Gedaref Digital City Organisation Developing Sudan through ICT
Gedaref digital city organization (GDCO) is a Non Governmental Organisation that was established in early 2005. It is a non political organization but it partners with the government, other national and international organizations, donors and supporters based on the benefit of the community.
It is the first digital city in Sudan.
GDCO won an i4D award for information for development award in the i4d 2007 awards in e-India, August 2007 at New Delhi. It has strong partnership with the great people of Eindhoven through the digital city of Eindhoven (DSE). The digital city of Eindhoven donated 750 computers to GDCO last year and another 600 PCs are expected soon.
GDCO is supported by the Gedaref state government and community information supporting fund represented by the National Information Centre (NIC) and national telecommunication cooperation (NTC) . It is also supported by Gedaref public water organization
Objectives
Using of information technology for the development of the community. Trainings and Enhancing capacity building, special treatment for the disabled through ICT and Bridging the Digital divide
Projects implemented by GDCO :--
1) Bridging the digital divide and inclusion of disabled in the society
This is the big project GDCO has implemented. It provides equal access to ICT (bridging digital divide), training and capacity building, and inclusion of disabled in the information society. GDCO trains them for free (capacity building), provide them with free computers (at home), establish Telecentres for every group to help them sustain the life and be independent.
So far 120 computers were donated by GDCO & DSE to the disabled to establish 6 telecentres. GDCO trained the disabled (deaf) the internet so they can send emails, chat through messengers instead of the sign language.
2- Gedaref university (e-learning) support
Gedaref University was provided with 120 computers for the computer Science College and community college. The objectives are to get students involved in hands on training, develop an electronic library and carry out more research.
3- Electronic (digital) medical records
50 computers were donated by GDCO & DSE to the hospital and medical centers to keep patients records and have a database which can be used for strategic health plan.
4- e-Agriculture (farmer)
15 computers were donated by GDCO & DSE to the mechanized agriculture scheme. 13.000 farmers are on the network of this partnership. After this project is completed farmers can get information through GIS and GPS. Also farmers use GDCO website in agriculture extension and to sell their crops (crop marketing).
Click on any of these links to read more about GDCO
http://gedarefcity.org/oldsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=96&Itemid=77
http://www.stockholmchallenge.se/data/923
http://www.dse.nl/%7Egedaref/archief.htm
http://www.eindia.net.in/telecentreforum/presentation/Ahmed_Presentation.pdf
http://www.i4donline.net/news/news-details.asp?catid=7&newsid=10255
http://www.barrierbreak.com/agenda.php
http://www.dse.nl/node/view/1402
http://www.digitaldivide.net/articles/view.php?ArticleID=889
http://www.digitaldivide.net/search/index.php?Keyword=SUDAN
http://www.telecentre.org/?event=search&criteria=GDCO&x=17&y=7
http://www.telecentre.org/?event=search&collection=site&criteria=SUDAN&x=29&y=12
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=t&ie=UTF-8&rls=TSHA,TSHA:2006-03,TSHA:en&q=gedaref+digital+city
http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=gedaref+digital+city&fr=yfp-t-501&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8
http://www.ideler.nl/2006-1213-gedaref-visit/
http://www.digitaldivide.net/search/index.php?Keyword=SUDAN