Reflections on a year in Arusha
One year ago this week my wife and I set
out from London for Tanzania and more specifically Arusha. My plans were vague,
but had everything to do with IT and the developing world. A year ago as I
boarded the plane for Kilimanjaro International Airport I was a naïve young
mbuzi, imagining that I had a lot to teach Tanzania about the internet. I
was about to assist an old friend in setting up an internet café which would
show those Africans what the internet was about. Of course, on my first
wanderings around Arusha I found that our internet café would be one among many
– so much for ground breaking.
I discovered that in Tanzania the hurdles
that encumber an IT project are rarely technical. Finding and moving into a
suitable location took several weeks, exacerbated by the landlord’s reluctance
to hand over the keys even after a year’s rent had been forked out. Setting up
the network of computers proved a breeze in comparison to the endless wait for
Cybernet’s technicians to turn up and connect us. Weeks went by waiting in
earnest for our connection. Why couldn’t they just have told us they were out of
hardware rather than pretending it would happen today? At least we got to know
the inside of our office, and had plenty of time to make sure all our hardware
was working.
On opening I discovered that Tanzanian’s
are well aware of many of the opportunities offered by the Internet,
particularly those that require the use of a secluded computer in the corner.
Our customers where chatting away on Yahoo Chat and Dar Hot Wire, firing off
emails to every corner of the world, looking up the latest malaria treatment
information and finding out the details of where those weapons of mass
destruction were supposed to be that particular week. What a warm and fuzzy
feeling it gave me to feel that I played a part in enabling this. But it wasn’t
something brand new in Arusha.
So I turned to another project – setting up
an internet connection for a school near Moshi. There it would be something new.
It would blow their minds to finally be hooked up to the rest of the world.
There would be music like they had never imagined, video links to small towns in
Northern England and the latest Hollywood movies downloaded the day they came
out in Europe. Unfortunately my naïveté was met by that of the Europeans who had
sent a large consignment of second hand computers to Tanzania some years before.
The school had been saddled with obsolete machines which had become cosy nests
for mice, and with which I could do nothing. Even if I could have done
something, was an internet connection something that school could really use?
The cost was certainly a burden it did not need. How long would it take for the
benefits of hyper-present communication to affect that school? Progress is now
being made with the help and advice of experts in Arusha who have assisted other
schools on similar projects in the past. Within a year or two I visualise the
school with a well equipped computer room, and staff well on the way to
understanding how to use computers in their working day. The next step will be
to begin teaching the students how computers can help in their future careers
and businesses. At this stage an internet connection might be considered. When
planning my missions in Tanzania I had imagined everything would happen at the
speed of thought, but the real world isn’t like that. I’d also imagined
knowledge and experience needed bringing in from outside, but it is already
here!
Looking for another project inspiration hit
me - I realised I could share some of my practical knowledge and enthusiasm with
a wider community through the magic not of the internet, but by writing for a
good old fashioned newspaper. With some trepidation I approached the editor of
the Arusha Times with my idea for a story on junk email and practical ways of
dealing with it. To my great surprise he was happy to publish the story and the
rest is history.
This week my wife and I return to London
after a most educating and enjoyable year. We have learnt many things about
Tanzania and Africa, and many of our assumptions have been washed away by the
refreshing waters of reality. We will certainly be back in the future – there
are so many things we haven’t seen or done. In the IT field, as I have written
before, the future is rosy for Tanzania, and I am proud to have been able to
document some of the reasons.
duncandrury@yahoo.co.uk
Competition
This week I have a Microsoft 32Mb data key
to give away. To win one simply email me your vision of Arusha in ten years time
– describe what you hope will be different and what you fear will be the same.
The best entry will receive this very nice gadget!
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