WOUGNET Update Newsletter - February 2006

[Dorothy Okello <dokello@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

WOUGNET Update Newsletter - February 2006
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A monthly electronic newsletter from Women of 
Uganda Network (WOUGNET) - http://www.wougnet.org
For comments or queries, contact info@xxxxxxxxxxx

To subscribe/unsubscribe to the WOUGNET Update 
Newsletter, send a message to 
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This month's contents:
1. Women Organisations in Uganda
2. ICT Policy
3. Links & Resources
4. Project News and Events
5. WOUGNET News
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WOMEN ORGANISATIONS IN UGANDA
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= ACFODE: A New Executive Director and Member Registration
    http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/acfode.html
Action for Development (ACFODE) appointed a new 
executive director, Ms. Linda Frances Nakakande, 
formerly with Vredeseilanden Coopibo (VECO) 
Uganda. ACFODE's mission is to promote women's 
empowerment, gender equality and equity in Uganda 
through spearheading advocacy and networking 
efforts to create an enabling environment as well 
as increasing the capacities of women in local 
communities to manage their own activities in 
addition to standing up for their rights.
ACFODE is also calling on all its old and new 
prospective members both male and female to 
register and re-register immediately.  In 
November 2005, ACFODE celebrated its 20th 
Anniversary at which time its membership stood at 
300. The purpose of registration is to streamline 
and update its membership databank, help prepare 
for May 2006 Board elections and re-focus its 
activities. Individuals intending to register 
should contact the Executive Director on 
telephone number 041- 531812 or on Box number 
16729, Kampala, or email acfode@xxxxxxxxxxxxx or 
visit ACFODE offices at ACFODE House-Bukoto in person, for details.
Registration runs from 6th -20th February 2006.
ACFODE shall have an Extra-Ordinary General 
Meeting on 1st March 2006 at 2:00pm at ACFODE 
House Bukoto. The purpose of the meeting is to 
prepare for the Board elections in April. All 
ACFODE members are informed to attend this meeting.
http://www.wougnet.org/wo_dir.html#ACFODE


= CEEWA: A new coordinator joins Council for 
Economic Empowerment of Women in Africa (CEEWA-UGANDA)
http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/ceewau.html
CEEWA-Uganda has appointed a new coordinator, Ms 
Goretti Karuhanga, effective February 2006. 
CEEWA-Uganda?s mission is to promote the economic 
empowerment of women in the development process 
through advocacy, training, research, 
documentation and information dissemination.
http://www.wougnet.org/wo_dir.html#CEEWAU


=  MKIFA: Change of email address
http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/mkifa.html
Mahanga Kelema Iyeta Farmers Group (MKIFA) has 
obtained an email address: 
mahangakelema@xxxxxxxxxx The organisation whose 
mission is to empower women to improve their 
household incomes through agriculture
is chaired by Eleanor Mwassa and is located in 
Busoba Sub - County, Bumasikye Parish, Mahaanga 
Village, Bududa Road, Nabumali, Mbale, Uganda.
http://www.wougnet.org/wo_dir.html#MKIFA


= UWONET: Launch of the Women's Manifesto
http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/uwonet.html#WM06
On Friday 3rd February 2006, Uganda Women?s 
Network (UWONET) spearheaded the launch of the 
Women's Manifesto 2006 at Hotel Africana, 
Kampala. The document seeks to give women a 
common platform for addressing crucial concerns 
of women in Uganda through helping more of them 
to take up leadership positions in politics, 
especially Parliament. The idea of women's 
manifesto is not new. In several African 
countries, such as South Africa, and Zambia, 
coalitions of women's organizations such as the 
Zambia National Women's Lobby Group (NWLG) have 
come up with a set of demands to lobby Parliament 
and the executive to address women leadership 
issues. The function was graced by Woman 
Presidential Candidate Mrs. Miria Kalule Obote as 
well as a cross section of women activists in Uganda.
UWONET?s main mission is to promote networking 
and attain collective vision and action among 
different actors working towards development and 
the transformation of the unequal gender relations in society.
http://www.wougnet.org/wo_dir.html#UWONET


= AmwA: Eastern Africa sub regional African 
Women's Leadership Institute (AWLI) 2006
http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/amwau.html#AWLI06
Akina Mama wa Afrika will be holding the Eastern 
Africa sub regional African Women?s Leadership 
Institute (AWLI) from April 24th ­ 5th May 2006, 
in Uganda. The AWLI aims to strengthen the 
personal and organisational capacities of young 
African women to influence policy and 
decision-making through training and networking. 
It serves as a networking, training and 
information dissemination forum for young women 
aged between 25-40 working on gender issues. 
Since it was established in 1997, the AWLI and 
its related programmes, has a network of over 700 
alumni from all over Africa. The countries from 
which young women will be selected to participate 
in this year?s Eastern Africa AWLI are: Burundi, 
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, 
Somaliland, Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania. The 
deadline for the receipt of applications for this 
unique and exciting training programme 
is:  Friday March 17th, 2006. To request for an 
application form, please send email to <amwa@xxxxxxxxxxx>.
http://www.wougnet.org/wo_dir.html#AMWAU



