| Title |
TeleWeaver: An Innovative Telecommunication Platform for Marginalized Communities in Africa |
| ID_Doc |
68057 |
| Authors |
Dalvit, L; Gumbo, S; Ntshinga, L; Terzoli, A |
| Title |
TeleWeaver: An Innovative Telecommunication Platform for Marginalized Communities in Africa |
| Year |
2013 |
| Published |
|
| DOI |
|
| Abstract |
Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D) is becoming an increasingly important and multi-faceted area of research and software development. Particularly through provision via mobile devices, e-services can potentially reach and improve the lives of millions of people living in marginalised areas. The efforts of many governments in sub-Saharan Africa are frustrated by poor telecommunication infrastructure, lack of skills and unsustainable models of intervention. In this paper we describe the holistic solution offered by the TeleWeaver platform. The novel approach to the development of the software, the strong sense of social responsibility of the developers and the collaborative spirit that shaped the ecosystem of which TeleWeaver is part, warrants the adoption of an innovative approach to its marketing and implementation. On the one hand, the project needs to provide returns on investment and generate profit for the key stakeholders (i.e. government at the local and national level, academia, industry and socio-entrepreneurs in the target community). On the other, it must benefit all members of the marginalised communities it is intended to serve as well as the global community of software developers. TeleWeaver was developed in close collaboration with the community of Dwesa, a rural area on the Wild Cost of the Transkei regions in eastern South Africa. To our knowledge, this is the first adaptation of the living lab approach to the co-creation of e-services in an African context. In this paper we discuss three innovative aspects of the TeleWeaver solution which respond to these needs. Firstly, the use of a service oriented architecture within an ICT4D solution enables a community-centred approach in which different services can be "interwoven" around each individual user. Profiles can be shared across applications and the platform does not consider the same person as two separate users of e-health and e-judiciary services, for instance. Secondly, a new cost and revenue stream model was necessary to make ICT infrastructure sustainable in areas characterised by endemic poverty. Contrary to the "bottom of the pyramid" approach followed by many ICT implementations, we envisage local stakeholders such as municipalities or small businesses implementing the platform to generate revenues through advertising, data harvesting and support of third-party interventions. Thirdly, TeleWeaver is released under a dual-licensing model which includes a reciprocal open-source licence. This model protects the interests of the developers and commercial enterprises implementing the platform while allowing for free and open use by NGOs and members of marginalised communities (Heeks 2008). After six years of development, implementation and testing in an actual deep-rural community, TeleWeaver is ready as an organic and sustainable alternative to centralised models of eservices implementation in Africa. |
| Author Keywords |
middleware; cost and revenue sharing; service oriented architecture; dual licensing; open-source |
| Index Keywords |
Index Keywords |
| Document Type |
Other |
| Open Access |
Open Access |
| Source |
Conference Proceedings Citation Index - Social Science & Humanities (CPCI-SSH) |
| EID |
WOS:000321693000019 |
| WoS Category |
Information Science & Library Science; Political Science; Public Administration |
| Research Area |
Information Science & Library Science; Government & Law; Public Administration |
| PDF |
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