1. Syrian Telecentre Project
A Model for Sustainable Development
Capacity Empowerment Sustainability Self-Sufficiency
Nabil Eid - Syria
neid@telecentre.org
2012

2. Contents
• Syrian Telecentre Project-Brief
• ICTs Roles and Objectives Project
• Services Provided and Beneficiaries
• Model – Planning
• The Community Portal- Reefnet
• Mobile Computer Training (E-BAG) in Rural Village
• Interactive Schools Project
• Empowering and Services for People with Disabilities through ICT
• Transformation from ICT Access Point to Knowledge Centre
• Challenges Ahead
• The Road Ahead

3. Syrian Telecentre Project-Brief
The First Phase, 2004
Established telecentres all over the country, especially in the most remote areas.
The Ministry of Communications and Technology has launched this project in
cooperation with the (UNDP), as part of its Strategic Program "ICT4Dev SYR/02/001.
This project has so far established about 40 telecentres across the Syrian provinces in
rural areas, with the first telecentre inaugurated in April 2004.
The Syrian Telecentre Project is one of the development projects aimed at providing ICTs
for local and rural communities.

4. Syrian Telecentre Project-Brief
The Second Phase, 2009
The project has been turned over to and is currently being undertaken by the Syrian
Computer Society (SCS) and the Syria Trust for Development since 2009.
The new MoU between the Ministry of Communication and Technology, Syrian
Computer Society, and the Syria Trust for Development plans to establish 45 new
telecentres between 2010-2013.
Currently, 18 new telecentres have been established, bringing the total number of
telecentres established thus far by the project to 58 telecentres

5. 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
2009
2010
2011
10
18
26
33
37
40
50
58
Total number and names of telecentres
established each year

6. Geographical Reach of the project
Location Map of established telecentres over the past years
Item Project Total
Mobile Compute Training Reefnet-ICT4Dev 4
Telecentre Reefnet-ICT4Dev 40
New Telecentre Implemented STP - SCS 18
Interactive Schools Project Reefnet-ICT4Dev 5
Computer Training Center Reefnet-ICT4Dev 4

7. ICTs Roles and objectives project
•Bridging the digital divide between rural and urban areas,
•Using the ICTs as a powerful instrument in the development of local communities,
•Creating an enabling environment for the use of ICT in Syria,
•Accelerating the development of information facilities and infrastructures as well as
to improve the capacity to benefit from ICT.
The project has more dimensions in the development of the Syrian community and
bridging digital divide.
Never doubt the ability of a small group of thoughtful and committed people to change the world .
Conventional Wisdom
Turning the Pyramid on its Head

8. Services provided
The program has provided training through telecentres to all people from various of segments (women,
youth, children, adult and people with disabilities) on computer applications and volunteers.
Model
Services
to offer
Training
ICT for
Development
Services
Access to
Communicati
on Facilities

9. Beneficiaries and targeted group
The program has trained more than 50,000 trainees from a variety of rural areas.
The program has also been implemented in urban areas through four CTCs (Computer Training
Centres) to benefit more people in other states.
Students
Teachers
Local NGOs
Small business
entrepreneur
General population

10. Services provided and beneficiaries
Basic services in first phase Advanced services in second phase Free services
•Internet and Telephone
services.
• sending and receiving fax
messages.
•Typing services, printing;
scanning; photocopying
•sending, receiving and
translating e-mail messages.
•Providing meeting space
for small groups.
•Access to government
forms and information.
•Training in computer use
and providing meeting and
reading room.
•Nursing and literacy
•Training services on ICT skills.
•ICDL certificate.
•Developing local database.
•Graphic Design.
•Designing Web page.
•Maintenance hardware.
•Training Foreign Languages
(English, French, Spanish,
Germany).
•Accounting programs
•Small project management.
•Free Law consultants, E- Health,
Financial and Agriculture
consultants
•Free training and audio library
for blind and visually impaired.
•Free training for deaf-mute and
motor rehabilitation.
•Free cultural libraries and audio
national culture for students
•Free government content
(Financial, Agricultural, Tourism,
Results of students exams in
schools and universities).
•Free job search

11. Model – Planning
The model of the project is aimed at promoting disadvantaged and rural individuals to provided
ICT services through universal service and the creation of equal opportunities for rural people to
improve local content, skills, and enhance their livelihood.
Expand and support the uses of ICT in social and economic development.
Build an environment that can use those technologies, especially in isolated
areas.
Contribute to closing the digital gap between cities and rural areas.
Contribute to the creation of job opportunities which depend on ICT.
Assist small sized communities to use those technologies and empower women
in rural areas to benefit from them.
Motivate Syrian citizens to use ICT in acquiring new skills.
Participate actively in communities’ social and economic activities.