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ICT POLICY
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= WOUGNET sets up FOSS demonstration unit at secretariat

WOUGNET has set up a Free and Open Source 
Software (FOSS) information and demonstration 
unit at the secretariat in Kampala. The 
demonstration unit was setup following WOUGNET's participation at Africa
Source II, Africa?s premier FOSS specialized 
hands on skills development event focused on the 
non-governmental organization sector, held from 8 
- 15 January 2006 in Kalangala, Uganda. Africa 
Source II brought together 134 NGO support 
professionals, staff and software experts. Africa 
Source II was organised through a collaborative 
effort among a group of international, regional 
and local organisations focused on technology use 
in the NGO sector including The Association for 
Progressive Communication APC (international 
network), Fantsuam Foundation (Nigeria), 
Schoolnet Africa (regional network), 
Translate.org.za (South Africa), Women of Uganda 
Network - WOUGNET (Uganda), Linux Solutions 
(Uganda), Creative Commons South Africa, 
Aspiration (US) and The Tactical Technology 
Collective (the Netherlands). The organising 
partners are committed to examining the 
challenges of implementing FOSS in the African 
context, stretching its potential to fit the 
needs on the ground, and building local 
capacities to realise this. Africa Source II was 
possible thanks to the support from: the Open 
Society Institute Information Program, the 
International Development Research Centre (IDRC), 
OSISA - Open Society Initiative for South Africa, Hivos, and InWent.
Africa Source II participants examined how 
information technologies and FOSS can 
strategically impact and build civil society 
organizations on the continent. They learned how 
FOSS could help to increase access to vital
information for their communities, along with 
providing inexpensive and efficient ICT 
infrastructure in non-profit organizations. They 
also had a perfect opportunity to develop a 
deeper understanding of FOSS, explore the
challenges and future potential of its 
applications. Proceedings from Africa Source II are available online at:
http://wiki.africasource2.tacticaltech.org/

To have a demonstration of FOSS at the WOUGNET 
secretariat, please contact Daphne Kakonge or 
Milton Aineruhanga at Plot 53 Kira Road. You may 
also contact them via telephone at 041-532035 or 
email at techsupport@xxxxxxxxxxx to setup an 
appointment and/or for further information.


= Information Society Foundation (ISF) Elects New Board
The ISF, an advocacy and advisory organization, 
formed to promote and advocate for the 
implementation and mainstreaming of Uganda?s 
National Information Communication Technology
Policy elected a new board at its 2006 annual 
general meeting. The new board is composed of Mr. 
Vincent Musubire as Chairman, Mr. Charles Musisi 
as Vice chairman is Mr. Charles Musisi, Ms. Jane 
Nakintu as Secretary, and Mr. David Obot retained 
his post as Treasurer. Four regional 
representatives were also elected as follows: 
East - Mr. Emmanuel Ofumbi; West - Ms. Gloria 
Ninsiima; North - Ms. Eunice Toli; and 
South/Central  - Dr. Patrick Okello. Mr Herbert 
Lwanga was elected to the board as a 
representative for special interest groups. For 
more information, visit www.isf.or.ug, or contact 
Mr. Frederick Kintu, ISF Programme Manager at 
<fkintu@xxxxxxxxx> or call 041-287425.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LINKS & RESOURCES
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a) Agriculture

= Marketplace for Agricultural Information Services (MPAIS)
   http://www.wougnet.org/Links/agriculture.html#MPAIS
MPAIS is an online knowledge bank and trading 
area for agricultural information and advisory 
services in Uganda. The Uganda Plan for 
Modernization of Agriculture (PMA) places 
emphasis on a private sector-led economy through 
commercialization, private sector participation, 
decentralization and broader participation of 
multiple actors in the provision of agricultural 
services including research and extension. The 
MPAIS project, therefore, explored the 
opportunities to stimulate a Market for 
Agricultural Information Services in rural areas 
by providing profitable opportunities for a 
variety of firms, NGOs and others to meet the 
growing demand from extension service providers 
for quality information, advice, training and 
other products. The results of this pilot project 
were intended to inform and guide policy 
formulation and create the foundation for a 
possible wider implementation. MPAIS was a pilot 
project being implemented jointly by Africa 2000 
Network Uganda, Infobridge Foundation (The 
Netherlands) and Source-KM (U.K.). It was been 
funded through the UK DFID Crop Post Harvest 
Research Programme Regional Office for East 
Africa and took place between March and December 2005.

