Salamatu Yinyuy Sule

Salamatu Yinyuy Sule

Age: 30 years old
Position at Telecentre: Telecentre Manager
Years in Service (at current telecentre): 6 years
Years in Service (at current position): 3 years
City: Northwest Region
Country: Cameroon

Telecentre/Employer Information
Name of Telecentre: National Network of Telecentre, Cameroon

Country: Cameroon
Region: Africa
Name of Nominating Individual/Entity: PROTEGE QV

Background:

The nominee in person is called Salamatu Yinyuy Sule who hails from Bui Division, North West Region, and Republic of Cameroon. She came to the Telecentre through a competitive entrance examination which was carried out by the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication through the Divisional Office of her locality Jakiri. She applied to go in for the Post of an Exploitation Agent this was in 2005. This she did and succeeded though she could go in at once as the Manager but she taught it wise it was good to gain experience while at work. She went on training at the Ecole des Postes Yaounde, Cameroon for two weeks intensivetraining.She worked for three years as an exploitation agent at the Jakiri Multipurpose Telecentre and due to her had work and work spirit she was appointed the manager of the Telecentre in 2008 to substitute the former person and to revamp and re-awake the Telecentre. As the Manager she had the responsibility to mobilise the inhabitants of her Subdivision Jakiri, the entire community and the peripherals at large on the importance of ICT and the Telecentre services as a whole. She moved to Schools, meeting groups, and also spoke during public manifestations such as the Divisional officers meet the people’s tour, and also national events such as the Cameroon National Day(20th May) on the importance of ICT to the rural communities and the world at large. She is also very involved in educating women laying more emphasis on the Islamic women who are often relegated to the background. This have made women groups who are owners of Common Initiative Groups (CIG’s) Certificates to come, write and send their projects to donor organisations. On the part of Muslim women they now come and apply for free Islamic books from donor organisation which has gone a long way to increase their knowhow in Islam. Presently she is carrying out Public Service Census Online which is a census of all state employees and civil servants in her Country.

Contribution to Digital Literacy and Community Development:

In December 2010, she carried out a study with PROTÉGÉ QV on the impact of the Telecentre in rural milieu in the context of the AMY MAHAN research Project.

Educationally, the nominee has been organising Holiday Classes for pupils, Students, and Civil servants. Pupils and students come during the holiday and study basic Software awareness and ICT, how to use the internet in doing their homework’s, Research, send and receive mails using their personal email addresses. Some come for permanent Computer studies and after most of them gain employment hence reducing unemployment rate in the Country. Teachers update their knowledge on particular disciplines; some come for distance learning in universities abroad. As a result, Public examinations which use to be a night mare in her community are now known thanks to her initiative Telecentre. Students can now pass their exams and know their results instantly at their community thanks to the Telecentre. Civil servants can now check the position of their documents online thanks to the Telecentre since it is the only place where internet can be used. School Calendars of activity for the year can now be downloaded online from the website of education while in the community.

Socially, this year the nominee organised celebrations marking the International Telecommunications day with the theme “Better life in Rural Communities with ICT” during which she invited the students, Civil Servants, Economic operators and people of the Civil society. She presented a talk on the theme and every one left satisfied. For civil servants she talked of Public service online www.minfopra.gov.cm. She talked of chasing files online when deposited in Yaoundé and now follow them online where you are with the help of the internet thanks to the Telecentre. She also emphasized on research for teachers to update their skills and knowledge. Also she talked of the American Diversity Lottery (DV Lottery) which she mentioned that seven laureates so far have been in the U.S.A thanks to the nominee’s initiative together with the Telecentre. Students have gotten scholarships to further their studies abroad like in Belgium thanks to her initiative.

Economically, many women common initiative groups have written their projects and sent to donors thanks to her massive sensitization and education on what is necessary for them. Islamic women of their community are now sure of educative Islamic books send to them for free thanks to her initiative. Village development association who are having branches all over the world can now boast of maximum communication thanks to her education and sensitization. As a result many groups have received funding from their donor organisation thereby reducing poverty within the families of the group members and unemployment. People send parcels and now follow them online (E.M.S) with Compost.

Health wise, some diabetes patients come and register with websites which deal with diabetic control and receive emails and updates on diabetic control and how they should leave their lives. Some increase their knowhow on particular diseases and their control measures.

Leadership, Partnership and Resource Mobilization:

The Nominee is the current Manager of the Jakiri Telecentre in Jakiri sub Division, Bui Division, North West Region, Republic of Cameroon. She is also the Adviser on Projects for the National Network of Telecentre Cameroon. With Women, she is the Divisional Financial Secretary for the Federation of Cameroon Women Association of Networks abbreviated (FECAWAN) in Bui Division, North West Region. Developmentally she is the National Financial Secretary for the village cultural and development Association (Kifee) and doubles as Branch Financial Secretary for the said association abbreviated (KICUDA). She is member of a Shundzev a website of all sons and daughters of Nso origin leaving at home and abroad.

On Partnership she and the National network of Telecentre signed a partnership with CANALSAT, which is to sell all CANALSAT services at the Telecentre, then CANALSAT in return to pay a percentage of the income of the item sold at the Centre. She also signed partnership with Islamic secondary school and Basic education where by the students and pupils use the computers at the centre for studies and pay in return.

For mobilisation of funds, the nominee has gone in to contract with schools whereby she types, prints and photocopies their school documents and examinations at the centre, hence generating income for the centre. She offers documentation services at affordable prices. In Addition, there are cheap telephone calls within and without the country thanks to the nominee’s initiative. Photocopy is at down to earth price. Inhabitants of her community can now type and print their invitations e.g. Wedding, Meeting, and Funeral invitations or whatever publications at a very reduced rate thereby increasing revenue for the centre. The Nominee also launches American lottery programme when it is out with little amount of money there by increasing revenue.

The Innovative ways in which the nominee has dealt with the challenges in the field are as follows: To combat the problem of insufficient machines she raised money and added 4 computer sets, a photocopier, a three functional machine that is scanner, printer, and coloured photocopier. All these now help to solve the challenges she has on the field. -As for insufficient machines for internet surfing, she bought 4 computers to solve this problem and that of training of students and also a photocopier for photocopy. - She sells basic stationary at the centre to reduce the risk of moving long distances like to the regional head quarter to buy these things and also increase revenue to the centre. -To raise Awareness in the community on ICT she organises free seminars to educate the indigenes on ICT hence increasing the frequency of inhabitants at the centre since they are aware of its importance. - There is a regular advert on opportunities available like concours (exams) and entry requirements this to reduce unemployment in her community and also results when they are out. All these efforts help to bridge the gap between the rural and urban areas in digital ICT.