12. The Community Portal- Reefnet
Objectives
The use of the Internet in different activities aiming at promoting the social and economic development
The Geographical allocation of the Portals Websites for 100 Syrian towns
Each community portal is
assigned a website and the
telecentre’s staff are
responsible for its
management and
maintenance
www.reefnet.gov.sy

13. The main page contains information about topics of interest
for rural citizens, such as:
A portal that includes:
• valuable information for the communities' members
• Syrian laws, agriculture, education, health,
government transactions
• A huge agricultural content, Syrian Law, health awareness
leaflets, educational books (Arabic Grammar)
• Syrian Heritage
• Reefnet e-library
• Service websites: medical consulting, education,
legal consulting, educational consulting
• General information: maps, currency exchange rates, phones
numbers
• Audio lessons, Specialized audio Lectures,
reef e- library Achievement
Content of Community Portal

14. Built to engage community members in developing and localization of local content,
exploring local cultural and more localized relationship with heritage.
Content of Community Portal

15. Achievements
• The towns are benefiting from the websites to communicate & introduce themselves
& their local activities and issues … some heads of councils are following their towns‘
websites on a daily basis
• Creating a network of contributing volunteers: more than 60 doctors, 30 teacher, 10
attorneys & 10 agricultural engineers to answer all the enquiries of the websites
• A dynamic Syria map in Arabic & world Atlas
• Preparing to establish the encyclopedia of summarized encyclopedias
• Applications to serve the communities (there are some local products can be
marketed online: Draikish silk, Efrin Soap, Bousra’s hey, Mesyaf’s figs
• Linking the communities' websites with the municipality services: different types of
licenses and documents (currently in progress)

16. Mobile Computer Training (E-BAG) in rural village
The Reefnet project extended and speared
computer training in rural community to serving a
large number of rural people which lack ICTs
services. And who don’t have computers in school
or home.
E-BAG Lab improve dtheir computer literacy and
surf the internet through modem mobile.
A computer laboratory in a mobile bag that aims to
bring technology to even the remote rural areas in
Syria.
Mobile Computer Training (E-BAG)

17. Interactive Schools Project
The project was launched with corporate ministry of education in Syria to automate network of
schools and set of regulations that operate in an integrated manner to meet the needs of automation
teachers and students within schools.
The ‘Interactive Schools’ project was implemented in 15 schools in Deir-Ezor, one of Syria’s poorest
regions, providing each school with ten desktops to be used by students as an information hub, and
five for the school’s administrative and managerial purposes.
the Ministry of Education launched a further five schemes in Damascus in January 2011, and is
considering introducing similar initiatives to all Syrian schools.
Goal of the project:
• Enhance the communication between the teachers and students in school and the families of
students.
• Services provided by the Ministry of education regarding the formation of an electronic gathering of
schools reflect the activities and events each school.
Achievements
Work processes in the 20 schools became simplified and automated, eliminating all the paperwork.
Both teachers and parents have acquired valuable skills to use modern technology, through which
they communicate and work more closely to manage the schools and share their views on the
students’ progress.

18. Moving from Advocacy to Action from Exclusion to Equality
Empowering and Services for People with Disabilities through ICT
Primary Objectives
The vision aims at achieving certain goals and focus on disabilities issues through ICTs.
Promote the e-inclusion, e-learning of the PwDs and maximize the use of IT skills.
Bridging the digital divide for PwDs especially within rural communities.
Facilitate access to education, training, culture and remote services .
Readiness for employing and creating job opportunities.
Sharing knowledge and experiences.
Eradicate extreme poverty for within disadvantaged communities
Beneficiaries
Students with Physical Disabilities
Blindness and Visual Impairments
Hearing Impairments
Intellectual Disabilities
Learning Disabilities.
Reefnet project and multiple Partnerships with UNDP, UN-ICTDAR , UNESCO and NGO’s

19. ICTARB promote blind in their skills and rehabilitation and enabling
them to access e-Learning and new job opportunities
Empowering and Services for People with Disabilities through ICT
Salamieh Telecentre equipped with:
•Four IBSAR Arabic Screen Reader
•Braille Printer
•Broadband Internet Connection
•Communication Facilities
•Friendly Environment
Students with Blind and Visually Impairment

