BOSCO-Uganda


BOSCO-Uganda is a private, non-profit effort to put wireless internet and VoIP telephony into the internally displaced persons camps of northern Uganda, in cooperation with the Archdiocese of Gulu. BOSCO collaborated with Inveneo to place their low-power PCs powered by solar panels in the Catechist Training Center and the Caritas Office in Gulu, as well as at schools, hospitals, colleges and Churches in the Pabbo, Alero, Lacor, Coope, Jen'Geri, Unyama, and Pagak IDP camps. The organization aims to use ICT to help end the isolation of communities in rural northern Uganda as well as improve education, economics, human rights documentation, health care and rural development.

Regional history

Twenty years of conflict and displacement have isolated the people of northern Uganda from the technological developments rapidly evolving in their own country and throughout the world. This isolation and lack of access to 21st century Information and Communication Technologies has prevented communities from using the Internet for creative and innovative ways to meet community needs.
Instead, many communities have become reliant on traditional aid. However, with peace in northern Uganda, BOSCO-Uganda attempts to turn dependency into self-advocacy through the use of innovative and collaborative ICT technologies.
Initiated in 2006 under the umbrella of Gulu Archdiocese, BOSCO-Uganda implemented a pilot ICT project in 6 IDP-camps in Gulu and Amuru district. BOSCO-Uganda has since expanded its activities in Amuru and Gulu and is planning the further expansion to Kitgum and Pader Districts.
BOSCO-Uganda uses innovative technology particularly adapted to rural regions. Its internet stations, situated in rural communities and former internally displaced persons camps, consist of low-power, solar powered PCs connected to a high-speed, long-range WiFi Internet connection. Each communication station is linked to other BOSCO sites via a free VoIP telephony network and through a high-speed internal network content management page.
Moving beyond the provision of technical solutions, BOSCO is concentrating on the development of both proven and emerging directions for ICT usage. These directions include computer education adapted to the realities of 21st Century global interconnectivity and a Web 2.0 collaborative approach to cooperation with health centers, e-agriculture, educational outreach, e-government, etc.

Organizational history

BOSCO USA was founded by Gus Zuehlke in 2007. Mr. Zuehlke established relationships with the Archdiocese of Gulu, including the Archbishop John Baptist Odama and Fr. Joseph Okumu, who is now the BOSCO-Uganda Executive Director. In 2007, northern Uganda was benefiting from a tenuous cease fire, yet nearly 1.7 million people throughout the region remained stuck and isolated in Internally Displaced Persons camps.
Mr. Zuehlke discussed some of the needs and challenges the archdiocese and the people were facing. The Archbishop's priority was to help the Acholi people of northern Uganda end the severe isolation they were experiencing in the camps. By connecting camp schools, community centers, parishes, and health clinics to the outside world through Internet, the Acholi people could begin to end their isolation by advocating for their own cause.
In 2007 Mr. Zuehlke assembled an all volunteer Board of Directors and incorporated BOSCO, Inc. as a 5013 not for profit organization. In April 2007, with the help of Inveneo and BOSCO's Founding Technical Director, Ted Pethick, BOSCO deployed the first set of low power, solar, PCs with long-range WiFi Internet in 6 site locations.
BOSCO USA has watched BOSCO-Uganda grow as they now employ a Uganda-based staff and administration and have expanded the BOSCO network to 22 sites. BOSCO-Uganda has attracted partnerships from both local and international development organizations, including War Child Holland and UNICEF.

BOSCO-USA

Role

Since the founding, BOSCO USA, based in South Bend, Indiana, has taken on a distinct role for BOSCO-Uganda. BOSCO-Uganda, in Gulu, handles the day-to-day operations of the organization and employs a local, Ugandan staff. BOSCO-USA consists only of a volunteer Board of Directors who are mainly responsible for these points:
  1. Capacity building: BOSCO-USA periodically sends technical staff on training trips to Gulu; BOSCO-USA has also supported the work of a full-time Gulu-based communications envoy to report on-the-ground progress in Gulu
  2. Vetting of technology: BOSCO-USA is engaged in assessing the trends of low-power computing and wireless networking equipment and passes on equipment recommendations to BOSCO-Uganda staff. BOSCO-USA is also involved in shipping some equipment for deployments to Uganda
  3. Public Relations: BOSCO-USA actively promotes the BOSCO project in the US with media outlets and in various communities
  4. Fundraising in US: BOSCO-USA raised the initial capital to start the project and is involved in fundraising to support the work of BOSCO-Uganda in Gulu.

