Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka

In a further move to achieving the objective of the Mahinda Chintana policy statement of empowering the people, the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) organised the training of another batch of Nenasala Operators recently.

The 78 strong batch of rural and youthful Nenasala operators spread throughout the island  assembled for a six-day tailor-made training at the well-equipped MAS Institute of Management and Technology (MIMT) in Tulhiriya.

The unique skills training programme aimed at making the Nenasala Operators turn their Nenasalas into highly effective providers of access to “diverse and unrestricted sources of information and means of communication” was conducted by Beeta Horizons (Pvt.) Ltd.

Explaining the purpose of the special training, ICTA Project Manager, Gavashkar Subramanium, said that the objective of the training was to improve the skills of Nenasala operators in operating the Nenasala sustainably  by providing the optimal benefits of ICT to the community.

With emphasis on group work, the training programme had been designed with an insight into the cultural and educational background of the Nenasala operators, the majority of whom were from rural environments working in disadvantaged milieus.

An important feature of the training was the motivational session that aimed at developing the  skills of Nenasala operators  in leadership, team building, communication, positive thinking and change  of attitude. The Training providers used a distinctive approach, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), to bring about a healthy attitudinal change in the  Nenasala operators.

At the end of the training the participants commended the quality of the training. They were confident that they would be able to manage their Nenasala centres efficiently and provide a quality ICT service to the community. Above all they were hopeful that they would not only manage their Nenasala centres successfully upon their return to the respective villages but also inspire their Nenasala users to gain ICT skills which will open a world of new possibilities to them.

Nenasalas or Wisdom outlets as they are called are the unique Telecentre brand of Sri Lanka and were a brainchild of His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

At a time when world funding bodies proposed the setting of internet-cafés in cities of Sri Lanka in a manner that would cater only to the rich elite, President Mahinda Rajapaksa decided that Nenasalas or Wisdom Outlets should be set up instead island-wide to cater to the poor rural folk. As intended by the Mahinda Chintana policy statement of His Excellency the Nenasalas have greatly contributed to raising the IT-literacy of Sri Lanka to its current 30 per cent mark from less than 9 per cent in 2004. To mention a few of the benefits of Nenasalas, they  help all categories of people to find IT solutions in their fields including farmers to get speedy information about cultivation practices, pest control methods, seed material, marketing, weather etc. while they serve as a boon to students to be engaged in their subject-wise studies and in particular English and aid job-seekers to know what jobs are available and how they could prepare themselves to obtain them. In a nutshell Nenasalas serve as the centre in making life comfortable to the people through the use of ICT.

While the total number of Nenasalas island-wind including the North  and East now stands at 600 twenty-two Nenasala owners  function as ‘ICT ambassadors’ in Sri Lanka. The title has been given to selected Nenasala owners by ICTA  in recognition of the significant contribution made by them in bringing the benefits of ICT to the people of the relevant areas. ICTA said that the objective of appointing these ICT ambassadors was to motivate them further in their endeavour to make ICT benefits accrue to other areas as well. ICTA is in an on-going process revamping the  Nenasalas. Providing training to Nenasala Operators and articulating the appreciation of enthusiastic Nenasala owners by naming them ‘ICT ambassadors’ are a couple of moves in offering this shot in the arm to Nenasalas to boost their efficiency as an ever-improving endeavour.
 

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