Uganda

Spider and AIESEC are currently looking for a Junior ICT expert for a placement with WOUGNET in Uganda. Please apply no later than December 16!

The purpose of the project is to develop and apply SMS technology to address the information and development needs of the under privileged dairy farmers in Western Uganda. Supported by Spider the focus on the diary sector is because milk offers high nutritional value and income generation.

Recently, we have seen a number of projects, pilots and tools where ICT is used in various ways to promote democracy. Many of these initiatives have been launched in East Africa: crowd-sourcing platforms such as Ugandawatch2011, uReport and Ushahidi (and variations thereof such as Uchaguzi, Huduma and Map Kibera); innovative SMS applications such as Grid 6464, CU@SCHOOL, 3356 shortcode by City Council in Nairobi and Trac FM; and of course the widespread use of social media such as Facebook and Twitter.

”This is the old man with a hat, THANK U for voting for me & the NRM. Let's work together for a better Uganda. Congratulations on the NRM victory.”

This SMS was sent by ”YKMuseveni” to millions of Ugandan mobile users the week after the presidential election in February 2011. The SMS more or less tells the whole story. Not only does it tell us that the long lasting President Museveni usually wears a hat; it also states that the 25-year rule is set to continue for another 5 years and the SMS also indicates that those in power have understood the value in using new technologies to campaign and reach the masses.

In collaboration with The Millennium Villages and Ericsson, SPIDER and AIESEC are now looking for a Junior ICT Expert to join the Millennium Villages Cluster in rural Uganda in order to support the launch of mHealth activities.