    Leadership

The BOSCO-USA Board of Directors is made-up entirely of volunteers. The notable members of this board are Gus Zuehlke, Thomas Loughran, Kerry Vickers and Kevin Bailey. With the help of other board members, these individuals consult with BOSCO-Uganda and aid in fundraising, technology, capacity and public relations.

Role

BOSCO-Uganda is primarily involved in the day to day implementation of the BOSCO project. This includes:
  1. Managing all Internet sites in the Amuru and Gulu Districts in northern Uganda.
  2. Developing content, with a focus on education and peace building, for BOSCO's Intranet system.
  3. Supporting the expansion of BOSCO-Uganda through new proposals and partnerships.
  4. Managing communications between local, regional and international stakeholders in partnership with BOSCO USA.

    Leadership

The BOSCO-Uganda leadership employs a Uganda-based staff and administration. They have overseen the network expansion and are the essential component for BOSCOs attempts to promote self-advocacy through ICT. This leadership oversees the daily implementation of the BOSCO mission and ensures successful use of the network at each site. They aid in developing new BOSCO content, create proposals for expansion, seek mutually beneficial partnerships, and assist in creating dialog between local users, BOSCO stakeholders, and the BOSCO team. Those in charge of these daily activities within BOSCO-Uganda are Fr. Joseph Okumu, Aliker David Martin, Stella Akiteng and Stefan Bock.

Partners

HORIZONT3000 – Austrian Organization for Development Co-operation

BOSCO-Uganda has partnered with HORIZONT3000 since 2007. They first provided a technical volunteer in 2007–2008 and then provided a technical advisor. The organization has also provided funding in the past for projects and staff salaries.

UNICEF

UNICEF has provided an initial grant of $10,000 to carry out community ICT trainings and install five Internet sites. A second grant worth an estimated $270,000 has been submitted and would support BOSCO's expansion by providing new computers and bandwidth, strengthening training programs at all sites in Gulu and Amuru, and installing news sites in Pader and Kitgum district. UNICEF's ICT4D department in Kampala also works in partnership with BOSCO-Uganda to develop concepts on technology and collaboration.

War Child Holland

War Child Holland has partnered with BOSCO-Uganda in Pagak. War Child Holland provided computers and a working space and BOSCO-Uganda provided Internet connectivity and training. Another site has been installed in partnership with War Child Holland at a school in Koch Goma.

H&S Italia

The software company based in Italy donated 20,000 Euros to BOSCO-Uganda's work.

University of Notre Dame

The University of Notre Dame partners with BOSCO-Uganda on an internship program where the university funds a student's work with BOSCO-Uganda over a period of 10 weeks.

Notable awards

Breaking Borders Award

, Global Voices and Thomson Reuters partnered to create the Breaking Borders Award. This award rewards individuals or organizations spearheading web-based projects. The recipients must have demonstrated bravery, outstanding effort and ingenuity through use of the Internet. Winners of this award must be using the Internet to encourage free speech and reveal varied political opinions. The award goes to those organizations making difference in these areas as well as those helping to stand up against censorship. The award attempts to promote resourcefulness and originality for public benefit.
The Breaking Borders Award was presented to BOSCO-Uganda on May 5, 2010. This occurred at the Global Voices Citizen Media Summit in Santiago, Chile.

African Rural Connect First Round Winner

The National Peace Corps Association presents the Africa Rural Connect award. The ARC endorses collective thought supporting the creation of new ideas. The ideas are aimed at solving the principal challenges rural Africa faces. Close to 100 organizational ideas and charitable plans were submitted for the 2010 ARC competition.
Throughout a large variety of plans present two winners were chosen in the first round. The NPCA announced BOSCO and their proposal, “Achieving Rural Literacy through Innovative Web 2.0 ICT Use in Post-conflict Northern Uganda,” as one of the two first round winners in June 2010.