Welcome to the Christmas and New Year issue. This fall has been both active and productive for SPIDER filled with ICT4D activities, please feel free to visit our website for further updates.

We look forward to resuming our activities in January until then we encourage our network to share your experiences with us for the next newsletter. The text should be proofread and not exceed one A 4 and we reserve the right to edit the content.

The SPIDER team wishes you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Magda Berhe Johnson, SPIDER

Disclaimer
The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SPIDER.

Training program for Yemeni ICT Professionals

Professionals from seven public Yemeni Universities participated in a training program in October-November focusing on management of Information and communication Technologies (ICT) with special emphasis on capacity building for ICT Centers at universities in Yemen.

Development of ICT at the UNAH Univesity

SPIDER has been the technical and collaborating counterpart for the ICT project at the Autonomous National University of Honduras, UNAH, which is supported by Sida as part of the bilateral agreement on research collaboration with Honduras. The project started in 2006 and has just signed an agreement with Sida for support for a second phase of research collaboration.

New article: Development and Environmental management –hand in hand.

SPIDER is supporting the development of alternative livelihood opportunities through the implementation of ICT and folkbildning –Swedish concept of adult education. The project which is being implemented in villages in the Tamil Nadu region in south-east India and near Mombasa on the Kenyan coast has the objective to support socioeconomic development whilst protecting and managing

Conference update: Technology - a platform for Development

Professor Love Ekenberg, Christer Marking and Afzal Sher participated in the conference "Technology - A Platform for Development?" that was organized by Chatham House in London in October 2008. Major part of the discussion focused on the role of ICT in development with presentation of concrete projects that have led to positive results.

ICT education and alternative livelihoods for women’s groups in Kenya and India

The ICT livelihood project being implemented in Kenya and India seeks to alleviate poverty in the coastal villages of both countries through an integrated approach. The two main partners in the project, CORDIO and SDMRI have each worked for over a decade on coastal and marine research, conservation and management. In this project they focus on reducing poverty among coastal villages by improving livelihood activities in women’s groups through providing opportunities for further adult education, and access to ICTs. The project collaboration which began in 2007 planned to start implementation of ICT and folkbildning right from the beginning in India as there already exist well Developed networks of Self Help Groups (SHGs).

De La Salle University Students wins Globe Innovation Awards 2008

Students from the De La Salle University-Manila, College of Computer Studies (CCS) won 1st place in the recently concluded Globe Labs 2008 Challenge held in Makati City last Dec. 05, 2008. With their project entitled, “Imus Farm Animals Healthcare Portal (IFAHP)”, the group’s entry was awarded category winner for Enhanced SMS/MMS applications.

Collaboration on eHealth in Uganda

During discussions with the Ministry of ICT and the Ugandan Communication Commission (UCC) in August 2008, SPIDER was asked to support the development of eHealth in Uganda within the context of rural development.

SPIDER supports the development of an ICT Master Plan in Cambodia

SPIDER has a memorandum of understanding with The Swedish Environmental
Secretariat for Asia (SENSA) for supporting ICT4D activities related to
environment and climate change. SPIDER participated in SENSA annual conference
Cambodia in Feb 2008.

ICT Collaboration with Swedish partner universities - ICT, gender and development

In the last call for applications in 2007, SPIDER received a few proposals
that were focusing on ICT and gender. None of the proposals were however granted
funding at that time. Nevertheless, the assessment group unanimously agreed on
the importance of the subject area and suggested that SPIDER would promote
gender specific project proposals.