Former and current telecentre.org executive directors present the challenges and opportunities for the telecentre movement in the rapidly changing environment of ICT4D.

1. Welcome to
TIS Talks
We believe that today’s ICT4D
(information and community
technology for development)
environment presents us with trends
and opportunities with great potential
to generate game changing
innovations to telecentres and their
growing number of users.
Join us and learn how!

2. Host and moderator
Jimena Betancourt
TELECENTE SUSTAINABILITY WEBINAR COORDINATOR
Jimena Betancourt is an international
consultant with more than 10 years of
experience in social innovation, strategy and
management for sustainable development
enterprises and social businesses in ICT4D. She
has been involved with the telecentre
movement since 2009. Jimena has an
Master’s in Business Administration from
Simmons College and a degree in Finance
and International Relations from Universidad
Externado de Colombia.

3. Sustainability
Models
Trends &
Opportunities
TIS Talks Phase 1.
Product Development
oriented
• Syrian Telecentre
Project
• BIID N Bangladesh
Partnership oriented
• ATN Brasil
• Colnodo Colombia
• Social
Innovation
• Social Enterprise
• ICT Business
models
leveraging ICT
for the Base of
the Pyramid
1. 2.

4. Sustainability is possible
Florencio Ceballos & Miguel Raimilla
Telecentres history & TIS Talks Overview
Sustainability of
Telecentres

5. Telecentre.org origins
(2005)
• We initiated telecentre.org with a rather simple idea:
how to catalyze an ongoing, global and distributed
endeavor to facilitate communities with public access to
ICT related opportunities.
• Nevertheless, especially during the first year, several
“debates” emerged (or were revisited) as we refined
telecentre.org approach.
• I will focus today in 4 of them, related with the very basis
of the telecentre movement, its rationale and evolution
during the recent years.
Sustainability is possible

6. Building on paradoxes
• Many socially valued grassroots initiatives / a devaluation
of the perception of effectiveness of telecentres among
some policymakers at a global scale.
• Few international organizations with a solid track of
working and researching with telecentres / A lack of
systematized proofs of effectiveness –“return of
investment”- able to build a new theory of change.
Sustainability is possible

7. Building on paradoxes
• An evolving technological environment reducing cost for
social innovation / a lag among telecentres to adopt
new technologies to improve their own capacity and
services
• Telecentres as entry points to information / network /
knowledge bases society / incapacity for those
telecentres to take advantage of those changes in their
own way of working.
Sustainability is possible

8. Sustainability is possible
To a systemic approach
• As we moved from an idea into a concrete social
innovation effort, several debates helped to configure
our priorities and approaches, especially regarding
sustainability: policy, economics, technology and
organization.

9. Sustainability is possible
To a systemic approach
• As a response, telecentre.org adopted a systemic
approach, moving away from involvement in
telecentre start-up and pilots towards strengthening
existing telecentre initiatives from an Eco systemic
perspective.
• 1. Building networks
• 2. Creating content and services
• 3. Sharing knowledge
• 4. Connecting people

10. The policy question
• Despite sustainability issues, the number of initiatives kept
growing –national pilot programs and ambitious
statements about scaling up telecentres .
• The very concept of digital divide was questioned by
changes in access to technology – mobile telephony
, residential Internet penetration and private shared
access initiatives (cybercafés).
Sustainability is possible

11. The policy question
• Questions on telecentres effectiveness. Telecentres were
-generally speaking- unable to demonstrate and
communicate impacts, ensure return of investment, and
increase the variety of services they provided to
communities (McNamara, 2003).
• The idea of telecentres as public goods was questioned.
Shall they be publicly funded?
Sustainability is possible

12. A warm network
• Main asset of successful telecentres is not the
infrastructure, nor the financial capital, but the human
one (champions & leaders)…
• Many initiatives existed, but were disconnected at a
national, regional and global level. They did not know
about each other.
Sustainability is possible

13. A warm network
• telecentre.org envisioned itself not as a program nor a
funding initiative, but a movement: a warm network by
shared values, affection and trust. If leaders could trust
each other they will be able to engage in associative
efforts (training, business, services).
• We prioritized on a first moment the face to face, the
local/national networking rather than the global.
Regional and global networks came later.
Sustainability is possible

14. A changing technology
• Telecentre.org started before facebook, twitter and most
of the current social media commodities existed.
• Ongoing social debate about technologies & innovation:
proprietary v/s open software, collaborative v/s
individualistic technologies, social v/s private
licensing, social networking, etc . IDRC and Microsoft
were organizations historically (and mistakenly)
assimilated with two opposite sides of that debate.
Sustainability is possible

15. A changing technology
• Digital divide and information society, were concepts
associated with access to computing via “traditional
devises”. But the gap was increasingly filled by
mobile, low cost devises not incorporated to the “digital
divide discourse”.
• Technology neutral approach, appropriateness as the
key element in using technologies to reach
development and increase opportunities.
Sustainability is possible

