IT nonprofit looks into operating in Uganda

Close the Gap, an international nonprofit aimed at reducing the digital divide, has undertaken preliminary inquiries into the possibility of operating in Uganda.

"Whether in the future we will be active in Uganda depends a lot on the due diligence that we are currently carrying out," said Close the Gap general manager Olivier Vanden Eynde. "As from October to December, we will know whether we will do something in Uganda."

If the preliminary work gives rise to concrete plans, Close the Gap, based in Belgium, will begin partnerships with local organizations for the distribution of desktop PCs to primary and secondary schools in Uganda. The organization has already made initial contact with logistics providers to deal with the importation of the computers and management of on-site training once they arrive, Vanden Eynde said.

The organization is currently seeking Ugandan nonprofits with which it can explore partnerships. Close the Gap does not offer direct aid to any project but, rather, provides tools to local nonprofits to enhance their future growth.

"Close the Gap, through the Ugandan nonprofit organizations with whom it wants to partner, wants to give young people the tools they need to invest in their education in order to build on their future," Vanden Eynde said. "Therefore, having access to vital information is crucial."

Basic infrastructure, local IT proficiency and agreements with local governments must be in place before a prospective partner is taken on board, Vanden Eynde noted. A project proposal must focus on the needs of target institutions, such as schools or health centers, in order to be successful, he added.

"Furthermore, Close the Gap sets up several conditions towards its partners to make sure environmental concerns regarding the handling of e-waste are handled by a capable local company," Vanden Eynde said.

Some technology enthusiasts, however, have already deemed Close the Gap's proposed activities to be just another dumping operation.

"When I read through the proposal, it seems to me like it is just another ploy to dump yet again more computers in Uganda," Emmanuel Mulo wrote on a knowledge sharing platform run by I-Network.

Those that see the project in a positive light argue that Close the Gap will help change the lives of Ugandan schoolchildren by helping to bring them up to speed with their more advantaged counterparts.

Close the Gap operates in 27 countries, including Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Namibia, Malawi and Burkina Faso.