1 2 perspectives of rural Solomon Islands…….. Solomon Islands People First Network

2 Solomon Is. – The challenges

3 The intervention AIMS: To promote and facilitate equitable and sustainable rural development and peace building by enabling better information sharing and knowledge building among and across communities forming the Solomon Islands AIMS: To promote and facilitate equitable and sustainable rural development and peace building by enabling better information sharing and knowledge building among and across communities forming the Solomon Islands BACKGROUND: SIDAPP (UNDP/UNOPS/S.I.G.) BACKGROUND: SIDAPP (UNDP/UNOPS/S.I.G.)

4 Facilitate point-to-point communications 1. Facilitate point-to-point communications The Objectives

5 2. Facilitate rural development and peace-related information flows among all social groups; 3. Facilitate the exchange of information between communities and stakeholders; Objectives cont.

6 Progress Proven model for rural network Proven model for rural network Established revenue base (iCafe) Established revenue base (iCafe) Popular web site / portal Popular web site / portal Deployed 7 rural points of access Deployed 7 rural points of access Networking for: Networking for: –Distance learning –Agriculture and fisheries development –Indigenous business development –Rural Vocational Training

7 Strategy for rural connectivity Affordable appropriate technology Affordable appropriate technology Sympathetic to local conditions Sympathetic to local conditions Connect large number of communities Connect large number of communities Centralised technical support and revenue base Centralised technical support and revenue base

8 Sustainability strategy Participatory approach Participatory approach Agreement Agreement Revenue sharing Revenue sharing Maintenance fund Maintenance fund Mutual support network Mutual support network On-air technical support On-air technical support Appropriate technology Appropriate technology Central revenue-generating base Central revenue-generating base

9 Gender strategy Professional opportunities for women Professional opportunities for women Income generating opportunities Income generating opportunities Networking and ICT capacity building for women’s groups Networking and ICT capacity building for women’s groups Indirectly, networking empowers everyone Indirectly, networking empowers everyone Research shows balanced usage by gender Research shows balanced usage by gender

10 Choice of technology HF radio HF radio Low running costLow running cost Appropriate TechnologyAppropriate Technology Affordable - SustainableAffordable - Sustainable Solar poweredSolar powered Can be upgradedCan be upgraded

11 How is a rural facility organised? Management Committee Management Committee Operator assisted Operator assisted Single shared account (initially) Single shared account (initially) Customers pay nominal fee to send an message Customers pay nominal fee to send an message Other services Other services Daily and monthly reporting to PFnet Daily and monthly reporting to PFnet

12 Rural Network 7 sites deployed First station established Oct 2001 First station established Oct 2001

13

14 Applications Community Community Distance Learning Distance Learning Agriculture and Fisheries Agriculture and Fisheries Indigenous Business Development Indigenous Business Development Disaster Management Disaster Management

15 Usage Statistics - 1 From daily reports sent by rural operators For December 2002

16 Traffic Dec 2002 Nov 2001-Oct 2002 Sent (ave. 330/month) Received (ave. 360/month) Total

17 PFnet Sasamungga – traffic per month

18 PFnet Sasamungga – station revenues 1 Solomon Dollar SBD = US 13c

19 senders by age group Sample size = 350 From daily reports, all stations, Dec 2002

20 senders by gender Sample size = 350 From daily reports, all stations, Dec 2002 GenderNumber% Male26275 Female8825

21 senders by education level Sample size = 350 From daily reports, all stations, Dec 2002

22 destinations Count% Domestic28380% International6720% Honiara246 Provinces 37 Australia 11 New Zealand 13 Fiji 7 Vanuatu 5 PNG 3 Hawaii3 Kiribati 2 French Polynesia1 Other Pacific Is.1 UK6 USA mainland6 Italy3 Sweden3 Japan1 Philippines1 France1

23 Reasons for communicating Family correspondence202 Business and investment32 Education18 Travel17 Finance and Banking14 Project / NGO13 Sports8 Ordering Supplies / Stocks8 Health / Medical8 Church6 Construction6 Fisheries4 Lands and Titles2 Government Administration2 Other/Unknown9

24 Usage Statistics - 2 Research interview results Sasamungga station Sasamungga station 120 interviewed 120 interviewed 10 months after station deployed 10 months after station deployed

25 How many are using PFnet Total Several members of family 32 (27%) The interviewees only 14 (12%) Other family members only 30 (25%) No-one in family 44 (37%)

26 Profile of station users Education Level FemaleMaleTotal Primary58 13 (47) Jr. Secondary (32) Sr. Secondary 22 4 (20) College96 15 (18) University12 3 (3)

27 How often do people use PFnet

28 Main reasons people send messages Family correspondence (47%) Family correspondence (47%) Education (25%) Education (25%) Business (9%) Business (9%) Health (6%) Health (6%) Development (5%) Development (5%) Church (3%) Church (3%) Other (5%) Other (5%)

29 How people say PFnet benefits them I can send messages quickly (63%) I can send messages quickly (63%) I can send messages cheaply (51%) I can send messages cheaply (51%) I can send messages quickly and cheaply (39%) I can send messages quickly and cheaply (39%) Easy to pursue business dealings, make orders and contact suppliers, and locate new suppliers (11%) Easy to pursue business dealings, make orders and contact suppliers, and locate new suppliers (11%) Gives me access to education services Gives me access to education services Helps me (school Principal) in school admin Helps me (school Principal) in school admin Gives me health security as it helps the hospital (17%) Gives me health security as it helps the hospital (17%) Helps me coordinate my development project Helps me coordinate my development project Helps me to send urgent messages Helps me to send urgent messages Gives me access to international news Gives me access to international news

30 Benefits to the whole community Fast and affordable communications Fast and affordable communications Community is better informed Community is better informed Supports local businesses by improving efficiency Supports local businesses by improving efficiency Improves access to education and quality of education Improves access to education and quality of education Supports local economy Supports local economy Supports health and medical services Supports health and medical services Religious groups can better coordinate activities Religious groups can better coordinate activities Gives community a voice to lobby decision makers Gives community a voice to lobby decision makers

31 Funding Model proven. Now: Model proven. Now: Need to expand for national impacts Need to expand for national impacts Need to consolidate base operations Need to consolidate base operations Need to build capacity Need to build capacity Original formulation for 2-year program Original formulation for 2-year program Business plan requires expansion Business plan requires expansion USD 500K from multiple donors USD 500K from multiple donors