16. New economy at the grassroots
• Telecentre.org emerged in a time of growing economy. A
new idea on how ICTs could bring wealth to the poor was
also emerging.
• New idea of philanthropy as investment in social
entrepreneurship. New landscape and practices from
donors.
• Wealth at the basis of the pyramid as the new frontier of
markets> Opportunities of scaling up in a
networked, knowledge based economy.
• Sustainability as a result of diversification and improvements
on services provided.
Sustainability is possible

17. Florencio Ceballos
Senior Program Specialist
Governance, Security and Justice at IDRC.
Florencio is a former Program Manager of
Telecentre.org and has served as Board of
Director for the Foundation.
Florencio is an expert on citizen participation
and information and communication
technologies (ICTs) as tools for development
of poor and marginalized communities. His
focus now is on how technology helps
communities to redefine the quality and
accountability of governance and states.
Sustainability is possible

18. Time to move on
From Internet and ICT Access
to
Innovation and Development
Centers
The Telecentre 2.0 is within easy
reach
Sustainability is possible

19. Time to move on
Think out of the box
Sustainability is possible
Don’t be afraid to
be different
Unleash your
creativity
Explore new grounds

20. Time to move on
Even better; create your
own
Most Telecentre networks
have developed a unique
expertise, knowledge and
capacity, that have yet to
be explore to its full
potential
Sustainability is possible

21. Time to move on
Unleash Telecentre Talents & Creativity
Enable and empower virtual
communities
Lead your communities to meaningful
discussions
Sustainability is possible

22. Time to move on
Highlight your knowledge
Develop and diversify
services
Every telecentre service
must add true value to the
end users
Sustainability is possible

23. Time to move on
The power of a global community
Success is better recognized when impact large
number of people
Sustainability is possible

24. Time to move on
Embrace the power of
collaboration
Build a much stronger network
Partner with other networks
Invite new partners to join
Sustainability is possible

25. Time to move on
Expand your notion of partnerships and
strategic alliances
Opportunities are growing in unexpected areas
Always ask yourself; What can I do to change and
improve my current reality?
Sustainability is possible

26. Time to move on
Bring the best of the business world to reach
higher social impacts
Learn how to best speak the language of new donors
Explore technologies for better management and
data collection
Develop and/or improve your business plan
Sustainability is possible

27. Time to move on
Telecentre as Social Enterprise
Social Entrepreneurship a way of sustainability
A Social Entrepreneur model for Telecentre Networks
Sustainability is possible

28. Time to move on
Telecentre as a channel for new
products and services
Telecentre global reach
Telecentre local knowledge and expertise
Sustainability is possible

29. Time to move on
Telecentre in your phone
Connect your Telecentre
with the mobile industry
Transform your
telecentre in a hub of
mobile services
Telecentre 2.0
Sustainability is possible
+

30. Moving forward - Telecentre 2.0
Key components:
Global exchange
knowledge 2.0
Collaboration at
its best
Sustainability is possible

31. Moving forward – Telecentre 2.0
Key components:
Connect with private sectors and innovators
Sustainability is possible

32. Moving forward – Telecentre 2.0
Key components:
Develop regional projects with multiple stakeholders
Sustainability is possible

33. About the TIS Talks Webinar Series
& Pilots opportunities
We are presenting you with a
living Lab
a platform where to cook your
own ideas
Continue the discussion online
Search for additional information
Develop new steps in your region
Sustainability is possible

34. Webinar series & Pilots opportunities
We expect you will:
Learn, join, apply, promote, and share
Sustainability is possible

35. Webinar series & Pilots opportunities
How to join a pilot or initiative
TCF will coordinate how to develop pilots in
different regions
Sustainability is possible

36. TIS Talks Phase 2.
• Identify potential partners to develop distribution
channels of products and services (E-health, distance
education, telecomunications solutions, and others)
• .Identify solutions for network’s management based
in open software applications
• .Identify solutions to lower hardware cost
• .Identify partners to develop applications for greater
impact in the communities served by telecentre
networks

37. Miguel Raimilla
Executive Director
Telecentre.org Foundation
Miguel is a Social Entrepreneur with over 18 years of
experience as a founding member of various
multinational/multicultural initiatives linked with
youth, social development, and social enterprises
throughout Latin America, Asia, Europe and the
United States.. Miguel is also the co-founder of
private companies dedicated to software
development, and coaching of entrepreneurs.
Facilitator of new funding partnerships with
multilateral foundations, private investors and
corporations; Developer of Telecentre
models, training content, and methodologies;
Leader in the ICT4D concept for under-served and
rural communities worldwide.
Sustainability is possible

38. Sustainability is possible
Next Steps:
1.Complete TIS Talks evaluation form
at:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TISTalks01
This is a requisite to receive your
certificate of attendance
2. Join us on Tuesday (tomorrow) to
learn about the Syrian Telecentre
Project
• English : 8:00am GMT
• Arabic: 10:00amGMT
• Spanish: 4:00pm GMT

39. Thank you !
Sustainability of
Telecentres
Telecentre.org Foundation
July 23, 2012