Rural Access in Laos

1
Rural Access in Laos

• Internet Learning Centers
• Remote IT Village project
• Achievements Challenges

by Vorasone Dengkayaphichith From Jhai Foundation
http//www.jhai.org
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Conditions in rural Laos

• No telephone lines or electricity,
• Rain followed by high temperatures
• Rainy season makes roads impassable
• Extreme heat and air-borne dirt in dry season
• Thick red dust,
• Low-literate and do not speak foreign language
• E-mail won't help them, the Internet is
  inappropriate.

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• Jhai Foundation and Schools Online organization
  (Donor).
• The partner schools in four provinces of Lao PDR
• Collaborated to create unique facility for
  students/staff called Internet Learning Center.

4
ILC Projects brought in the ICT to the Secondary
Education

• 4 Internet Learning Centers Located in
• 1.Vientiane Province, (Phonmee Secondary School).
• 2.Vientiane Municipality, (Vientiane Secondary
  School).
• 3.Savannakhet Province, (Savanh Secondary
  School).
• 4.Champasak Province, (Pakse Upper Secondary
  School).
• To build 10 more in next 2 years

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Remote IT Village Project

• Real-world conditions, real-world solutions
• The Remote IT Village pilot test will link five
  villages in the HinHeup District, in a wireless
  Wide-Area Network (WAN)
• Uses Voice-over-I.P. telephony and Lao-language
  business tools to improve their standard of
  living while preserving traditions
• The network will immediately enhance business and
  trade opportunities
• Villagers will also connect by voice and email
  with family members who now live overseas.
• The system is localized for use in the local
  language
• The system is owned by the villages and is run by
  middle school kids literate in Lao.

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• A rugged computer and printer assembled from
  off-the-shelf components that draws less than 20
  watts in normal use - less than 70 watts when the
  printer is printing - and that can survive dirt,
  heat, and immersion in water

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• A wireless Local Area Network with relay
  stations based on the 802.11b protocol, which
  will transmit signals between the villages and a
  server located at the PhonHong Hospital for
  switching to the Internet or the Lao telephone
  system

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A sustainable, replicable solution

• The project becomes the property of the school,
  which they operate by themselves
• Villagers have developed business plan
• Project will enlist micro-enterprise coach to
  support village businesses the Jhai operators
• Project will engage social researcher in
  analyzing economic impacts and effects on village
  life
• Equipment and Internet connection carry a high
  cost of ownership.

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• Fall 2004 Five-village Research Development
  phase will help Jhai and outside researchers
  understand local sustainability models for ICTs
• Researchers will also analyze social impacts on
  village life, traditional culture, and
  relationships
• The goal is to develop readiness to implement the
  Jhai PC and Communication System in other
  villages in Lao PDR and the developing world

10
Achievements

• A proof-of-concept version of the Jhai PC and
  Communications System has been developed and
  tested, including a network test on site in Ban
  Phon Kham.
• A compact, Lao-language version of Linux, with
  productivity tools, has been developed to provide
  free, appropriate, and effective tools to
  villagers and others in Lao.
• Creation of an innovative operating model based
  on collective ownership by the village of
  computer and network hardware.
• Villagers in Ban Phon Kham have developed a
  pricing-and-services business plan, working in
  collaboration with the operator of a Vientiane
  cyber café.
• Overall, the technical feasibility of the Jhai
  approach has been demonstrated, although in
  piecemeal fashion.

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Challenges

• The Implementation of the project has been
  stalled since June 2003
• To make public policymakers understand about
  our system mainly for non-technical people
• To make people to see the benefit from the new
  designed system
• Social Understanding Cooperation
• Security concerns
• Government requirements personal interests

12
Final words..

• We are looking forward to the successful launch
  of the beta-version of the Jhai PC and
  Communications System in Laos (Ban Phon Kham and
  four other villages) by autumn, 2004. THANK
  YOU