Hotspots in the high himalayas: project management case study of the information and communication technology global development alliance

Rural internet access is extremely limited in Nepal, and negligible in the remote mountainous areas that make up most of the country. Access to these areas is mostly by foot, several days from the nearest road head; infrastructure and basic services such as government, health and education-related services are negligible. Despite the government's ambitious plans and policies to improve access to ICT services to the rural population, including some e-governance services, ICT deployment and use has remained minimal outside urban centers. Unlike urban Internet Cafes, rural telecenters in Nepal are challenged by low user literacy and information use potential, and limited revenue generation possibilities. They need support to realize the larger objectives of e-governance, e-health and e-commerce. Several modes of increasing access to e-services have been tried with minimal success. Outlined below is an approach that provides internet services to rural users linked to some life-enhancing information that impacts their daily life directly. The Information and Communication Technology Global Development Alliance (ICT GDA) is a partnership between Mercantile Communications Private Limited and Winrock International-Nepal. This activity facilitates overall community mobilization by providing services through ICT telecenters to improve rural connectivity through the use of telephony, internet email and related services. The project provides connectivity through VSAT and is among the first non-commercial venture to extend connectivity through Wi-Fi networks, creating local loops in remote areas. The project has built partnerships with principle stakeholders in the field of ICT promotion in Nepal, both government and private sector. Multisectoral linkages between e-governance and other services have been established through relevant local bodies, organizations in the development sector, and communities in order to deliver fast and reliable services to achieve universal objectives pertaining to poverty alleviation, education, health and hygiene.