A Telecenter supported by WACC is enabling communities in remote villages of Wailoku and Waisasavu, in the highlands of Naitasiri, Fiji, to access information that responds to their needs. The communities can now access computers, Internet, and other ICTs that help them gather information and discuss pertinent issues such as land boundaries and unemployment. The Telecentre is run by the Ecumenical Centre for Research, Education and Advocacy (ECREA), Fiji. “At present we are using the Telecentre to connect the two communities who have been rivals over land disputes for years", says ECREA’s Information Communication Officer, Savu Tawake Biudole.

The two communities are also using the Telecentre to address unemployment among the youth. A blogsite has been developed to provide space for the unemployed to advertise their skills. The blogsite will soon be linked to the to the government’s Ministry of Youth whereby a pool of young people’s skills will be available.

In Wailoku village, the Telecentre will be linked to the Peoples Community Network (PCN), a group of people living in informal settlements, to address issues affecting them such as land tenure and education for their children.

The communities are also using the Telecentre to reach out to the government .  “People used to send hand written letters of complaints and inquiries to the government departments, but now they can email them directly, thanks to the Telecenter. The government is now more accessible and closer to the people”, says Savu.

While ECREA agrees that roads, sanitation and safe drinking are the priorities for some of these communities, it also believes that access to information and telecommunications are equally important. ECREA wishes to lessen the gap to ICT access among rural communities in Fiji by training them and advancing their digital skills.

For more information about ECREA, visit: http://www.ecrea.org.fj/

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