The Kitsong Centres were established by the Government of Botswana through the Ministry of Transport and Communications, as part of Nteletsa II project to serve as avenues for providing universal access to Information and Communications Technology (ICT) services to rural communities. The services provided include telephone, internet services, and basic business services such as typing, printing, photo copying scanning and faxing. The aims were to enable communities with computer literacy skills as well as for the Centres to run as for-profit business centres, to generate income for local village development projects. BTC has 149 Kitsong Centres in operation.

BTC has recently partnered with a local bank to roll out an enterpreneurship programme. This is an employablility and skills upgrade initiative that helps to train and equip young people for the workplace and for entrepreuneurship . The initiative aims to bridge the divide between business skills training and the world of work/business.

This project is BTC’s initiative to further upskill and develop remote regions that would otherwise not have access to such services and education.

http://www.btc.bw/

• Botswana

• Youth
• The unemployed
• Remote and rural communities

The challenges of internet and access to ICT services are prevalent throughout the less urban areas of Botswana, particularly in the small villages. The project has therefore been replicated across the country in remote villages. Given similarities in circumstances accrose sub-Saharan Africa, the project can be replicated throughout Botswana and throughout SADC countries. The project can also be replicated in most African countries.

Kitsong Centres are envisioned to be run by the youth for the youth and the community. Once a centre operator crosses the youth threshold, a qualifying youth will be appointed to the centre and so for. The centres are designed to equip communities with valuable life skills, entrepreneurial development and access to services and opportunities they would not otherwise be exposed to. This in itself ensures sustainability through improved welfare in the lives of people who make use of the services.

This project promotes the WSIS values of freedom, equality, solidarity, tolerance, and shared responsibility. The overarching aims of the project is to empower the youth, recognising that they are the future of the country. An improvement in access to ICT services and therefore opportunities, has a spillover improvement in overall welfare, thus aligning with the WSIS core values.