ICTs: Is your wealth a click away -- Have your say, Share your views and experiences

Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) is conducting a two-week discussion on the role of ICTs in reducing poverty. The theme of the discussion is 'ICTs: Is your wealth a click away'. The questions so far are:

- ICTs are seen as tools for social economic development. But, is this more of a theory than reality? How is ICT being used to reduce poverty? What more can be done?

You are all most welcome to participate in the discussion, and there are a number of ways in which you can participate:

1) Register your mobile telephone number to receive the SMSs that will be sent out. To register, please send your number to info@wougnet.org or send an SMS to 077-758 1433 (for participants outside Uganda, please send to +256-77-758 1433).

2) Contribute a short message on the issues. Send your SMS message to 077-758 1433, and it will be sent out to fellow subscribers with you/your organisation credited as the source of the message.

3) Send your contributions by email to info@wougnet.

4) Share your views at the WOUGNET blog at www.wougnet.org to which the daily SMSs will be posted

This discussion is being conducted also as we prepare to mark World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2008 on 17th May. The purpose of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) is to help raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the Internet and other information and communication technologies (ICT) can bring to societies and economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide.

Over the period, 21st April to 2nd May, you are invited to share your views, examples, testimonies, ideas, recommendations and critiques on what is being done and what is not being done to use ICTs to increase wealth and to reduce poverty in all its forms. There will be SMSs sent out on a daily basis with questions for the day as well as highlights of contributions received. Contributions may also be sent in by email, or through the blog on the WOUGNET website.

At the end of the two-week period, a face-to-face workshop will be hosted to further discussion on the key issues arising. A report with recommendations from the workshop as well as a summary of all the discussions will be submitted to the Ministry of ICT on the occasion of the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day.

Your participation and contributions on the theme 'ICTs: Is your wealth a click away ' will be greatly appreciated! For more information, please visit www.wougnet.org