Goal:
The goal of this project
is to create a sustainable office/internet collaborative and/or
incubator style environment for local NGO's in Makeni, Sierra Leone.
Concept:
- Option 1: aibia will obtain a building or use an existing building to house both office space and public internet facilities. The “common” room will house approximately 5 computers to be rented to the public on an hourly basis (internet cafe), the income from this facility will go towards paying for the rent, upkeep of computers, and the facility.
- Option 2: aibia will operate a typical collaborative incubator where any number of companies/ngo's/individuals pay a monthly/daily/hourly rate for internet access and/or wireless, etc.
Logistics:
Computing: aibia will
source netbooks, a wireless router, and a satellite internet modem,
as well as the ancillary networking needs to set up wireless
facilitation.
Facilities: aibia will
either use an existing building that is currently housing NGOs, or
rent/buy a separate one. Secure, tables, chairs, generator,
electrical facilities, etc.
Rationale:
West Africa is isolated
and unconnected in many ways. Sierra Leone in particular is by many
measures the poorest per capita country in the world, and recovering
from a terrible civil war. There is no reliable internet
connectivity, there is no power in most of the country, and thus
there is no easy way to do business. The local NGO's have very few
outlets or ways of being connected to the outside world or foreign
donors. They need to be connected. This facilitation is a first
step in getting several of these NGO's set up with a solid
foundation.