b) ICT-related resources

= Information Society Foundation
   http://www.wougnet.org/Links/ictresources.html#ISF
On 16th October 2002, a Uganda Information 
Society Consultative workshop was convened and 
during the said workshop, the concept of the 
Information Society Foundation (ISF) was tabled 
and endorsed by several ICT stakeholders. The ISF 
therefore envisaged as an association of ICT 
players and movers in Uganda. It will play a 
leading role in the advocating for the 
implementation and mainstreaming of the National 
ICT policy strategy into the socio-economic 
development process of this country. This role 
will involve establishment of formidable 
partnerships at local, national and international 
levels intended for realising support for ICT development in Uganda.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PROJECT NEWS AND EVENTS
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February 2006

= The Second IDLELO Conference on the Digital 
Commons, Safari Park Hotel, Kenya, 23-25 February 2006
The Free Software and Open Source Foundation for 
Africa (FOSSFA) in collaboration with The Kenya 
e-Government Directorate in the Office of the 
President together with the United Nations 
Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) are 
pleased to announce the Second IDLELO Conference 
on the Digital Commons to be held at the Safari 
Park Hotel from 23rd to 25th February 2006. 
IDLELO is derived from a Zulu word for a common grazing ground.
The objectives of this conference are to 
stimulate a local Software Industry in Africa and 
bring together Practioners, Decision Makers, FOSS 
Software Developers and the General Public to 
learn how FOSS can be of relevance to their 
sectors. This conference targets Key 
Decision/Policy Makers in African Governments 
with emphasis on The Central 
Government/E-Government Teams, Education and 
Health, FOSS/Linux User Groups National Leaders 
and Leading FOSS Industry Players from the 
Private Sector. IDLELO2 sponsers include: Hivos, 
inWent, Ubuntu, Circuits & Packets, and Google.
Ugandans presenting at IDLELO include Constantine 
Bitwayiki, National Planning Authority - "FOSS & 
E-government"; Ednah Karamagi, BROSDI - "Making 
Civil Society Voices Heard"; Evelyn Namara, Linux 
Solutions - "Incorporating Gender in FOSS"; James 
Lunghabo Wire, Linux Solutions - "FOSS & Local 
Entreprenuership"; Milton Aineruhanga, WOUGNET 
Program Officer, Technical Support - Thursday 
Opening Remarks on behalf of the FOSSFA Secretariat.
http://www.wougnet.org/Events/projectnews06.html#IDLELO2



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WOUGNET News
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= WOUGNET Annual January Meeting, 25 January 2006

The WOUGNET Annual January Meeting was held on 
January 25th 2006 at Hotel Africana in Kampala, 
and attended by 45 participants. The overall 
objective was to review the WOUGNET Action Plan 
2006 and to get members? input for the way 
forward. The keynote address on the theme "ICTs 
and Entrepreneurship - Opportunities for Women", 
was delivered by Mr. John Musajjakawa, Uganda 
Investment Authority. There was also a 
demonstration by Mr. Norbert Okech of Rural 
Information Systems for Education (RISE) of a 
low-cost computer that can operate on a 
car-battery. A report of the meeting will be made available online.

= Women?s ICT Based Enterprises Workshop, 7 ­ 8 February 2006

From 7-8 February 2006, WOUGNET hosted the ?More 
and Better Women?s ICT-based Enterprises in 
Uganda? workshop which is one element of a 
women?s ICT-based enterprises (WIE) project whose 
goal is the creation of more and better women?s 
ICT based enterprises in Uganda that are 
majority-owned and/or run by women and that 
operate in the ICT sector for example data entry, 
e-services, IT training, cyber cafés, hardware 
assembly, software development, etc. The WIE 
project in Uganda is part of a global Women's ICT 
Enterprises Project, which is coordinated by Dr. 
Richard Heeks of the University of Manchester. 
For more information about the global project, you
can visit: http://www.womenictenterprise.org. 
This website also provides a link to a handbook 
on supporting women's ICT-based enterprises. The 
Kampala workshop was hosted at Hotel Africana, 
and organised with financial support from the 
University of Manchester - funded by the UK 
Department for International Development (DFID). 
A report of the Kampala WIE workshop will be made available online.

= Reminder - Call for expressions of interest: Refurbished Computers

As a result of the WOUGNET - Computer Aid 
Partnership, a shipment of refurbished Pentium II 
and III computers is in Kampala and available for 
sale to NGOs, non-profit and faith based organizations, as well as
educational institutions. The computers are 
priced at 100 pounds Sterling each (Pentium IIs 
are on sale for 60 Pounds sterling each) and come 
with a 1-year warranty. All interested please contact the WOUGNET Marketing
Officer, Sauce Patty Waigonda, by email: 
swaigonda@xxxxxxxxxxx or info@xxxxxxxxxxx or call 
0772-513079 or 041-532035 for more details and to make a booking.


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mailing lists are hosted by Kabissa - Space for Change in Africa
                                WOUGNET is supported by APC, CTA, Dimitra/FAO 
and Hivos

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