Smart Cape scoops Gates award
8 August 2003
Cape Town's Smart Cape Access Project has been recognised for its efforts to cross the "digital divide" by giving poor residents of Cape Town access to computers and the Internet for free, with a $1-million award from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Smart Cape plans to plough this money into ensuring that all Cape Town libraries are wired to the Internet, as well as upgrading its existing programmes.
After the launch of the Smart Cape pilot project last year, which saw computers and Internet access given to six libraries in disadvantaged areas, the project continues to grow from strength to strength, with local government and private enterprises coming on board.
The six libraries - in Brooklyn, Delft, Grassy Park, Gugulethu, Lwandle and Westfleur – were kitted out with computers and Internet access with the help of the City of Cape Town, which supplied refurbished computers, and Xerox and CableCom Ltd, which gave printers and network
cables.
Although over 60 percent of residents had never used computers, the response was overwhelming, and more than 7 000 people now use the facilities every month.
Enthusiastic users interviewed on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation website were unequivocal about how access to computers and the Internet was enriching their lives.
Barisha Gasnola said she used the library computers to help her son with his homework and was herself discovering the Internet for the first time. "I’m looking forward to using the computer for my own interests as well as helping my children. I know there are lots of sites that will open up the world for me", she said.
Others spoke of how the Internet was helping them access information about jobs and training.
Smart Cape programme manager Myomena Ismail said: "Librarians are not just custodians of books. Now they’re helping create success stories of young South
Africans."
Another Smart Cape project, in partnership with the Library Business Corners Project, has resulted in more than 30 libraries in Cape Town becoming small business information centres – allowing entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs access to information from the government, parastatals and the private sector.
SouthAfrica.info reporter
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