20. Empowering and Services for People with Disabilities through ICT
Students with Physical Disabilities Students with intellectual Disabilities
ICT tools can offer support through
- Communication facilities.
- Computer access devices.
- Utilizing the specialized software.
- Maximizing the disabled inputs
- Touch sensitive screens
- The Internet
-ICT4D PwDs can help in many
areas, including word recognition,
math, spelling and even social
skills.
-Communication: E-mail, Internet,
Mobile Phones, SMS
-Compensation: Movies, Music,
Games, Special Services.
-Competence: E-Learning
Systems, Special Training.
-Cognition: Rehabilitating
Programs – IT Persons training of
brain injured, Alarm system
Students with Hearing Disabilities
ICT given Deaf and Hearing Disability
the opportunity to improve their
chances at finding employment and
also to enhance their current careers
The present indications are that an “Information Society for All".

21. Three Syrian Telecentre (Salamieh, Zabadani and CTC Damascus )have been selected as access
points in the project of Knowledge Networks Through ICT Access Points for
Disadvantaged Communities, KN4DC Project –UN-ESCWA
The (KN4DC) is a project that was launched in late 2006 and funded by the United Nations
Development Account. The five UN regional commissions ECA, ESCAP, ECE, ECLAC and ESCWA
partnered to implement this project on a global level
Objective the project
The main objective of the project is to empower disadvantaged communities by transforming
selected ICT access points/Telecentres into knowledge hubs that are networked at the regional and
global levels.
This objective will be reached by providing, developing, organizing, sharing and disseminating
knowledge pertinent to targeted communities in key areas of sustainable development such as
employment, education, gender and health. the project will improve the living standards of the
targeted communities.
Salamieh Telecentre Transformation to Knowledge Centre
http://www.knowledgenets.net/salamieh/.
knowledge means: Force for Development of Disadvantaged Communities

22. Achievements of Salamieh knowledge hub in relation to the main objectives of KN4DC
Salamieh knowledge hub/center put two main objectives:
The first accomplishment is specifically concerned with transforming Salamieh Telecentre from
conventional to smart knowledge hubs. " Salamieh Knowledge Hub"
 Secondly, Salamieh Telecentre intended to empower the poor and disadvantaged communities in
rural areas of Salamieh through further conversion of this knowledge hub into
regional/global knowledge networks.
Salamieh Knowledge Hub organize and disseminate knowledge directly related to socio-
economic development.
The main successes of the project
Promoting sustainable Telecentres and Knowledge Center.
Knowledge sharing - sharing experiences, skills and expertise.
Implementation - lessons learnt and best practices, and sharing knowledge on
methodologies and tools used for telecentre assessment and evaluation.
Work towards knowledge sharing and knowledge fusion.
Work with local and national organization and NGO's to identify specific projects for donor funding
in partnership.

23. Rural Women's & Youth Empowerment
Salamieh Telecentre Transformation to Knowledge Centre

24. Children's Empowerment
Salamieh Telecentre Transformation to Knowledge Centre

25. Empowerment of the Elderly
Salamieh Telecentre Transformation to Knowledge Centre

26. Increasing Knowledge, and Raising Awareness of Local Community
Salamieh Telecentre Transformation to Knowledge Centre

27. •Economies of scale and scope attracting more number of users and offering wider range
of services.
•Keeping costs – capital as well recurrent, low is one of the keys to economic sustainability.
•Generating revenue from diverse fees and services.
•Revenue from core communication applications.
•Gradual growth of other revenue sources.
•Identification of information and communication needs of the users.
•Guarding against potential negative externalities – making sure that every Telecentre
benefits from the development of such services.
•Designing appropriate policies.
•Building local capability – ensuring proper technical training of the operators.
Challenges Ahead

28. The Syrian Telecentre Project is continuing with a new vision and new future plan to invest
in human development and infrastructure.
The project is continuing in developing industrial development policies and promoting
environmental sustainability and improving rural / urban areas through the use of ICTs.
The mission of the Syrian Telecentre Project is to build sustainability not only in the
telecentres served, but also in the local communities served by telecentres and improve the
way of life for people living in Syria.
The Road Ahead

29. Nabil Eid
Executive Secretary of Knowledge Networks for Disadvantaged Communities- Western Asia
Regional Community Coordinator – Telecentre.org Foundation in MENA Region
Team Leader of Slamieh Telecentre at Syrian Telecentre Project
neid@telecentre.org