- Objective
The primary objective of the project is to demonstrate the effective contribution of an IT infrastructure in the accelerated socio-economic development. To provide increased opportunities for growth and a better quality of life for citizens in rural communities, particularly the youth, by using ICT as a tool and enabler for development.
- Description
The e-Village concept initialized with a pilot project in a small village in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka - Mahavillachchiya. The village, with limited access to resources and few opportunities for its youth benefited greatly when ICT was introduced. Through dedicated teachers, individuals and organizations, the village youth were empowered with the knowledge and skills needed to access the means for a better quality life. An example of the impact the partners contribution and efforts have made on the village is secondary level students are now commissioned to design websites and are earning more than their parents who are mostly farmers.
ICTA is now looking to replicate this successful model in other villages across the country. Villages with limited resources and opportunities for their youth will be identified, and provided with ICT facilities for e-learning, e-commerce, and other services. ICTA will work in collaboration with partners to bring in a greater resource pool of expertise and services, to develop the village and allow for innovative social mobility amongst the members of the community.
- Target Group
Rural Communities
- Project Results
- Increased access to information and knowledge for children and adults
- Increased awareness on the benefits of ICT and increased participation of villagers in ICT based activities such as e-commerce, e- learning etc.
- Multi media library services to the community
- Gradual dispersion of ICTs to neighbouring villages
- Skilled trainers at village level
- Project Benefits
Empowered rural communities through access to information
Collaborative Project between ICT Agency, LearnAid, and KRWF
Ketawela will soon have an ICT & English Centre, as a result of the collaboration between the Information Communication Technology Agency (ICT Agency) of Sri Lanka, LearnAid and the Kshasthriya Rajaputhra Weerasinghe Foundation (KRWF) of Mawathagama. The Foundation Stone Laying ceremony for the centre was held on January 25. Representatives of ICT Agency, LearnAid and Weerasinghe Foundation were present among the gathering of distinguished guests and members of the local community.
One of the responsibilities of ICT Agency is the implementation of the e-Sri Lanka Development Programme The proposed ICT & English Centre will be a constituent element of the Ketawala e-village that will be established under this programme.
The objective of the project is to expand access to ICT, particularly by the youth in the rural community of Ketawala and its environs. It is also hoped that there will be enhanced interaction between Tamil and Sinhalese communities living in the locality as the setting of the ICT Centre will require the users to share the resources that will be made available. Although the main beneficiaries of the ICT and English Language Centre are children studying at Ketawala Vidyalaya, Muwankanda Saraswathi Hindu Vidyalaya, and Gonagaladeniya Primary School, school leaving youth as well as the parents of the children will be given access to the facilities.
The ICT & English Centre will be built in a 20 perch block of land that has been donated to the project by the village temple. The site is located 6 Km from Mawathagama and is in close proximity to the Ketawala School.
The construction of the building will be financed by LearnAid with private funds donated by Kuwaiti philanthropists. KRFW will manage the project under the overall guidance and supervision of ICT Agency.
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