Case Studies

Communication Technology

Aileu

The Friends of Aileu have worked together with the Aileu District Administration, the Australian based Alternative Technology Association (ATA) and the local Aileu community to install solar technology in the district. This has allowed the group to set up internet access and it has become a means of consistent and reliable communication for the whole district and allows regular contact between Aileu and the Friends of Aileu group. The group charges as small fee for those who wish to use the internet and so in this way manages to subsidise the running and upkeep costs. Access more information at the following link: http://www.moreland.vic.gov.au/publications/aileu.htm

Case Study Two;

Under a partnership between two not-for-profit organisations, the Alternative Technology Association (ATA) and Infoxchange Australia, six students from the Dili Institute of Technology in East Timor, who are currently in Melbourne as part of a training program with Infoxchange, will learn how to utilise solar power. When they return to Dili, the East Timorese will set up a social enterprise called Tulun Dili that will provide local communities with access to affordable computers and technology. Technology can be married with social justice. The computers for Suai are part of an ongoing computer training program to help young East Timorese become computer literate. The students could be the nucleus for setting up IT help and hardware across the country. The computers are to be programmed with free Linux software which the students are currently translating into Tetum. The students are also undertaking training in the maintenance of the solar panels. ATA has provided solar panels at half price through industry sponsorship and a troop of ATA volunteers will head over in October to use their expertise and install the solar panels to power-up the community centres. Both will receive solar panels and new computers. The solar panels will also power the transmitter for the local community radio station and the health clinic in the mountains outside Suai that has no electricity at all and can't operate at night.

Practical suggestions on how to improve communication

Australian groups could fund a communications hub in their counterpart communities, which would provide premises for the Commission to meet and organise, a place for people to come to with proposals, a site for internet access and for administration work to do with the Friendship agreements.

At present the Friendship Liaison Officer does not have access to a landline nor fax machine nor the internet. Nor do they have a budget or vehicle. If these were provided they would be able to travel to and from each district and interact more regularly with the groups. They could become the key point for communication for those groups who lack access and could relay messages to and from the groups.