Afara:: Local Content Development

"AFARA" pilot project

PIN proposes a practical approach in form of a project to help solve the problem of IT knowledge availability in local languages, using the Yoruba language as a pilot. In Africa’s Nigeria (which is the setting for this project), “come” can be translated as, “wa”, “zo”, “bia”, etc. Actually, there are as many local languages as there are dialects – and there are over 300 dialects! Unfortunately, the official language (English) is not understood or spoken by a good percentage of the population and that means that the task of taking the gospel of IT literacy to the grassroots is not a simple task – but it must be done.

AFÁRÁ, which seeks to deliver IT lessons in Yoruba (one of Nigeria’s popular languages), is a project which will serve as a model for other initiatives (some of which may already be existent – a fact that we do not doubt). This will help Southern initiatives to join all possible forces in combating this multiheaded monster that may throw us years behind civilisation – the digital divide.

Strategic Purpose

I. Ensure that all Nigerians have access to the basic ICT tools and are able to harness these in their different fields or job function.

II. Delivers IT lessons in Nigerian Local Language with Yoruba as the Pivot.

III. Builds on locale’s attachment to the radio and audio sources.

IV. Conduct regular awareness programmes on the Projects.

Target

I. Organisation of Stakeholder forum: PIN will create a forum where all stakeholders will discuss the "AFARA" concept, the role of the Nigerian Youths in the implementation of this Project and the establishment of an effective platform for the implementation of the ‘Afara’ project.

II. Formulation of an adequately resourced Implementation Team.

III. Research on and the gathering of all necessary information and materials for effective implementation of the project in partnership with identified stakeholders. Ensure the availability of relevant information for the platform.

IV. Promote awareness about ‘Afara’ within the Nigerian Community and the general public.

V. Mobilize resources for the implementation of the project.

Programmes & Timeline

I. Open discussions with stakeholders Q4 2004.

II. Finalise and publish the modus operandi of ‘Afara’ implementation including a regular reporting and evaluation tool, and project begin project implementation by Q4 2004.

III. Hold a stakeholders forum Q1 2005.

IV. Finalise the establishment of an adequately resourced Implementation Team by Q3 2005.

See Other Projects