The document discusses the implementation of battery-operated communication systems in Northern Uganda aimed at addressing the challenges of war and displacement. Initiated in 2004, the BOSCO project seeks to foster economic and social development through access to information technology, with a focus on training local community leaders in collaborative web-based skills. It highlights successful deployment in rural areas, the formation of user groups, and ongoing partnerships to enhance capacity building and human rights initiatives.

1. Battery Operated Systems for Community Outreach

2. Northern Uganda War and Displacement in the last 20 years Ongoing Peace Talks with rebel LRA group Massive Internal Displacement at Height of War Nearly 2 million displaced Extreme isolation of people in IDP camps

3. BOSCO—A solution to isolation… and so much more Increased access to information and communication will be a key issue for economic and social reconstruction. Currently it is unusual for any rural school to offer education related to Information Technology (IT) and computers. Basic service providers (such as schools, health centres, local government, local NGOs, CBOs, etc.) have very limited access to information through the Internet, especially in rural areas.

4. BOSCO - History Initiated by group of University of Notre Dame Alumni and Archbishop J.B. Odama in 2004 Licensed for operation by UCC in Dec. 2006 Land Survey and meeting Communities done early 2007 Phase I Deployment and Installation with Inveneo finished in April 2007

5. BOSCO Mission Provide Communication and Information Technology to foster social and economical Development and Peace Building in Rural Communities of Northern Uganda using a collaborative, web-based approach.

6. Technical Solution BOSCO is using technologies designed for rural areas with no access to power grid Low-power, solar powered “thin client” PCs linked over long-range WiFi to central server and Internet Internal (Intranet) network content management page Free VoIP telephony access from station to station within network and to selected area codes in U.S. and Europe

7. BOSCO Content Programming Collaborative IC C T (Information, Communication and Collaboration Technology) Education “ Training of Trainers” (ToT) program at current locations Training key leaders at our sites and working with them to encourage them to train their local community members using collaborative Web 2.0 technologies for self-advocacy in each community

8. BOSCO Content Programming

9. BOSCO Content Programming Development Fostering creative partnerships with local organizations in e-agriculture, human rights monitoring, and economic development projects Individual users using the Internet and wikispace to post proposals for funding community development projects Micro-donor program for educators at site locations

10. BOSCO Content Programming

11. BOSCO Content Programming Information Access Accessing basic local news resources in remote locations for the first time Using the web to seek out education opportunities and/or advancement of current profession (e.g. information on agriculture or small business accounting practices, human rights monitoring)

12. Phase I Deployment—April 2007 Phase I deployment covered 9 sites, including 6 rural IDP camps

13. Current Status Technology has been proven successful in rural environment Collaborative ToT user groups forming at each site (38 registered volunteer trainers) Need for new 30 meter broadcasting tower Various programming and connectivity partnerships underway: Human Rights Focus-Gulu, local and district government, NGO’s around Gulu Grant proposals for funding: Unicef, USAID, WCRWC, Gates Foundation Local Capacity Building BOSCO now established under umbrella of Archdiocese of Gulu Two new, local, full-time coordinators (project coordinator and technical assistant) hired

14. BOSCO-Uganda and Inveneo Inveneo is a partner to BOSCO supplying all equipment as well as remote technical support after installation http://www.inveneo.org

15. BOSCO Needs Construction of 30 meter tower Should be built on BOSCO property to avoid future disputes over use Further implementation and evaluation of Web 2.0 training programs at each site ICCT curriculum support and evaluation Evaluation and monitoring of ToT program Funding to expand the current network's infrastructure by installing long-range Wi-Fi relay points in already-mapped strategic locations across northern Uganda. Transportation funding is needed to help establish local user groups to host communication stations

16. Current Partners BOSCO-USA Provides managerial oversight to BOSCO-Uganda Vetting of all technology and remote monitoring Fundraising and collaboration with US based partnerships Horizont3000 Provides salary for one full-time development worker/advisor Providing 50 percent salary each for capacity building (local technician and project coordinator) Human Rights Focus-Gulu Partnering with BOSCO-Uganda on a Women’s Commission grant opportunity Partnering with BOSCO-Uganda on a USAID proposal to train human rights field volunteers in collaborative ICT use for peace building and human rights monitoring