The role of telecentre networks in addressing sustainability challenges

Since the individual telecentres are generally isolated, it is important to network them. The networks can play an important role in addressing the gaps & the challenges. The networks are mainly driven by the need to fill the gap that the individual telecentres cannot do on their own.

Networks can take up the responsibility of content generation since the individual telecentre manager is over- burdened by telecentre operational demands. Networks can also document best practices in telecentre sustainability & disseminate the same to the telecentre managers to learn from such initiatives. The networks can also help in identifying the missing skills, & impart the same to the managers.

Community involvement is not all that difficult, but they require a level playing field. Low or negligible utilization of telecentre services is mainly due to the lack of infrastructure. Connectivity hinders the utilization of telecentre services. The telecentres can profit only after meeting all the operational costs. Therefore, variations in the cost of connectivity across the nations affect the sustainability of the telecentres. The telecentre networks can negotiate with the government & the service providers to bring it down. It also depends on how many companies or service providers are in the competition. So the rates are not competitive. Networks have better capacities to influence government telecom companies. Collaboratively, they can also influence policies.

To some extent sustainability also depends on the innovativeness of the telecentre operators. S/he has to be connected to the right persons/ partners to find the opportunities to make the telecentres more sustainable. The network can help in identifying such partners & connecting them. 

The networks can also facilitate sharing & learning between the telecentre operators. The human spirit to share has always been there. For the networks, the main jobs can be capacity building & driving the motivation of the telecentre workers. The networks can also help in setting up monitoring and evaluation systems at the micro & macro levels. They can help in setting up telecentres, building partnerships for them, they can advise, guide, and motivate the telecentre managers. They can help in creating support systems for the telecentre managers.

टेलिसेन्टरहरू (ग्रामीण सूचना केन्द्रहरू) लाई सरकारी तवरबाट हटाइनु पर्ने भन्ने कुरा आईरहेको परिप्रेक्ष्यमा अब हामी सबैले  कसरी  यी टेलिसेन्टरहरूलाई भवितव्य दिनहरूमा अझ परिमार्जित र प्रभावकारी रूपमा अगाडि बढाउने भन्ने कुरा तर्फ ध्यानाकृष्ट गर्नु पर्ने बेला आइसकेको छ...