and some people are now in touch haven?t known each
other until then.

Now the uncomfortable part: The fact that the training was not well
prepared has brought a number of problems of which many have been
technical. These technical problems have been solved mostly, even though
one of the partners has failed to contribute in many ways. But as mostly
WODIV and GINKS have provided the most urgent needs, it happened at
certain costs. The modus the training was held in finally could suit as
to benefit the start up of the WODIV center in winneba, but failed to
address the following:
-	The impact of the event on the local environment (winneba,
university) as well as Ghana and Westafrica was very low.
-	The practical aspect of the training was very inefficient and
confusing, due to a lack of preparation.
-	The interaction of the participants was very little because the
structure of the sessions is what we call ex-cathedra teaching. the
?after-show? was missing at all.
-	The content of the session in general was not focused on
particular solutions and was rather confusing than empowering.

Some of these thing were also an effect of the last minute promotion of
the event. It was actually promoted as a training for certain staff
working in that field so WODIV was very focused on suiting to the
expectations of these participants.

my personal conclusion would be, that it needs a stronger (personnel,
financial capacity) local hosts network for a summit with international
in- and output and certainly a VERY MUCH longer and committed
preparation. Even the training in Winneba could have been very much
better, when the local partners would have had more time to dedicate it
to the preparation. To organize a WSFII Africa 2008 it will need people
locally being paid for the time the have to commit, because the amount
of volunteers we have in europe or US is definitely not available here.
It will need certain NGOs to step in with more powerful ressources and
more contacts and experience in networking and public relations.

Finally, I was expecting something worse to happen and I am relieved it
didn?t end up in a mess. Sorry for being that direct (some people even
call me rude because of that). I am very concerned about grassroots
empowerment and I want everybody at least to learn as much as possible
out of this experience.

greetings from accra, marco
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