Executive Summary

Overview and Background

The Elim e-Community forum came to life in 2004, when the Centre for e-Innovation of the Provincial Government of the Western Cape identified the need to equip disadvantaged communities such as Elim, with Information Communication and Technological Skillls, in the stature of the Cape Access Project. Initially we collaborated with the local primary school, Elim Moravian Primary, where we accomodated members of the community after school hours. Due to certain problems we experienced at school, pertaining financial queries, we decided to move away from the school and search for a more appropriate venue where the community could have access to the centre for the whole day, during the week and on weekends.

The Elim e-Centre aims to ensure that the public has access to the necessary technology infrastructure to interact with government, business and with each other electronically.

The goal of Elim e-Centre is to provide computers with Internet access for the use by anyone who needs it. Usage is free of charge, but time limited on a daily basis. Users are able to use e-mail and are assisted by the e-Community Forums to set up their own e-mail addresses and mailboxes. Each computer provides typical computer productivity tools, as well as a third member, our market researcher, who also functions at the centre on a daily basis.

Elim e-Centre aims to create an information society amongst citizens who are poor, unemployed and in need of help. It enables the community to access, utilize and share information and knowledge and empowers them to achieve their full potential.

We initiate projects and programmes that will raise awareness around the benefits of using ICTs.

Elim e-Community Forum has now established an e-Centre at the Elim Library Building, situated in the main road of town, Church Street.

Forum Challenges/ Opportunities

Motivation

Elim e-Centre is one of the key enablers of building social capital within the Western Cape Province. By providing access to e-mail and Internet, poorer communities now have access to government services and products, they have access to various online services, they can communicate more effectively with government, have access to important information around new business opportunities and can also transact online. More importantly the communities can now be connected to other communities within the province and around South Africa and indeed, the world through ICTs. Through Elim e-Centre poorer communities are empowered to manage the challenges of poverty a lot better than before.

Part of the strategic intents of Elim e-Centre is to impart information society related skills to our local community. We also assist government in communicating effectively to local communities around its programmes. This we do by hosting projects, events and programmes designed to effectively disseminate valuable information to communities. We will also use these events to mobilise around government priorities and benefits of using ICTs as the key enablers of effective communication and access online information and services. By providing access to information, e-mail and Internet, this project really empowers communities with knowledge which they can then use to manage the challenging situation they may find themselves.

Current Situation

Elim e-Centre is currently running on a weekly basis and our operating hours are 09h00 till 18h00, from Monday to Friday and from 09h00 till 13h00 on a Saturday. Since we launched in April 2008, our registry of users has grown to more than 200. Two administrators and a market researcher perform their duties at the centre on a daily basis. On public holidays, during school holidays and on Saturdays these administrators are relieved from their duties, by the rest of the executive committee members.

Users are utilizing the centre for: checking and sending e-mail, web searching, typing of documents, Internet Banking, doing assignments, study purposes, Registering for online studies, creating and printing necessary documents such as funeral programs, invitations, ect., Intensive Research Projects, chatting, researching study opportunities, searching for job opportunities, ect. Currently we have created e-mail addresses for approximately 100 users. Farmers in the vicinity regularly visit our centre on a weekly basis.

Members of the executive are currently busy with online training in Microsoft Office Access 2003, Microsoft Exel 2003, Microsoft Office Exel 2003, Microsoft Office Outlook 2003, Microsoft Office Powerpoint 2003, Microsoft Office Word 2003, Touch Typing Skills, etc. After completion of these courses they will be accredited with an ALISON certificate, which is UK based.

Community members are also given the opportunity to do online training in the same modules as mentioned above. They will soon start with a Digital Literacy Training Project and after completion they will be accredited by the Elim e-Centre. We are currently running a project in Basic Training in English, in conjunction with ISIVUNO, who offers ABET Training in English and Mathematics. 

Opportunities

• The Elim e-Centre has an excellent opportunity to improve the social status as well as the socio-economic status of the residents of Elim and surrounding farms, by assisting them in finding jobs, directing them towards study opportunities, helping young people in finding bursaries, improving literacy levels, equiping them with computer literacy skills, through the use of ICT's.
• We also have the opportunity to help develop uneducated people in town and especially on surrounding farms.
• We have the opportunity to direct early school leavers (drop outs), who are unmotivated, towards the creation of a better future for themselves.
• We have the opportunity to bring about a significant change in the crime rate level, drug abuse levels and unemployment levels, caused by a lack of recreational facilities, through the introduction of the youth to ICT's and all the opportunities it offer.
• We have the opportunity to form partnerships with local Tourism-, Business- and Community Organisations.
• We have an amazing opportunity to expose the town of Elim and its people and the services they have to offer, to the rest of the world.
• We also have the opportunity to play an integral part in HIV and AIDS Education and the raising of awareness regarding this disease, in our own community and surrounding farms.

Future Situation

• Computer Literacy Developement through a Digital Literacy Project, which the community after completion, will be accredited for. We will provide training and skills to the community.
• Market Researching will continue to gain a clear understanding of what our community desires of us. We should have a complete profile of the community's present and future needs.
• Accessibility of people on surrounding farms, to ICT's and more importantly the Internet and its related services. We will address geographical hindrances of ruralcommunities outside the town of Elim, within our service area.
• Small Business Developement - We will develop partnerships with small businesses and entrepreneurs in our community.
• We will be marketing our centre intensively to the community and we will promote more community involvement.