ICTworks by Inveneo

It was intensive, rich in technical and business content, engaging and exhilarating. AFRALTI Nairobi, Kenya hosted the workshop that began on 26th July-6th August 2010 and rule number two in the training agenda did not miss out on punctuality; 9am- 5pm.

ITU-Inveneo ICT training

Delegates in attendance were ICT sector personnel and business people from various organizations across Kenya, Inveneo VP Engineering and Co-Founder Robert Marsh and FJ Cava Inveneo Business Support Manager. Mr. Kukubo, CEO Kenya ICT Board did not miss out on the opening ceremony.

Through the ITU-Inveneo training programme, Inveneo delivered a two-week, two-module introductory training on the "Design and Deployment of a Rural ICT System" - one module on power and technology solutions and the second on entrepreneurship aspects of starting and running ICT businesses serving rural markets.

The training aimed at:

1. Familiarizing partners with Inveneo Products and services
2. Ensuring ICIP engineers and technicians have the necessary technology skills and know how to remain relevant in delivering ICT solutions to rural folks
3. Building personal relationships between Inveneo and partner engineers and technicians
4. Assist partners to increase their business opportunities and effectiveness

The first week was the technical training delivered by Prof. Bob, Robert Marsh if you like. The technical module covered low power hardware, wireless networking, linux user experience, windows lockdown, cloning, VOIP and internet with hands on experience on wireless networking, VOIP and Inveneo server administration.

The second week 5-day course was cut one day down because of referendum voting in the country. The course delivered by FJ Cava, MBA Entrepreneurship was meant to create practical effective business plans for small business creation and economic self-sufficiency. It addressed every aspect of starting and growing a small business including marketing, management, finance and operations. it also offered concrete tools with which to implement a business plan.

We tapped enormously into the mainstream of knowledge and information from this training. Now with our expanded imagination and creativity let’s go and enhance access to ICT tools, Internet connectivity and develop ICT skills in others. I want to stress the need for the development of digital content, education portals, and the need for content in indigenous languages. Remember to help your agrarian society to integrate it to benefit national development.

“The computer should no longer be seen as a glorified typewriter, it’s a money-maker, a search engine and a connector” did I say computer? I meant Inveneo low power PCs. I am obliged to acknowledge the efforts of Robert Marsh and FJ Cava. They absolutely did an awesome job.

Inveneo, do you have our local varsities in mind? Kenyan universities lag behind in the global ICT context. Access to infrastructure, affordable and sufficient bandwidth, and the human resource capacity to exploit the technology for academic success is crucial. This is the epicenter of the knowledge economy. The students too need it most…connect them.

I am looking forward to more training of this kind in future.
Contacts of delegates who attended are attached.