From January 8 to 15 2006, the quiet paradise of Kalangala Islands in the center of Lake Victoria shall become a melting pot for Africa Source II. Probably Africa’s best minds in free and open source software (FOSS) will be changing ideas on how to promote the growth of such software in Africa.
Helping NGOs plan and implement FOSS applications in order to increase their capacity
How to handle information, publish content using citizen’s media tools and engage supporters
How FOSS can increase accessibility through localisation, translation into local language
According to the tacticaltech.org website, the camp will focus on learning by doing, rather than by listening.
Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) is software that grants users the right to study, change, and improve its design through the availability of its source code. Some of the well-known FOSS programmes are Linux, Apache and Open Office. These are freely available to download from the Internet.
The eight-day event that will run at Pearl Gardens Beach in Kalangala shall be a hands-on workshop aimed at building technical skills within the NGO sector in Africa.
Africa Source II will focus on how technology, in particular FOSS, can be integrated into the project work of non governmental organisations (NGOs).
Over a hundred NGO support proficient experts and staff working at the local level across the region are expected. There will also be participants from Europe, America and Asia.
All participants essentially have a history of work with service and advocacy NGOs, educational organisations, NGO resource centres, community centres and health information organisations.
Participants will also explore the challenges and the future potential of FOSS adoption in Africa. Workshop sessions will include:
Africa Source II is the second pan-African FOSS workshop. Africa Source was first held in March 2004 in Okahandja, Namibia. It brought together African FOSS developers working in the social sector.
Local organisers and hosts of the Africa Source II workshop are the East African Centre for Open Source (EACOSS), Linux Solutions and WOUGNET (Uganda) and many other international partners like Fantsuam Foundation (Nigeria), Creative Commons South Africa, Aspiration (US) The Association for Progressive Communication APC, Schoolnet Africa, Translate.org.za, and The Tactical Technology Collective (the Netherlands).
BY Tanah Hadijah
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